BBC apologises after weather app and website forecasts 'hurricane force winds' in the UK
The BBC has issued an apology after its trusted weather and website forecasted “hurricane force winds” across the UK.
Users of both the BBC Weather app and viewing the forecast on the website were shown graphics for locations in the UK, including London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, to get “hurricane force winds” of up to 13,000mph. There were also overnight temperatures of 404ºC in Nottingham.
It comes as Category three Hurricane Milton, dubbed the ‘storm of the century’ in the US, made landfall in Florida, with more than three million homes left without power and millions of people ordered to evacuate. Following the BBC Weather blunder, BBC broadcast meteorologist Matt Taylor confirmed that Hurricane Milton would not be hitting the UK.
He said: “Don’t be alarmed folks – Hurricane Milton hasn’t made it to us here in the UK! There’s been a data glitch between our suppliers and the app/online. Folk are working to solve the issue. No need to panic buy plywood and candles.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “We’re aware of an issue with our third-party supplier, which means our Weather app and website are wrongly predicting hurricane wind speeds everywhere. That is incorrect and we apologise. We’re working with our supplier to fix this as soon as possible.”
The real forecast has predicted colder, clearer air moving across the country from Thursday (October 10) with rain and drizzle in the south. More blustery showers are expected on the east coast.