Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1936. WEATHER FORECASTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1936, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1936. WEATHER FORECASTS.

|pOR many years weather fore--1 casters were popularly [placed among the less reliable of | prophets, and they vied with, say, mother-in-laws, as subject for commonplace humour. So frequently did the meteorologists handle the truth carelessly, that many people made their plans in direct opposition Io the forecasts given. That was in the days, when rule of thumb measures mostly prevailed, or when century-old traditions about weather portents held undue sway. To-day, science has come to the ai'd of the meteorologists, wireless reports and better mechanical and other apparatus, enabling the forecasters to make much better guesses at truth.

Weather is proverbially changeable, and, perhaps, its vagaries never will be fully checkmated. .Much has been done, however, to publish useful information about weather prospects, and, on the whole, so far as the Dominion service is concerned, a commendable standard of accuracy is maintained. Dismal failures occasionally have to be recorded, but these are few compared with the successes achieved. Tt is human nature to .ignore the latter, and make too miich of the former. This tendency was displayed at yesterday’s meeting of the Auckland Farmers’

I nion executive, when strong comment was made about the “misleading” weather reports published.’ It was claimed'that predicted ‘■.scattered showers” wore in fact “deluges.” Farmers are more

prone to exaggeration of statement than are meteorologists who are cautious in their language*, so much so, in fact, as to sometimes cause wrong impressions. The Auckland farmers instanced the recent storms as evidence of the failure of tin* weather-forecasters, j't must be said in fairness to the latter, that tin* gale, rain, and cold were abnormal for the time of year, 1 y.and some measure of extenuation is

thus, supplied for the criticised prophets. Tn meteorology, as in many other thing's, reliability can he obtained only if adequate expenditure is forthcoming. It is significant that at lhe farmers’ meeting yesterday, a proposal that the Government be requested. to place larger financial resources at the disposal of the Department, lapsed for the want of a seconder. It is the familiar story of wanting something for nothing, or next to it.

It is pleasing to note that farmers are increasingly realising the importance of weather forecasts, but they should not rely on these alone. Self-help is desirable, and lhe element, of risk will never be entirely removed. Some farmers would “chance it,” be the weather reports ever so disquieting, whilst others might lose patience, if storm-precautions were taken unnecessarily. Weather forecasts are

meant to be as guides, not guarantees, and it will be necessary to cultivate a spirit of sweet reasonableness, which, apparently, was not greatly in evidence, at yesterday’s Auckland gathering. To obtain a better meteorological service, the nation will have to spend more, to ensure a wider system of district reports, upon which many of the forecasts have'to be based.