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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Robin McKie Science editor

The perfect storm for small talk? Weather forecasters aim at long-range accuracy

Michael Fish Reading Reading University
Michael Fish's 1987 BBC weather forecast failing to predict a huge storm
Michael Fish’s infamous failure to predict a massive storm in 1987. Technology has moved on greatly since then. Photograph: Picasa/BBC Weather

The mainstay of casual conversation – the unexpected state of the weather – is under existential threat. Scientists plan to make forecasts so accurate they will be able to determine weather patterns a month into the future.

Barbecue misery and Wimbledon washouts could take a serious hit - thanks to the new 15-year research programme that has been launched by Reading University, in partnership with the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The aim is to transform our ability to unravel the minute influences that determine weather patterns and uncover the limits of predictability in the real world.

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