As part of the BBC’s Make it Digital initiative we launched BBC Weather Watchers last year asking people to get involved and send in their photos and weather reports from across the UK.
Weather Watchers allows people to have fun creating their own reports, helping to develop digital skills, and even have their pictures and observations appear in BBC broadcasts on local radio, regional and network TV.
One year on Weather Watchers has more than 132,000 members and together they’ve submitted over 928,000 reports.
We spoke to our BBC Weather presenters about the initiative as well as some of Weather Watchers who share experiences and favourite photos from the past year.
BBC Weather Presenter, Carol Kirkwood
As we are an island, our weather is quite diverse – cold continent, warm sea and we cross latitudes – so as a result we can receive starkly different pictures from all over the UK taken at the same time e.g. dense fog in southern England, frost and clear skies in the Highlands, and showers in Newcastle.
Sunset at Fisherman’s Beach in Kent by Weather Watcher Becky
If I was really pushed to choose which pictures are my favourites, it would definitely be sunrises and sunsets so it’s just as well as I am usually on BBC Breakfast in the morning. We love your pictures so thank you for sending them and please keep them coming in.
Weather Watcher Ebb & Flow from Cambridge
Whatever time of the day I'm outside, I seem to find something. Sometimes I think, well, I might not take photos today, and lo and behold I'll come back and I've got 50 pictures on my mobile phone!
I've gained so much photography knowledge. And although I’ve been taking pictures on my phone, I’m now planning on getting a proper camera. I just look forward to just seeing what's out there up in the skies.
Ebb&Flow captured this wonderful shot of poppies against a background of altocumulus cloud in July
One of the best highlights of my year was getting a showcase on the Weather Watchers site and it certainly wasn't my aim at all. My aim is to get out and take in all the sights. I’ve made friends with the local farmers who tune in in to the local TV weather forecast at 18:55 to see if my photos have been featured and if their farms have been featured.
When I first saw my photo on air it was just the best thing. It was just amazing. In fact I ran around the room and I called some family and it was just amazing, just so exciting.
Ebb&Flow witnessed this sunrise on a cool, crisp day in Great Chesterford
BBC Weather presenter, Chris Fawkes
Weather watcher photos bring to life our forecasts on TV. It may be a cliché that a picture paints a thousand words, but it’s true, and the fantastic weather watcher photos we use can show people in near real-time what the weather actually looks like in different parts of the country.
Some of my favourite weather watcher photos are of some of the rarer weather phenomena that you don’t see every day.
In October, Weather Watchers user glasshalfempty captured this dramatic picture of a Fallstreak in Bournemouth.
We’ve had great photos of Fallstreaks, holes punched in the middle of clouds caused by tiny water droplets turning to ice, which then fall out of the sky.
Weather Watcher Tedmawr from Carmarthenshire
I signed up Weather Watchers because I enjoy taking pictures of the local Welsh area; it’s a fantastic tool that allows people to share their photos and experiences of the weather wherever they are. It’s fascinating.
Tedmawr took this photo at Ammanford beach front after a Summer shower in July
I take my Jack Russels Alfie and Wilfer for long walks every day and I take pictures of everything around Carmarthenshire including the mountains and the lakes. They’re very keen Weather Watchers too.
The River Usk at Abergavenny is sparkling in the August sunshine
The first time I saw my photo on-air it was just fantastic! All my wife’s friends phoned to say they’d seen it and my parents came round to celebrate.
BBC Weather presenter, Nick Miller
Sometimes I see something spectacular in the sky and I photograph it. Then I wonder “I can’t be the only person lucky enough to see this?”
Before the advent of BBC Weather Watchers I may have been left wondering but now I can go online and not only share my photo but more often than not see other people’s view of the same thing.
No I wasn’t the only person marvelling at such an amazing sight although frequently everyone else’s photos are far better than mine!
Weather Watcher TheWildGarden sent in this photo of a circumzenithal arc in Sheffield
Whether it’s a classic circumzenithal arc or fabulous full moon, being a BBC Weather Watcher has allowed me to not only share my view on the world of weather but enjoy what other people are seeing too.
This double rainbow was spotted in Fort William back in April
And then there are all those spectacular rainbows, haloes, lenticular clouds, thunderstorms - enough to keep us weather geeks entertained for hours.
Weather Watcher Sandie’s Valley from West Yorkshire
I signed up to the Weather Watchers website on the day it launched and I post a number of pictures everyday which I take when I’m walking my dog, Crumble.
Crumble has cold paws on her frosty in November morning walk in Derbyshire with Sandie’s Valley
To see my photo appear on the BBC was beyond my wildest dreams and I’m lucky enough to have had more than one photo shown over the past year. My next ambition is for Crumble to meet Carol. I think they’ll like each other.
Sandie’s Valley took this photo at Meltham Mills showing the leaves changing colour for the season
I have learnt so much since I became a Weather Watcher. I understand much more about the topography of the land, cloud formations and where the best places are to find a rainbow. I’m really keen to do a weather forecast course.
I’m really passionate about the website too. Whilst I was on holiday on The Isle of Man, I convinced someone to sign up after mentioning that I didn’t see many photos from the area. Since then, I’ve seen her photos on-air too, so that’s great!
- Sign-up for Weather Watchers and read more about some of our members on the BBC Weather Watchers website.
- Follow BBC Weather Watchers on Twitter.
