BBC Weather is setting out plans to make its services even more digital and local, responding to audiences’ increasing use of digital platforms for weather forecasts.

These plans will include opening a new BBC weather centre at the Met Office’s headquarters in Exeter, as part of the new partnership between the two organisations.

Under the proposals BBC Weather will:

Increase digital content production, meeting ever-growing audience demand via the weather app, website, and social channels, across the day
Create a new BBC weather centre at the Met Office headquarters in Exeter, placing the BBC at the heart of weather insight and intelligence
Expand the existing weather hub in Salford, from which BBC Breakfast and Today programme weather bulletins will be presented in future
Make more of much-loved local weather presenters

Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO of BBC News, says: “As this summer’s heatwaves have proved, up-to-the minute and accurate weather information has never been more important. I’m looking forward to our partnership with the Met Office – this is a very apt time for our two trusted national institutions to be reunited.”

Simon Brown, Acting Chief Executive, Met Office, says: “Trusted information has never been more important. By bringing together the Met Office’s world-leading weather and climate intelligence with BBC Weather’s ability to reach millions of people every day, we can help audiences make informed decisions and stay safe during severe weather.

“This partnership, expected to go live later this year, is an important part of our strategy to support broadcast customers and extend the reach of trusted weather information across broadcast and digital channels. BBC Weather’s increased presence in Exeter will also strengthen links with the South West’s environmental science and data community.”

The BBC’s new partnership with the Met Office was first announced last summer. 

Under the BBC’s plans, local presenters will play a key role in future TV weather broadcasts at lunchtimes and weekends, giving a nationwide weather picture as well as a detailed local forecast.

The Today programme, BBC Breakfast, and the weekday editions of the News at Six will continue to feature separate national forecasts from network weather presenters, as will the News at Ten for a trial period.

The BBC will reflect new audience habits and make the most of network weather presenters’ expertise with enhanced coverage of significant weather events across all digital platforms, including articles, video, and social media updates.

Under the changes, routine radio forecasts will be read by presenters and announcers. On the news channel, half-hourly weather forecasts will continue, with automated forecast graphics rather than presenters. This format will also be used for the overnight edition of Weather for the Week Ahead on BBC One.

The late night weather bulletin on BBC Two weekdays will close.

These proposed changes, to be implemented this year, will involve a net total of three post closures and will contribute to the BBC’s £500m savings target. Focusing weather operations in Salford and Exeter also means that two of the dedicated weather studios at London Broadcasting House are set to close.

The announcement comes at a time of increased interest in the UK’s weather. During the heatwave in late June, BBC Weather saw record-breaking audiences access weather content digitally. More than 23 million UK unique visitors came to BBC Weather’s online coverage and forecasting over a seven-day period, an all-time high.

Across the same period on the BBC News website, four of the five top stories for UK audiences were weather-related, attracting millions of views. There were more than 60 million views of weather coverage on the BBC Weather and BBC News social media accounts.

JG3

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