Complaints pour in as BBC Weather app warns of 15,000mph winds and searing UK temperatures of 404C
10 October 2024, 11:46 | Updated: 10 October 2024, 12:32
The BBC has faced a barrage of complaints after its weather app warned UK residents they could face winds in excess of 15,000mph and searing temperatures of 404C.
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With global warming at the forefront of everyones minds, the broadcaster's weather app told residents in Nottingham to prepare for searing temperatures of 404C (around 759.2 Fahrenheit).
In fact, the extreme weather spread around the world, with temperatures of 384C predicted in New York and 378C in Sydney.
The apparent glitch saw weather presenters apologise live on air, with the glitch blamed on an issue with a "third-party supplier".
It comes as Hurricane Milton made landfall in the US on Thursday morning UK time, causing many on this side of the Atlantic to worry more extreme weather was on its way.
London's premier shopping destination was not immune from the app's catastrophic predictions, with London's Oxford Street facing hurricane force winds of 15,000mph.
Following complaints, BBC Weather said it was working to fix “data issues” on the app and website, before apologised for the inaccuracies.
Forecasters quickly acknowledged the errors across TV bulletins, informing the public and assuring them a catastrophic heatwave and hurricane were not concurrently about to strike the UK.
Read more: Roof ripped off Tampa Bay baseball stadium as Hurricane Milton tears through Florida
In a statement, BBC Weather said: "We have an issue with some of the weather data from our forecast provider which is generating incorrect numbers and text on our BBC Weather app and website.
"It’s mainly been impacting wind readings but some temperatures are also displaying wrongly.
"We recognise there is huge interest in weather today and this is incredibly frustrating."We are really, really sorry about this and working very hard to fix the problem."
It comes as Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off the Tropicana Stadium in Florida.
Home to US baseball team the Tampa Bay Rays, strips of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass flailing in the air as 120mph winds hit the city.
It had previously been claimed the roof could withstand gusts of up to 115mph, according to the Rays.
