Great site, if it was not for your reporting we would be none the wiser as the MetService and TV1 weather reports do not say much about Atu’s track. Are you planning to add marine weather forcasting to your site? Growing up when the lighthouses where still manned we always called the MetService before heading out for a days boating and kept up to date via National Radio confident of the forecast. Nowdays we no longer rely on the metservice as our sole source of marine weather and its the coastguard channel on the VHF we check as well as other sources plus a visual inspection down at the beach. A marine forecast would be a great asset to weatherwatch. Keep up the great reporting, love the addition of videos too.

Hi Phil,

My wife sat in the seat across from you on the Thursday flight to Sydney the other week and I was in the row in front & we had a chat. I didnt realise you are so famous :p

Being a recreational sailor I have a natural suspicion towards weather forecasts; mostly born from the fact that I cant tell you how many times the metservice gets it wrong and how obviously it is wrong when listening to the nowcasting service on the VHF. (i.e the actual weather being totally different to the forecast).
On the storm that came through the Saturday of Auckland Anniversary weekend this year they were actually almost criminally wrong. I had canned my trip based on the observations and maps I had read but it would have been a unfortunate surprise for unsuspecting (& metservice trusting) boaties to set off on the Saturday expecting the 10knot NW only to be pummelled by the E gusting to 40+ knots !

I had a look at your site and started watching your forecast videos.
I find your forecast refreshingly open and much more aligned to the true nature of weather forecasting.
Well done ! Your site is now one of my weather bookmarks.
How about snow forecasting for the winter ?

Cheers,

Carl

Thank you all for the positive comments – I’ll be sure to pass them on to the NZ Herald team too, as without them we wouldn’t be able to make these.

Cheers all 🙂   Glad to see we seem to be hitting the mark, but let us know if you think we’re missing anything out.

Cheers

Phil

I think you have all the other weather gurus beat Phil, you are way ahead of them and tell it as it is, not blanched over with maybe’s.
Also think you should take over TV1 weather slot to give those who may watch it some 1st class weather reporting.

Great work from you and your team. Video’s are very good and as usual you explain it so very well.

Hi Phil

enjoying your updates of this weather event and dont listen to the cynical comments, they are coming from the wrong (sad) approach. Nice to see someone actually engaging with the public on weather matters, pointing out the points of interest, and the possibility of unusual weather events. I thought the TV news and metservice underplayed the Wilma cyclone to their discredit, and it was obvious once it hit us, it was for more newsworthy than first assumed. You are at least keeping us informed. The metservice has a limited educational function too because of its regional boundaries and precise function. You are filling the gap mate

Hey there, thanks for the forecast, have been watching your prediction and build up status, do you think the approaching comet / brown dwarf elenin predicted to be causing very sever global weather starting 4th march culminating 15th march with a pole flip and the associated global disruptions will be part of weatherwatch.co.nz picture of latest weather possibilities leading up to this event.

Hi Phil
You’re giving Jim and Tamiti a run for their money!! Enjoy your videos

Great idea to add videos but for quick access to the info ( for us lacking time to view) could you put a few main bullet points on this page?