New NIWA Weather Service

[jamesrobert]

Quite....think taxpayer's money

[RWood]

Quite....think taxpayer's money

If you're concerned about that, you had better examine the philosophy of those who in their wisdom decided to split the "old Met" in two in the first place. The impression now is that each organisation is muscling in on the other's territory to a certain extent.

[jamesrobert]

I agree, an unfortunate situation.

[jamesrobert]

"NIWA's mission is to conduct leading environmental science to enable the sustainable management of natural resources for New Zealand and the planet."

"NIWA was formed as a stand-alone company in 1992 as part of a government initiative to restructure the New Zealand science sector."

I think that it should stick to its knitting.

[NZstorm]

I think that it should stick to its knitting.

I agree.

When the Met Service was split, the intention was not for both to do weather forecasting. I think it can only undermine the Met Service in the long run.

[RWood]

I think that it should stick to its knitting.

I agree.

When the Met Service was split, the intention was not for both to do weather forecasting. I think it can only undermine the Met Service in the long run.

But to be fair, Met Service started putting out seasonal predictions, which wasn't in its original brief either. The whole setup was ridiculous from the outset. At least however the previous government forced NIWA to stop charging for archived data which should always have stayed in the public domain.

[NZstorm]

The government needs to sort it out as the tax payer can't be funding two organisations doing the same thing.

[jamesrobert]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8885606 ... te-service

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=10895152

[NZstorm]

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce said he understood Niwa and MetService had "largely different customers and different approaches to their provision of forecasting . . ."MetService provides general weather forecasting to many users on a commercial basis, while Niwa's new system is much more localised, providing services to individual properties or areas such as vineyards and farms."

The government endorse full competition between NIWA and the Met Service. That essentially what Joyce is saying here.

[iomkiwi]

.....and the two agencies were moving in different directions.

That's pretty much a certainty for any two bodies that are about to clash together.

[Nev]

I see MetService has bought 49% of local company, MetOcean Solutions.

According to MS chief executive Peter Lennox, joining forces with MetOcean, "springboards us into the rapidly-growing marine sector - a potential market of over $10m". MetOcean Solutions incidentally also supplies WeatherWatch with their weather-maps, etc…

'MetService buy to boost export potential' - Stuff

[03Stormchaser]

I wouldnt mind metservice branching out if the did a good job at there core task, forecasting.

[Tahii]

Just remember, forecasting is difficult - Metservice get the gist of the weather down almost perfectly, who cares if the temps are out by a degree or three.

They're only trying to predict the future...

[TonyT]

I see MetService has bought 49% of local company, MetOcean Solutions.

Just a heads-up for MetService, or NIWA, I'm always willing to look at an offer for 49% of Blue Skies!

[Tornado Tim]

Just a heads-up for MetService, or NIWA, I'm always willing to look at an offer for 49% of Blue Skies!

Don't you dare!

[tgsnoopy]

Owning 51% I suspect that you could have fun with a large corporate that owned the other 49%

[RWood]

Just remember, forecasting is difficult - Metservice get the gist of the weather down almost perfectly, who cares if the temps are out by a degree or three.

They're only trying to predict the future...

The armchair critics in forums don't actually have to do any forecasting ...

[moylanr]

I'm "forecasting" that I'll get home dry today.

Yesterday the NIWA service indicated I could get wet biking home after work today. Currently it shows 1.3 mm rain later this evening ie arrival time has been delayed.

Four other sources I checked forecast no rain later today, but two out of three different metservice feeds show rain (one has 1.3mm, the other 1.6mm).