close
close

The BBC weather app predicts hurricane force winds

The BBC weather app predicts hurricane force winds

A bug on the BBC Weather website and app is causing incorrect forecasts of hurricane-force winds in the UK and around the world.

The graphics show estimated wind speeds of 13,508 mph in London and 5,293 mph in Rome – far more than any real hurricane like Milton, which hit Florida overnight.

Among other things, temperatures of 404 °C in Nottingham, 384 °C in New York and 378 °C in Sydney were incorrectly reported.

BBC Weather said it was aware of a data issue with a third party provider and was working hard to resolve the issue.

BBC News understands the error is mainly affecting wind speed forecasts.

Moderator Matt Taylor said in a post on Solving the Problem.”

In another post, lead presenter Simon King said: “Oops, don't let some of our BBC weather app data worry you this morning.”

“Rest assured there will be no 14,408 mph winds, hurricane force winds, or overnight temperatures of 404 degrees.”

Forecasters have also spotted the problem in television shows that were not affected by the error.

In a statement, BBC Weather said: “We are experiencing an issue with some weather data from our forecast provider generating incorrect numbers and text in our BBC Weather app and website.”

“It has mainly affected the wind readings, but some temperatures are also incorrectly displayed.

“We recognize that there is a lot of interest in the weather today and that is incredibly frustrating.

“We are truly sorry and we are working very hard to resolve the issue.”

A BBC spokesman also apologized and said it was working with its supplier to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

In Edinburgh, the glitch suggested wind speeds would be 17,246 miles per hour. Gusts of 14,398 miles per hour were expected in Belfast and wind speeds of 12,585 miles per hour were expected in Cardiff.

Meanwhile, wind speeds of 16,309 miles per hour were recorded in Truro in Cornwall and 15,227 miles per hour in Liverpool.

Forecasts are also currently predicting hurricane winds of 13,322 mph in Paris and 13,491 mph in Bangkok.

In fact, there will be colder air on Thursday, with rain and drizzle in the south of the UK and heavy showers near the east coast.

According to the Met Office, wind gusts will reach a maximum speed of 53km/h in Aberdeen.

Next week, Florida's Hurricane Milton could unsettle Britain's weather if its remnants land in the Atlantic, but the Met Office said it was “highly unlikely to reach the UK”.

Hurricanes are strong storms that develop over tropical waters.

These are sustained winds near the surface with a speed of at least 120 km/h. A Category 5 hurricane, the most severe on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, can have wind speeds of over 155 mph.

Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, has hit Floridawhich brings tornadoes, flooding and the risk of storm surges.

More than three million homes and businesses are without power and “a number of deaths” have been reported along the Atlantic coast.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *