The head of the Bureau of Meteorology has criticized the media for sensationalizing the weather while defending his agency against intense scrutiny of its warnings during the summer.
BOM director Andrew Johnson appeared before a federal parliamentary hearing on Tuesday and faced tough questioning about the agency’s performance, particularly the accuracy of its forecasts following the destructive impact of ex-tropical cyclone Jasper and other recent severe storms.
Johnson argued that his team had done an outstanding job, providing communities with several days’ notice before major weather events hit.
“I believe that the performance of our staff in giving the community such advanced warning would not have been possible in the past,” he said.
Johnson maintained that BOM’s performance was exceptional and its forecasts were accurate.
“On August 24, our three-month seasonal forecast predicted dry and warm conditions, which is exactly what occurred,” he stated.
“Our October 19 forecast for the transition from spring to summer also proved accurate, with a switch from dry to neutral conditions and rain in eastern Australia.”
“Then, on November 23, our seasonal forecasts predicted a moistening trend with neutral to positive conditions in December and January, which was also realized.”
When asked about the impact of forecasts on farmers selling cattle cheaply due to predictions of a hot, dry summer, Johnson expressed surprise, noting the inherent uncertainty in forecasts.
Regarding media reporting on forecast changes, Johnson stated that the media often exaggerates, and BOM cannot control how the media interprets their information.
“What I observed this summer is an exaggeration of various weather events,” he said.
“We are reflecting on how we can better communicate these messages, as it seems some people may have missed them, but it is important to note that the warnings were issued.”
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