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A change in the Weather

Richard Chapman Richard Chapman | 08:00 UK time, Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Whilst I cannot predict a change in the balance between the amounts of rain and sunshine we might get this Autumn I can tell you about a big change to the look of the .

Graphic of new weather site

We have been working on this new look for a few months, and what you can see from today is just the beginning. Further changes and developments will be rolled out across the site over the coming months.

The changes to the design of the site have been largely driven by your feedback, either through our regular site surveys or the feedback forms we have put up on the site over the past couple of years. From the research it was clear that despite the many different ways the weather affects your lives the main thing you want from our site is the forecast (surprised - I guess not!).

But it was also obvious that improving navigation around the site and an updated design would be key elements in any revamp.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ News and Sport underwent a similar process earlier in the year and we have incorporated the best of the changes they made into the Weather site. Some of the changes are part of a new visual style that will apply across all the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s new and redesigned websites - the centering of the pages, the underlying layout grid, and the pan-³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ masthead.

So what are the main differences you'll see between the old and new sites?

The two biggest changes are the structure of the site and the visual design. All of our forecast information is now organised by location rather than by type of data. Once you have searched for your location you will find everything you need on one page. The visual design now follows the broadcast design, so the colour of the pages reflect the weather conditions for the location you are looking at.

Our forecast information is displayed in individual modules on a page and these can be expanded or collapsed depending on whether you are interested in the information or not.

Today's forecast for UK locations on the main Weather site are no longer depicted by one summary symbol. Today is covered by a three-hourly breakdown to show more clearly how the weather will change over the 24 hours to come.

Your feedback indicated that being able to personalise our site is important to you, so we have increased the number of locations you can save as favourites. The new site will also remember which modules you had open on your favourite locations last time you viewed them for the next time you visit.

Each location page displays the accompanying weather map, but you can also navigate to other map areas without leaving your page. This means you can choose a different or wider area map if you prefer.

Our website is now wider. The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ has received feedback from you about making the best use of available screen space. We're confident that now is the right time to use the extra space to improve the site.

Remember this is work in progress so not all of the features we are developing will be there on day one - and I'll keep you posted on the upcoming changes over the next few months. A big improvement coming later this year will be embedded video forecasts. So whether you are looking at a UK forecast or for your holiday destination our familiar broadcast team will be there to talk you through the latest forecast.

So take a look around the new site, and let us know what you think.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    I have not seen the new updated weather services that has been worked on...

    But, Congrats to you and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳!

  • Comment number 2.

    Revised:
    I have been to the new Website, it is actually not that confusing...

  • Comment number 3.

    Wow.

    I know I bitched endlessly the last time you tried to change the weather site.

    This time, you've done more excellent work: not only it the detail better, but it is clearer, nicer to look at, faster to use and 'answers questions' rather than 'pushes forecasts'.


  • Comment number 4.

    Can I make a special request that Derek Brockway's weather reports for Wales be available on the web for the whole world to enjoy ?

    People from Alaska to Nova Scotia to Timbiktu [surely Tombouctou ?] may have little interest in the Welsh weather, but DB's forecasts are considerably more entertaining than most of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Light Entertainment department's output these days..

    Just a thought..

  • Comment number 5.

    I like the new design a lot, the layout's clear and the personalisation is good.

    But I'm afraid I still won't be using the site much - for the reason that the forecasts aren't that good. Other online sites have, in my experience, consistently proved more accurate and up to date. Friends and colleagues all agree with me to a man (or woman)....

    So good work on the web front but please sort the forecasters out!

  • Comment number 6.

    Having briefly looked at the new site, adnittedly briefly, I would agree that it is generally much more strraightforward to navigate and better loking.

    However (you knew it was coming) it seems to have the same aversion to giving us wind speed and direction as the 'dumbed-down' TV forecasts. Here in the Scottish Islands this information directly affects our daily lives but it seems it is too much of a minority interest.

    The information which was given, which gave no clue as to timing - all important when working out whether/when to make a ferry journey - was near useless anyway.

    At least finding the Atlantic pressure chart is not as much of an afterthought as it used to be so we can work things out for ourselves.

    On the whole though, the Met Office's own site is more useful if not nearly as pretty.

  • Comment number 7.

    Any chance you could find out why Cluj-Napoca isn't listed as one of the available cities, when every other city in Romania (most of them smaller than Cluj) can be chosen?

