Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

sanatic1234

Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Like the title says. I have been watching the forecasts like a hawk just lately.

1. I have normally had a frost by now.
2. This mild spell isn't fooling me one bit as it can change in an instant.

Anyway i like to use met check as it is normally really really good. I have had the same forecast for a frost now for the past two weeks and the frost being forecast for the 25th and 26th. I thought i would check about 30 minutes ago to make it was still the same guess what it isn't. Now met check are saying i don't have one for the next 2 weeks :shock: . I know this sounds like a good thing but i can not remember the last time i had a frost in November! It is always normally mid October and this year i am doing very well so far not to of had one already.
multim

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by multim »

I have not used it but it is 'normal' for the first frost of the year to occur around the last week of October, so perhaps it forecasts the general trend of past years and not actual forecasting. The best thing to do is to keep an eye on the wind direction and barometer readings.
sanatic1234

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

No it don't think it goes by past years, like i mentioned it is normally very very good, with the weekly outlooks and next few days and so on, most if not all forecasts are right. I have just never known it to change a forecast it has kept for so long? for at least the past 6-7 years rough guessing i have always had a frost mid October. Like i say i am not complaining with it being later but it does kind of throw me a bit when i am gearing up for the dig out which was on Thursday.
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Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by Dave Brown »

sanatic1234 wrote:No it don't think it goes by past years, like i mentioned it is normally very very good, with the weekly outlooks and next few days and so on, most if not all forecasts are right. I have just never known it to change a forecast it has kept for so long? for at least the past 6-7 years rough guessing i have always had a frost mid October. Like i say i am not complaining with it being later but it does kind of throw me a bit when i am gearing up for the dig out which was on Thursday.
First frost here ranges from mid October to late January, depending on the year :wink: Normally mid Novemeber.
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sanatic1234

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

I am going to have to keep checking it to see if anything changes and keep checking the BBC. Be great if i could leave them out till start of November i will be very impressed. Although my garden growth does look to of stopped now. :(
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Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by harryc »

I would be more worried about flooding than frosts for the next couple of weeks if the models are correct especially for the West and South West.

H
sanatic1234

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Luckily i am east and as east as i can get really. only 30 minutes from the beach, 10 minutes from the marsh.
billdango

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by billdango »

I don,t use Metcheck that often.

Anyway in a normal year i generally record the first frost in my garden about the 3rd week of November.

Anything lower then -3c in November is unusual for that month so I will only have to bring in the very few pot exotics that I have.

I rarely have to tie up the St Denys Phoenix canariensis_CIDP until late December or January and only then if temperatures -5c or lower are forcasted and that hardly ever happens in Southampton.

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Nathan

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by Nathan »

Metcheck is a rubbish site, the forecasts are purely from raw data (& not as comprehensive as the raw data forecasts that the BBC/Met Office use) you would be better off getting some pine cones or a bit of seaweed icon_thumright
flounder

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by flounder »

Nathan wrote:Metcheck is a rubbish site, the forecasts are purely from raw data (& not as comprehensive as the raw data forecasts that the BBC/Met Office use) you would be better off getting some pine cones or a bit of seaweed icon_thumright
I knew they worked! icon_thumleft
cordyman

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by cordyman »

I just check the beeb. 5 day usually good enough to warn of imminent frosts.
sanatic1234

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Nathan wrote:Metcheck is a rubbish site, the forecasts are purely from raw data (& not as comprehensive as the raw data forecasts that the BBC/Met Office use) you would be better off getting some pine cones or a bit of seaweed icon_thumright
I will have to totally disagree there Nathan sorry. Like i mentioned there metcheck site for me has just about been spot on every time, it has only been this frost warning that has thrown me a bit as it was a solid forecast for so long then in the week it had been forecast for it changed. But that is the only time it has ever done that since i have been using it. I do use the metoffice site sometimes but often they have proved to be wrong with some forecasts they have given for me. I suppose i all goes on personal preference really. But i do like to watch the weatherview on the bbc late at night. I always find them good.
Nathan

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by Nathan »

Well for here their forecasts are useless & always have been... I actually prefer to use the WeatherOnline forecasts to the BBC/Met Office, they are more accurate for my location...
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Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by Dave Brown »

sanatic1234 wrote:it has only been this frost warning that has thrown me a bit as it was a solid forecast for so long then in the week it had been forecast for it changed.
That is because the further ahead they try to forecast the more guessing it becomes. No-one can accurately forecast 2 weeks ahead, but you don't notice it as much normally. In this case you noticed as the 'F' word was used.
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sanatic1234

Re: Does anyone find Metcheck frustrating?

Post by sanatic1234 »

You could be right there dave, this time of year i do get fixated on the frost warnings. especially when i am now in to the end of October and still been frost free. Although my garden looks tired from the battering of the wind it is still nice to see the plants outside still. :)
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