Villagers cast a dark cloud over BBC's weather forecasts

Published on Sunday 3 May 2009 22:11

RESIDENTS of a Highland village have attacked the BBC over its "inaccurate" weather forecasts that regularly predict rain.

The BBC's weather forecast invariably predicts showers for the Highland community of Carrbridge, despite local woods having been declared a fire risk because it was so dry.

Villagers claim that despite its name – Carr is Gaelic for boggy – they live in one of the driest areas of Scotland.

Protected by mountains and nestling in the Cairngorms National Park near Aviemore, it has its own enviable microclimate.

Now, the village's 700 residents have written to the BBC, complaining its forecasts are putting a damper on tourism and threatening livelihoods.

Andrew Kirk, chairman of the local business association, who runs the Cairn Hotel, said:

"We are just trying to explain to a very large organisation what effect they are having on a very small community."

The BBC said:

"We are confident we are using the best source of forecast data.

"However, there are times when the weather behaves in unpredictable ways."