Lately the BOM Local Waters Forecast for Perth Waters seems very vague, have they got a new forecaster who doesn't have a clue?

i heard this on AM radio at work the other day.
Apparently the information is there but not in the usual format.
It's to stop presenters of tv and radio repeating verbatim and to get people to use the site.
Don't quote me on that.

One more thing when I click the WA mega forecast link the synoptic charts page opens up instead.

Same thing for me as well.I guess temperature forecast from synoptic chart.

I preferred the old format. It gave some indication of when there was going to be rain and what time to expect it.
It's nice having a specific Melville Waters forecast, but we'd like to know about more than just wind!
I guess we'll have to look at all the sites and do our own forecasting.

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Windxtasy said...
we'd like to know about more than just wind!

Not all of us


but seriously whats happened to the 11:30 update, they seem to be only doing one at 4am and another at 4pm !


answered my own question - www.bom.gov.au/NexGenFWS/


looks like a cost saving thing - pretty bad that after all these years we lose the middle of the day update.

And what the hell is with the swell forecast?

The easiest thing to forecast as it is measured days in advance so we KNOW what we will get. In fact, that and temp was about the only things they ever got right.

They used to say 1.5m swell. Now it is 1.5m to 2.5m
That is a bloody big difference!!!!

Did Atmospheric Science at uni last year, had an retired BOM meteorologist as a lab demonstrator, who mentioned that BOM have lost a lot of experienced people in recent times (from retirements etc...), and now a lot of new, inexperienced people doing forecasts...

Dunno how much truth in it but maybe an explaination? Better off learning to read the charts yourself anyways

Great Idea

Come on crew get to the BOM link and let them know we are not happy with this drop in service.

It is a government service and apparently government is FOR THE PEOPLE.
[}:)]

Feedback sent !

It seems odd that today the BOM is saying

Forecast for Tuesday 20 November until midnight Winds: Southerly 20 to 25 knots.

The ABC radio and their web site are saying

Today Mostly sunny 12? min28?
Wind (km/h) am 22 SSE pm 32 S

The abc site says they are getting their info from weatherzone.

The weatherzone site (www.weatherzone.com.au/wa/perth ) says

Tuesday Clear. Winds S/SW 20 to 30 km/h

So do you think that the weatherzone and ABC are talking about a different place than the BOM (inland) or are they just getting Knots km/h confused ?

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Windxtasy said...
I preferred the old format. It gave some indication of when there was going to be rain and what time to expect it.
It's nice having a specific Melville Waters forecast, but we'd like to know about more than just wind!
I guess we'll have to look at all the sites and do our own forecasting.

Just noticed there is now a separate Melville Waters forecast...
www.bom.gov.au/wa/forecasts/melville-waters.shtml