Originally Posted by
langleybaston
I do not understand the reference to flying with regard to TAFs or indeed METARS. Unless things have changed out of all recognition, wind forecasts and observations are with respect to anemometer height. Flying at 30 feet through the area at 30 ft. sounds intrinsically dangerous.
I am not suggesting flying through at anemometer height, however it is a funny thing but there are usually two occasions during every flight when flight does take place at this height. Funnily enough with the windsock being at 30ft it is in the non turbulent zone anyway
With regard to flying, the METARS should reflect (over the course of many hours) the TAF, otherwise the TAF would clearly not have been very accurate. Point being that when a TAF says 360/25G35 PROB 30 TEMPO VRB 07 I would find it not unreasonable to see a variety of winds over that period be reflected in the METAR. It never is! Hence querying how the Met Office evaluates, not necessarily their own performance, but more the strength of their forecasting model.