For most of the day, the BBC’s website and app carried dire predictions that 'hurricane force winds' would blow for several days. BBC weather staff took to social media to apologize and reassure the country that the world wasn’t coming to an end.Henry Nicholls/Reuters
The weather in Britain is usually fairly predictable this time of year – cool, cloudy, drizzly. So it came as something of a shock to people across the country when they woke up Thursday morning to warnings from the BBC weather service about a colossal storm bearing down with winds of 22,500 kilometres an hour and temperatures soaring above 300 C.
For most of the day, the BBC’s website and app carried dire predictions that “hurricane force winds” would blow for several days. London was expected to see gusts of 21,739 km/h and the temperature in Nottingham was forecast to reach 403 degrees on Thursday.
The extreme weather wasn’t confined to Britain.
The broadcaster said the temperature in Vancouver would soar to 369 on Thursday – and stay above 370 for most of next week – while the wind would gust to 5,346 km/h. And watch out Winnipeg: The BBC said the thermometer in the Manitoba capital would top out at 399 on Thursday and climb to a searing 461 on Friday, with wind speeds exceeding 6,437 km/h.
BBC weather staff took to social media to apologize and reassure the country that the world wasn’t coming to an end.
“Oops, don’t be alarmed by some of our @bbcweather app data this morning,” said presenter Simon King. “Be assured there won’t be 14408 mph winds, hurricane force winds or overnight temperatures of 404°C.”
Mr. King acknowledged the bad timing of the mix-up, as the BBC and other news outlets were devoting substantial coverage to the hurricane in Florida. “Appreciate that with the main news recently focusing on hurricane Milton in Florida, at first glance of the words, it may have caused some confusion. Hopefully, the impossible numbers changed that,” he said on X.
BBC meteorologist Matt Taylor offered a similar apology and added: “No need to panic buy plywood and candles.”
In a statement, the BBC blamed the issue on its data supplier, Minnesota-based DTN. “We have an issue with some of the weather data from our forecast provider which is generating incorrect numbers and text on our BBC Weather app and website,” the corporation said. “We recognize there is huge interest in weather today and this is incredibly frustrating. We are really, really sorry about this and working very hard to fix the problem.”
A spokesperson for DTN said the company was aware of the problem but had no exact time for when it would be fixed.
Throughout Thursday, weather reports on BBC radio and television noted the issue and its website carried a disclaimer: “Sorry, this forecast is wrong due to a data error. Please ignore while we fix the problem.”
The forecasts prompted more than a few wry comments on social media from BBC viewers. Some joked about whether they should put their garbage bins out, while others wondered whether the BBC had mixed up Earth with Venus.
Several people referenced famed BBC weatherman Michael Fish, who in 1987 dismissed rumours that a hurricane was on the way; “Don’t worry, there isn’t,” he told the country. Within hours Britain was hit with a massive hurricane-like storm that killed 18 people and caused £2-billion ($3.5-billion) worth of damage.
As confusion reigned on Thursday the BBC weather service offered a helpful if abbreviated forecast on X. “In the meantime, here are Thursday’s weather headlines. Colder, clearer air moving in. Rain and drizzle in south. Blustery showers near east coast”
Now that’s more believable.