While those old wives’ tales might often have a sounder basis than sceptics might suggest, there are, of course, more accurate ways of predicting the weather. Living in the UK has taught most of us to expect the unexpected – brilliant blue skies and warmth in December; a sudden and dramatic hailstorm in August – and mostly we just roll with it. But there are often times when knowing with some degree of accuracy what the weather might do is exceptionally helpful – whether you’re planning an outdoor event, a trip to the seaside or even just a long drive.
Here we look at why being able to access the most accurate weather forecast in the UK matters; what you should know; and which outlets provide the most reliable weather forecast. We are, of course, often searching for different things: for some, the most accurate weather site in the UK might mean a long-range prediction; for others, it might be the humidity forecast for the UK that is of greatest concern. Whatever your preferences, read on to discover our top sites.
What You Need To Know About Weather Websites
Most of us will have a weather app installed on our phones as standard. For forecast-obsessed Brits, it is likely to be one of the most-used ones we have. But what should we know about weather websites and apps before merrily tapping away at them?
Being on point is the name of the game when it comes to predicting the weather – everyone, after all, wants to know where to get their updates for the most accurate weather in the UK. But how do we know who to trust – especially when, as those of us who use a variety of different sources to get the clearest picture know, weather stations can differ in their predictions for the same place and the same time – and sometimes wildly.
As an excellent article in Kingfisher Direct tells us, the accuracy of the forecast depends very much on what time frame we are looking at. As a rule of thumb, a seven-day forecast will be 80 per cent accurate, while a five-day forecast will be 90 per cent precise. As soon as you start to look beyond seven days, accuracy decreases once more; a ten-day forecast is only ever going to have a 50 per cent chance of being proved right.
So, how do they do it? In simple terms, forecasters look at three factors: the current weather; how this might change; and how a meteorologist might refine the details as presented by supercomputers, whose data allows experts to predict what might come next. For more information, read on at Kingfisher Direct.
Why You Should Use Weather Forecasts
Some may ask, ‘But why should I bother to use weather forecasts?’ There is, of course, no obligation to do so. All of us are free to take each day as it comes and adapt our plans and attire on the hop accordingly. The Weather Prediction website is, of course, a staunch advocator for being prepared. When it asked meteorologist Jeff Harby to compile a list of reasons to love a weather station – especially those that transmit the most reliable weather forecast – he came up with some compelling answers, ranging from the day-to-day practical concerns such as, ‘Helps people prepare for how to dress (i.e. warm weather, cold weather, windy weather, rainy weather)’, right through to health and safety agendas, such as ‘Helps businesses plan for transportation hazards that can result from the weather (i.e. fog, snow, ice, storms, clouds as it relates to driving and flying for example)’, and ‘Helps businesses and people plan for severe weather and other weather hazards (lightning, hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms).’ He also makes the salient point that those with health issues – such as asthma, heat stress of allergies – are better placed to plan their days, while those who are about to go skiing, boating or ballooning can glean whether the conditions are optimal or not with the aid of a good (and ideally *good* – which is to say, clement) forecast. Moreover, though, as he says, an accurate forecast can ‘make an uncertain future a little more certain.’ And wouldn’t we all like a little more of that? To read the full article, check here.
The Best Weather Forecast In The UK
Some of us are happy to use the default weather app on our phones. Others are weather obsessives, whether because we live and work in conditions that are greatly affected by what is happening weather-wise and thus need to be on top of things or, simply, because we just love to geek out over the science. Either way, some of us routinely check multiple sources for the most accurate weather forecast in the UK. To help steer you towards informed choices on the best weather websites available in the UK, we round up the ones we rate highly.
BBC Weather
The BBC weather website is regarded as amongst the most trustworthy resources for the weather. While it has its detractors online (what mainstream service doesn’t?), there is no arguing with the efficiency and ease of use of this forecasting station. It allows you to personalise your use, enabling users to add multiple locations (who needs anything more than occasional information for London if you are based in, say, Cardiff?), so that you can check not just where you live but anywhere you travel to regularly. It also flags up weather warnings, so that users are across any danger spots or times in the day when they should be more vigilant. Plus, it informs users of the hottest and coldest spots in the UK day by day so that they may form a picture of the whole country, and discover where is the best weather in the UK. It also gives general weather patterns without getting bogged down in full forecasts for areas that are not relevant. Visit BBC Weather here.