    And no, I'm not a Chelsea fan. ;-)

  • Comment number 8.

    Hmmm

    Your link above is not (IMO) to the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ weather page - which I have always accessed as bbc.co.uk/weather.

    Neither is it the site accessed via the widget/whatnot on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ homepage.

    I don't find it instinctive to access the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Weather page as news.bbc.co.uk/weather

    When will you be changing the real ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ weather page?

  • Comment number 9.

    I quite like the layout, but womble88, consider they all use the same information, there really isn't that much between forecasts!

  • Comment number 10.

    The new layout clearly shows leftist anti-american bias.

  • Comment number 11.

    (i'm being silly of course, the new weather site's really good)

  • Comment number 12.

    Rather than change the layout how about getting the forecast more accurate? I use the met office site out of choice and its usually right, in no small part because its fairly vague about exact geography. The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ one that lets you enter a postcode gives nonsensical forecasts. How can you forecast that it will be sunny in two days time in postcode XX7 but heavy rain in XX5 3 miles up the road?

  • Comment number 13.

    Definitely an improvement, well done!
    I'm particularly pleased with the better access to the North Atlantic charts, as these are undoubtedly the most useful feature for anyone planning more than a day or 2 ahead.
    And at last I won't have to listen to ignorant work colleagues moaning all day long that "the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ got it wrong again", because that single 'showers' symbol for the whole day didn't result in 12 hours of solid rain!

  • Comment number 14.

    Of course, along with the old site, it has removed all references to scientists who dispute the "global warming" thesis. Don't worry, though: in 20 years' time the "global cooling" view will be back in fashion as it was from 1970 to about 1983, and the website will then allow no other opinions; it will also have plenty of tips on how to meet your carbon quota so as to help stave off the coming Ice Age.

  • Comment number 15.

    The new site (even in Beta) is much better, both in terms of its fresh design and improved layout but also regarding content and usability. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves over the coming months, but for now, you've made an excellent start.

  • Comment number 16.

    @Martintb - I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that bbc.co.uk/weather will almost certainly lead to the new site eventually. They may be waiting until some of the missing content has transferred over to the new site, and/or there may be other technical reasons relating to the domain. Either way, I'm sure it will happen - just be patient!

  • Comment number 17.

    @djmikeyc - haha! Don't forget the way the colour blue clearly shows the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s liberal bias (not the Tories, but the US Democrats). And it even shows you the weather for worldwide cities... more pandering to Muslims from these PC do-gooders! And it's in Beta... what a shambles. And WE pay for this! An utter fiasco! An outrage.... (etc etc)

    ;)

  • Comment number 18.

    @ dotconnect

    I am sure it will - eventually - but why is the weather site a special case for the beta treatment?

    I don't recall the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ running two sport sites or two news sites when they changed their layouts.

  • Comment number 19.

    There are some definite improvements here -- thanks. However, one thing that is less clear is the wind speed and direction. Now when I look at my 24 hour or 5 day forecast, the wind is spelled out in words in small type, rather than being immediately visible in symbols as it was before. And I can't find a wind map any more either. Maybe I'm unusual but when I'm cycling I care about the wind more than the temperature or the rain!

  • Comment number 20.

    I can't use it because it asked me to upgrade my flash player...however I am using flash 10....

  • Comment number 21.

    Is there some way the list of towns and cities on the right hand side (starting Aberaeron, Aberdeen, etc) can be turned into a vertically scrollable list?

    I realise you can type your location into the search box (which is great), but doesn't that make the pagination - in its current form - pretty pointless when we're talking about 372 towns/cities that can only be browsed alphabetically by clicking page 6... 7.... 8.... etc?

    For people who wish to browse the locations rather than type it in, it might be easier to let them either scroll down a list, or at least jump further ahead to locations starting with a certain letter (S for Southampton for example) rather than click through the numbers. Perhaps an alphabet drop-down menu would help?

    Just a suggestion.

  • Comment number 22.

    FAQ's and feedback form can be found here...



    Addresses some of the issues raised here.

  • Comment number 23.

    A definite improvement but will we ever get to see live satellite imagery of UK?

  • Comment number 24.

    I would echo the suggestions of a scrolling location list, live satellite images and more thought into the representation of wind speed (this is Britain after all, and a day without wind is a very rare thing indeed).

    Otherwise I think the redesign is spot on, probably because I'm one of those who likes the controversial 'brown' weather maps on which the site admittedly relies quite heavily.

