January 11, 1954 saw the first television weather forecast. It was, needless to say, a London invention. As anniversaries go it’s a googly. So naturally it’s the one I picked for the Today in London History for today, January 11.
London calling.
This one’s to the minute.
It was at 7.55 pm on this day, January 11, 1954 that the first television weather forecast was made.
A world-first? Dunno.
But certainly for this country.
The weatherman was one George Cowling. His forecast that night was for “a pretty dry, mild day with a spot of rain in the Irish sea.”
That was followed, 24 hours later, by a sensational piece of advice. Mr Cowling said that if viewers hadn’t got their washing dried that day, they should get it out early the next morning before the rain came.
That made headlines.
As for their kit and their methods, well, they were Victorian if not primitive. No satellite maps of course. No computer mojo. No hi-tech graphics. No video razzle-dazzle.
The weathermen did their own maps in felt-tip pen at the London weather-centre in Holborn. They’d roll them up, put them in a tube and rush up to Holborn Underground Station, hop on the Tube and take the paraphernalia to the BBC Television Centre at Shepherd’s Bush.
Well, at least they had felt-tip pens.
The pioneering Mr Cowling recalled one evening when he was pounding the pavement getting from the Weather Centre to Holborn Underground Station. He was caught in a thunderstorm and when it came time to do the weather his clothes started to produce steam under the studio lights. The weatherman became the weather, brought the weather inside with him.
Three more observations and then we have a wrap.
Good night or good day from London. Wherever you are.