The BBC weather centre have been at it again with their long practiced art of meteorological terrorism. But last Friday they carried it to new extremes with dire advice not to leave the house and ‘dangers to life’. This warning was aimed primarily at Norn Iron and to the ‘Central Lowlands’ of Scotland with Glasgow being nominated as ‘particularly at risk’ Winds ‘in excess’ of 80 miles an hour, structural damage, power interruptions-better stay inside in the dark than risk being decapitated by flying tree trunks-such a feature of the Gorbals. I happened to be speaking to a Glaswegian at the height of the alleged storm. He mentioned that there was a bit of a breeze and that his hat had ‘nearly’ been blown off. We were later in Bangor, Norn Iron where being Friday afternoon thousands of reckless people were out for their week end shopping as if nothing as happening, as indeed nothing much was. Our host mentioned that he was grateful that the effete southerners who dominate the weather centre had actually taken notice of anything outside the Westminster Triangle. Last week a local weather buff had recorded winds in ‘excess of’ 112 mph. The weather map for Norn Iron that day had showed ‘winds light to moderate’ prevailing in the province.
Anyhow some people had taken the BBC’s warnings seriously and most of the ferries were cancelled. Must have been irritating for those frustrated passengers marooned in the Ferry Terminals, basking in the sunshine and looking at mill pond conditions in Belfast Lough and Stranraer harbour.
Comeback Mr Fish. You got it wrong once. But this is becoming a habit.
