Happy fair weather forecasters

Am I the only one who gets a trifle irritated when TV weather forecasters, with big smiles on their faces, exclaim with glee at the forecast of the so called good weather? 

Many of us in the city live in flats and apartments with glass facades, without gardens. New builds (and old builds) are glass, glass, glass! Without Air-con these greenhouse apartments doom us to be cooked like lobsters, or morph into a cactus. At the time of writing I am incapable of moving because of boiling temperatures.

Blue skies

I ask why are the weather forecasters are always so happy? Happy that the skies are blue (nice colour) with a scorching sun searing down? Happy while they give irritating chirpy reports that we can expect another glorious day? 

Do they all live in houses with a swimming pool to plunge into? Do they possess a garden with a tree casting cool dappling shadows onto a hammock swaying beneath its shady boughs? Where a half read book lies beside a plump cushion waiting… for the smiley faced weather forecaster to idle away the day reading and swing back and forth in a hazy dream of euphoria at the extreme heat?

Do they not realise that some of us live and work from home in the roasted city? Have they no pity? 

The Year of the Burn Up

Don’t they know about the fearful threat of global warming? How elephants, zebras, giraffes etc. are dying in Africa because of the worst drought in over 100 years? Haven’t they heard on the news about how unprepared we are to cope with the rising temperatures? How we are all going to burn up? (saying that, has just reminded me of a TV episode titled The Year of the Burn Up!—from a much loved series, written by Ruth Boswell, called TIMESLIP where I played the role Alpha 17).

I shall now attempt the extraordinary art of Haiku! To express, in as few words as I can—the beauty of the sound of rain upon a windowpane. 

Equality and weather-ism

I am not averse to sunshine! I love a warm sunlit day—and enjoy many summer outdoor pursuits. What I am against are the unremitting smiles and glee about extreme, unrelenting sunshine from the television weather forecasters. It is weather discrimination. Weather-ism needs to stop. Rain forecasts deserve a smile too. Enough of all these hearty smiling, jovial weather forecast presenters every time the sun appears. 

Heat is sheer hell! Please stop irritating people who can’t cope with extreme temperatures. Please consider the feelings of the pluviophiles; the lovers of rain, who find peace and joy on rainy days. 

Stop smiling about hot weather and refrain from always calling it good weather. 

Describe it with equanimity as SUNNY and HOT. 

Remember the world needs both sun and rain. I therefore ask the BBC and the weather forecasters to treat the planet’s natural elements as EQUALS and without prejudice. 

To deliver the forecasts without the influence of the personal preferences of the presenters.

It’s raining!

Since first starting this blog post the rain has arrived! The temperatures have dropped from 29° to 12°. Thus proving how unpredictable English weather is—it can change in the blink of an eye. The good news is that the rain is certain to wash the smiles off the TV forecasters’ faces! The bad news is they will complain about the miserable weather. Who knows, it might even snow…

What might the weather forecasters’ expression be then?

Watch Gene Kelly singing in the rain — It’s classic proof that rain is not miserable weather!

Now enjoy 38 secs of the soothing sight and clattering sound of heavy rain that I filmed falling on the lake in St James’s Park, London.

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Another Heatwave is on its way!

There are warning signs that another heatwave may be on its way. We can expect more jolly weather forecasters to deliver more annoying reports such as in the following quotes:

The second heatwave is forecast for July… now might be the time to go North. I wonder if I can get a boat to Greenland?

Just saying…

All I ask is that TV weather forecasters refrain from showing their bias and prejudice in their reporting of our weather. To be less infuriating, extolling how much they love the heat. To understand that not everyone does! Perhaps they could try to be more like news readers and attempt impartiality? Perhaps it’s time for TV weather forecasters to wipe the smiles off their faces, and wear a more inscrutable expression? Or, at the very least, be less gloomy when they forecast rain?

Whatever the vagaries of our weather get out there and enjoy yourselves. ☀️ 🍭 ☔️ ❄️ 😊

Stay safe and keep cool!

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Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.