Last place we had a dedicated weather forecaster was RA
E Farnborough (as Chevron knows
)
I Spent many mornings driving with the forecaster to do "Morning Prayers" at the Experimental Flying Squadron. Him to do the Met Brief, me to waffle on about Royal Flights and NOTAMs. TC did this infinitely better than me!
Back to LACC. As most people know now, there is absolutely no weather information available on the Radar picture that we look at. Can't see line squalls, can't see CBs. All a matter of guesswork when attempting to plan routes.
Now, 'twas (is) the same at LATCC, but way, way back a weather Radar source
WAS asked for to be installed at LACC, something you could "ghost" onto the picture if you wanted to..... I think that went into the "Too Difficult to do" bin. So, we're no better off than we were Last Century. Progress? No, I don't think so.
Hence the "Draconian" flow measures that are sometimes rightly required.
Confidence in Forecasts? No, I personally don't have a lot. I tend to look at the synoptics and make my own mind up. As for the Upper winds, I'll look at the forecast, and sometime during a shift ask a flight or two what they are actually getting, if the forecast figures don't seem to be in the right ball park.
Best rgds
BEX.
P.S. Found my running order and timings for several Farnboro' shows many moons ago... All nicely produced by TC, and scrawled over by Me. Do you still use "the Clocks?".