    And whilst the UK map is the same as that seen on the broadcasts, it's great to be able to see the same maps of the US and worldwide without having to stay up to some ridiculous hour to catch them on Weatherview.

  • Comment number 25.

    Very promising!
    I particularly like being able to follow the changes in the synoptic charts.
    All the other details are good, easy to follow and easily obtained for one's home location.
    Tongue in cheek – it just shows that people tend to know what they want and it does not do any harm to ask them.

  • Comment number 26.

    You must have made a mistake with the map. Its possible to see Scotland properly, unlike the TV version.

    I presume the South East of England slant will be in the next Beta version?

  • Comment number 27.

    #26:

    Erm...what are you talking about? The map has always been like this on the website, it's only slanted on TV because they need to show the rain falling down to the ground.

    I'm liking the redesign, the annoying thing is that every time I click on one of the side options, a big pink box appears shouting at me! Ah well, slow and steady wins the race I suppose. :D

  • Comment number 28.

    Nice.

  • Comment number 29.

    #27

    They've taken the time to rejuvenate the website weather, and very lovely it is.

    Yet national weather forecasts on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ are still using a map that's slanted to the South East, and neigh impossible to see the North of the country properly.

    That needed fixing before the website did.

    Understand now?

  • Comment number 30.

    Can you confirm if you are going to publish the Coast and Sea section as this is really useful to me when planning sailing and other coastal sports - it's quite hard to get all the maritime forecasts in the one place for free anywhere else.

    Also I'm a teacher and the games and content in the educational Weatherwise section are enjoyed by my class and by my own children so can you make sure these don't get junked - I also can't find any of the other things like the monthly outlook or the good features you have which are very helpful for school projects.

    The new design is less cluttered but please don't turn off all the existing content which is good.

  • Comment number 31.

    When is the new site launching please?

  • Comment number 32.

    Plenty of improvements, which is great.

    The shame is that because the graphics are so dour and miserable on TV, they obviously have the same impact on the webpages.

    Full of infomation, but it will always look an unattractive site because of what the TV people have landed you with.

    So we're still stuck with a vomit coloured map and vague morphing blobs of blue after 36 hours.

    One suggestion though - the colour isotherm map used to have a keyline where the colour changed. This showed the colour boundaries very clearly. Since 2005 the colours are hard to differentiate without them, which is surprising because I would have thought this would be even more of a problem for people with sight issues.

  • Comment number 33.

    love the new weather site. brill pages for local weather
    Ianmar

  • Comment number 34.

    I like the layout. But can it be split between Simple view and Advanced?

    This way the people after a simple forecast can have just that, were as the people (like myself) that have an interest in the weather, can utilise the more detailed readings and forecasts.

    just a thought.

  • Comment number 35.

    So the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ website has a Weather subsite. I was unaware of this and now that I know, can I ask - why?

    The Met Office has an excellent site that provides the same forecasting directly from the source and which does so without using Flash. So why the duplication in provision?

    Weather on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ radio I can understand, but could the resources used for this subsite not be used to create original content?

    Baffled.

  • Comment number 36.

    Looks good hope the forecast is as well.

  • Comment number 37.

    I've been using Metcheck a lot more recently - mainly for the level of detail they give. The 3 hourly breakdowns on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Weather are fine - but Metcheck goes further, including "feels like" to allow for windchill, and the 3 hourly forecasts a week ahead. Ok, so it's never going to be 100% accurate, but it's nice to knnow.

    But the new site does look good.

  • Comment number 38.

    I think the new Beta weather site is a great improvement. However as you are presenting wide area synoptic charts I would like to see a graphic superimposed showing the path and strength of the Jet Stream. This is frequently shown on US TV weather forecasts

  • Comment number 39.

    Weather:
    Just one slight criticism.
    As someone who lives/works in the Northwest of England, what has happened to the weathermap??
    Neither Liverpool nor Manchester is now depicted in the main weather map.
    The North West of England now seems to begin about Crewe which is just North of Birmingham.
    Has the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ decided that no weather actually occurs in either Manchester or Liverpool??
    How come Newcastle is depicted, but Liverpool (capital of culture remember??),and Manchester (home of the cradle of industry??) is not.
    Has there been a "regionalisation in the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ which does not include the "real" North West of England..remember?..where the Industrial revolution was born?? I did not realise that London carried a grudge for so long!!!

Ìý

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