BBC and Met Office team up to tackle 'weather disinformation'

The BBC and the Met Office have partnered to tackle “weather disinformation,” renewing their collaboration eight years after the BBC ended its forecasting contract with the Met Office in 2017. The initiative aims to provide “weather education” to counter false narratives, including conspiracy theories about cloud formations and aircraft vapor trails.

Some online claims falsely assert that these trails are chemicals sprayed for weather control or psychological manipulation. Other misinformation includes exaggerated reports of “heatwaves” and “snowbombs,” which could mislead the public and hinder safety measures during severe weather.

Tim Davie, BBC director-general, emphasized the need for “trusted and impartial information to help people understand today’s weather,” noting the partnership will aid informed decision-making. Penny Endersby, Met Office chief executive, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating,

“Together we can reach even more people with essential weather information, helping them to plan their days, stay safe when it matters and keep well-informed in our changing climate.”

This move follows a 2024 BBC weather app error, which wrongly predicted 13,000mph winds due to a data issue with the US-based DTN service, underscoring the need for reliable weather information.