It’s not always a breeze being a weather presenter, and they deal with a large number of complaints every year.
Met Éireann received 78 complaints from members of the public between the start of the year and November 1st.
One person put the fashion choices of some of the presenters straight in the firing line.
“One can hardly believe that we are having the coldest weather at the moment by the way the female presenters are dressed. It looks so ridiculous.”
Another complaint said “I find Met Éireann reports more glamour orientated” than focused on the weather.
More people took issue with the way some of the forecasters present. “In particular one rattles at such a high speed (it’s) impossible to decipher or note the content.”
The documents were released to Newstalk under the Freedom of Information Act and names of forecasters with individual complaints about them were redacted.
Most of the complaints were about Met Éireann getting the forecast wrong, with people being promised sunshine then looking out the window to see thundering rain.
A message sent in May took the chance to rub it in - saying “boy did you guys get the weather for the weekend wrong. 19 and 20 degrees and sunny?? Stick to the day job and trying to win the Lotto.”
While another unfortunate holidaymaker said they had taken two days off work after being promised a bit of sun, and that Met Éireann “managed to ruin my weekend and days off.”
#DublinBias
Other avid weather watchers were annoyed at Dublin getting a special slot on the Met Éireann website alongside the four provinces.
“Since when is Dublin a region? Are the Dubs now considered the fifth province?” one person lamented.
Another countryside complainer also felt the Dublin bias, suggesting people “could save money and pay less tax by getting rid of the Dublin service or let Dublin pay for this rubbish themselves.”
On a more serious note a complaint made by a fisherman claimed inaccurate forecasts were putting lives at risk at sea.
“I can see no reason why you continue to announce forecasts that (are) so abysmally incorrect” he said.
“As master on board I make decisions affecting many lives based on your careless forecasting.”
There was also a lot of criticism for the Met Éireann website with one complainant saying it is a “mess”.
But some of the complaints were just plain pedantic:
“Disappointment at the face that ye keep referring to May 1st as Spring. May 1st is the first day of summer. I expect a response to this query” read one.
Here’s hoping the presenters can battle through the storm front of complaints.