The Met Office
Somewhat less intuitive than the BBC’s easily navigable, at-a-glance site, the government-run The Met Office is nonetheless generally viewed as the most reliable weather forecast there is in the UK. The first thing that users must do is to click the map to zoom into the information for wherever is relevant to them (alternatively you can type in your postcode to go directly to local weather). Where it comes into its own is for users with a more advanced meteorological interest. Like the BBC, it issues weather warnings and extreme weather alerts. Unlike the BBC, it gives the impact of severe weather, as well as provides surface pressure charts and mountain area forecasts. Extremely comprehensive, there is a lot to absorb here, both for those who wish to casually check the weather and for those with a special interest in the subject. Visit the Met Office here.
Weather Spark
Type in your location to Weather Spark and you will not simply get the week’s weather forecast; you will also be treated to a full picture of the weather trends over the course of a year. Oxford, for example, is described like this: ‘The summers are short, comfortable, and partly cloudy and the winters are long, very cold, windy, and mostly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 1°C to 22°C and is rarely below -4°C or above 27°C. Based on the tourism score, the best time of year to visit Oxford for warm-weather activities is from late June to early September.’ This, of course, makes it an invaluable resource for prospective holidaymakers. But that’s just the start. For those who want to go deep, there are charts showing the annual averages for rainfall, clouds, precipitation and more, and the site even details when the optimal growing season is in the area. Dew points, wind speed and temperature bands are all covered in enough detail for enthusiasts to really geek out on. For the more casually interested, users can also view a simpler forecast. Visit Weather Spark here.
Accuweather
Accuweather’s homepage has the virtue of being very easy to read. Its tabs are laid out clearly so that visitors can click on ‘today’ for an outlook on the day ahead, but there are also hourly, daily, radar and minutecast options for more detailed looks at what lies ahead weather-wise too. Additionally, there is a monthly category, making this one of the top long-term forecasts in the UK, as well as a health and activities section, which helpfully lays out whether weather conditions are optimal for a range of concerns – from mowing the lawn to sinus pressure to dust and dander. You can type in your postcode for localised information – as well as popping over to the news arm for all the information you need for the day ahead on that front too. The downside is the proliferation of adverts, which can be distracting. Still, it remains one of the most reliable weather forecasts in the UK. Visit Weather Accuweather here.
UK Weather
When you land on Weather UK’s homepage, you are given a pretty good overview of what’s going on meteorologically across the country. If you want to localise your information, then simply type in your postcode to get a more relevant picture. But what makes it one of the best weather stations in the UK is its onus not just on the weather but on climate too. You can choose your forecast from the hourly to a ten-day outlook (do remember, though, that the accuracy of such long-range predictions can be sketchy; however, even taking that into account, this remains a good long-term weather forecast for the UK). It also offers an allergy tracker and charts air quality too. Visit Weather UK Weather here.
Weather Online
Weather Online offers a comprehensive picture of the conditions expected across the nation. Although its homepage is a little busy and thus somewhat less instinctive to navigate than some of the others, it does have a handy quick link to the main UK cities so that you can jump to your location with a click (for London, it offers everything from 48-hour to 14-day forecasts and is one of the most accurate long range weather forecast in the UK). Its sidebar offers a series of UK weather reports from how it feels to the month ahead to the seasonal outlook. Despite its busy presentation, it still deserves its place amongst the best weather forecast sites in the UK.Visit Weather Online here.
Net Weather
Net Weather has a slight flavour of the early days of the internet (anything that references the ‘net’ tends to smack somewhat of 1999). However, despite its slightly underwhelming appearance, it actually offers a very easy-to-use weather platform. We like that the famous Michael Fish gives a weekly weather forecast via video, plus the sidebar is extremely user-friendly: there are all the usual categories, such as 5-day forecasts and 10 days at a glance. But it also has tabs for the big weather questions we all have: will it snow? Will it be cold? Will it rain? Will it thunder? There is also a pollen count; a tab for ‘severe/ convective storms’; and a look ahead at the weather we can expect for upcoming events, such as football, horseracing and cricket. Going on a day out? You can type your destination into its search engine (examples include theme parks, zoos and the like) and it will give you an idea of whether it will be rain or shine for your excursion. In our books, despite first appearances, this is a great channel for the most accurate UK weather. Visit Net Weather here.
December 2022
