May Day!
It's May Day, so I thought I'd spread cheer by pointing out that the nights start drawing in again next month.

Summer's nearly over...
( Enzyme is in ur [noun]z, [verb]in' ur [noun]z, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:02, Reply)

Oh it is soooo not
My wonderful boss is sacking me at the end of June, so I have July and August to do as I please before going to uni AGAIN in September.

It had better be a bloody hot summer.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:06, Reply)

Off to uni too eh?
What you looking at doing?
( Cawl - King Of Wales, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:08, Reply)

Oh god don't
For my sins I'm doing a PGCE in secondary Science.

The plan is to then graduate, work a little, and sod off to New Zealand where the world has less people to crowd me.

You studyfying too?
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:12, Reply)

Er...
A PGCE in Secondary Biology...

What're the odds eh?
( Cawl - King Of Wales, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:15, Reply)

You'll both be working in McDonald's by christmas

(Bert's other profile wants to wear your balls on a necklace, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:16, Reply)

Secondary?
Are you both mad? FE please. At least you may retain some sanity.
(Porkylips Built for comfort, not for speed., Fri 1 May 2009, 10:38, Reply)

Some might say, yeah.
But I'm really excited about it!
( Cawl - King Of Wales, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:41, Reply)

Good.
I think we need more people from B3ta in mainstream education. Hopefully we'll get more stories out of it. Good luck.
(Porkylips Built for comfort, not for speed., Fri 1 May 2009, 11:36, Reply)

Hope it's hot as hell
So I can go to the beach everyday on the North coast of Scotland.

Take THAT Stress!
(TDW I will bite your face off, Fri 1 May 2009, 10:58, Reply)

KAaaaaaaoooolllll
Where are you doing yours??

Urgh, I'm soooo late.

Gotta dash!
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Fri 1 May 2009, 11:38, Reply)

Did you see yesterday
the Met Office are predicting a hot dry summer?

It was on the BBC website. On the same page, under 'Related Items' was an article from the Met Office from last September predicting a mild winter ahead.

Fills you with confidence, eh?
( K2k6 has been using boiling nitric acid, Fri 1 May 2009, 11:54, Reply)

The Met Office
couldn't predict their way out of a wet paper bag.

I know this with certainty because my office is pretty much the closest building to the Met Office.
( Vipros looks like he stands on kids' toys, Fri 1 May 2009, 11:56, Reply)

@K2k6
Those were my thoughts exactly.
( Enzyme is in ur [noun]z, [verb]in' ur [noun]z, Fri 1 May 2009, 11:57, Reply)

To be fair
short term forecasts have become much more accurate in the last few years, because of increasing computer power and better prediction modelling.

But long term forecasting is basically educated guesswork, comparing historical trends with current conditions. The weather is sensitive to all sorts of things. So if a butterfly flaps its wings in the wrong place...

They'd really do better not to try seasonal forecasting.
( K2k6 has been using boiling nitric acid, Fri 1 May 2009, 12:15, Reply)

*puts on pedant hat*
I disagree k2. Making seasonal forecasts and examining how accurate they are and why is the only way we'll get better at them. Currently though it doesn't seem like good PR for weather forecasters to be publicising their long term forecasts.

Probably too late to start withholding seasonal forecasts now though.
( Captain V, Fri 1 May 2009, 12:20, Reply)

Sorry, I should have said
publishing seasonal forecasts. They should still make the forecasts, but until they get to a reasonable level of accuracy, there's no point in publishing.

Unless they have commercial links to barbecue manufacturers and summer clothing retailers, of course!
( K2k6 has been using boiling nitric acid, Fri 1 May 2009, 12:23, Reply)

Seasonal forecasts are easy.
June will be warmer, on average, than December. August will be drier, on average, than April. Tomorrow will be much like today - but a bit more so.

Cinch.
( Enzyme is in ur [noun]z, [verb]in' ur [noun]z, Fri 1 May 2009, 12:48, Reply)

I realised that's what you mean K2
I'm just feeling particularly pedantic lately. I think the lack of thinking that goes on at my place of work has caused me to become even more pedantic.
( Captain V, Fri 1 May 2009, 15:01, Reply)