UK Weather Online

The UK weather is a rollercoaster ride, sometimes going from sunshine to snow within days or plunging tens of centigrades within weeks to extreme minus temperatures. The weather is always a talking point for the population and it can be difficult to know whether to leave home in the morning wearing a T-shirt or a raincoat.

The weather forecasts on TV and radio remain essential but so too is the Web. No site can lay claim to being right all the time, but taken together they can perhaps provide a more accurate picture of the weather in the days ahead.

Here are some of the top UK weather forecast sites:

The Met Office

The UK’s national weather service has made several high-profile mistakes over the past couple of years which have called its forecasts into question but the Met Office Web site still remains worth visiting. A key feature of the site are the regional forecasts with descriptions and maps of the next one to thirty days and more localised forecasts are available by selecting a town or by entering a postcode. It’s also possible to get the latest data from the nearest weather observation site, which are updated hourly.

Another reason to visit the Met Office Web site is for the weather warnings, which may be advisories issued several days in advance or flash warnings when there is 80% or more confidence when severe weather is expected in the next few hours. You can also subscribe to these warnings on Twitter.

As well as the Web site having a simplified mobile view, there is also a dedicated Met Office iPhone app.

BBC Weather

This is one of the first sites that many people turn to for the weather but the reality is that it gets its data directly from the Met Office so the two sites are very similar, if not entirely synchronised. The Met Office site is usually a bit more up-to-date than the BBC Weather site but there are still a few reasons to visit it.Firstly, the regional forecasts are clearer to understand, because of the superior graphics. Secondly, the maps also better show, for example, a better idea of where snow may fall when its forecast. And finally, and perhaps most important of all, the site also provides the latest regional and national BBC Weather forecast videos to watch, which are updated several times each day.

Metcheck

This has recently become a popular weather forecast site, although it can’t claim to be more accurate than any other. Like other sites, it provides regional forecasts by postcode, including two week predictions (although these are often as unreliable as you’d expect). Daily forecasts are divided into three hour sections with clear, animated graphics.

The Metcheck.com Web site usually also provides a daily national summary each morning on its home page that may describe the next few days, as well as weather warnings.

Netweather

A good community site featuring blogs and a discussion forum, a unique feature of Netweather are the weekly video forecasts by legendary ex BBC weatherman Michael Fish which provide a unique insight into the next seven days. There’s also a good overview of the days ahead.

National and local weather forecasts are available and the site features colour coded tables that include the wind chill factor, rainfall and snow forecast. It also features updates on both Facebook and Twitter.

WeatherOnline

Not the most attractive site to look at but WeatherOnline does feature some good information that’s worth checking out. A ‘Morning Call’ is published almost every day that gives a good summary of the day ahead ahead and there’s also a breakdown of the next seven days, the month ahead and even a seasonal outlook.

There’s also a lookback at weather gone by and a ‘scratchbox’ that’s often updated several times each day with commentary about the weather. National and local weather forecast charts are available but these aren’t the clearest or most fully featured available.

TheWeatherOutlook

Like Metcheck, TheWeatherOutlook site features a daily summary of the days ahead on the homepage. There’s also TWO Buzz, a news and views area that is sometimes updated several times each day by the site’s founder, Brian Gaze, which can give a good insight into what’s going on with the weather.

National and local weather forecasts feature clear graphics and even a thirty day forecast is available, together with a discussion forum.

Get the Big Weather Picture

Weather forecasting is not an exact science and no one Web site will give you a completely clear picture if the sun tan lotion or an umbrella need to be taken out but all the sites above will help you develop an informed opinion.

For a bit of fun in the winter, there’s also the #uksnow Map site which is a mashup of Twitter and a map of the country.

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