“Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rung the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way… well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t!” Micheal Fish, BBC Weather Presenter.
30 years ago Micheal Fish a well-respected meteorologist that worked as a weather presenter at the BBC said that very thing. Shortly afterward a hurricane touched down in the UK. The consensus is that if Fish, a BBC staple, hadn’t have stated so flippantly it wouldn’t happen people would have been better prepared.
Actually, if you watch the video you’ll have a better understanding of why I kind of feel sorry for him:
You’ll see that the strong weather conditions, at the time they were studied for the broadcast, were:
- Not headed for the UK
- Not of hurricane level
- Were seen to be just stronger than typical weather
At the end of the day, he was presenting what he, and no doubt the people who were studying the weather at the time had concluded.
What makes it so interesting is that nearly thirty years on from the day he rather adamantly declared that there will be a hurricane hitting Ireland and the UK. I’m writing this before Ophelia hits so we’ll see how accurate he is this time. Before you ask I’m blogging now just because it’s the most convenient time to write rather than I’m particularly worried.
I’d like to think that people can take a step back, look and realise why he got it wrong, and hopefully end his inclusion on the blooper reels.
Pixie Teeth 
One thought on “Wednesday Wisdom | 181017”