Today is World Meteorological Day when we're all encouraged to think about the weather, its impact on us and how our hi-tech world impacts on the climate. Clive White reports.

British television weather forecasting has shaken off the image of nerdy meteorologists with a raft of biros in their shirt pockets.

The new young bloods are more in the mould of Paul Hudson, of Keighley, who is stealing the limelight with his colourful approach to the job on BBC Look North.

His fondness for loud-coloured jackets and ties - he has ten coats in all colours of the rainbow - has made him a household name.

Paul, 27, a science graduate who works for the Met office, is even getting E-mail about his sartorial extravagance.

"I had one E-mail from someone who said they always tune in to see what I'm wearing next. I think this interest is brilliant.

"I don't care what reaction I get so long as we get some response. It shows people are keen to tune in."

Paul has the weather in his blood. Since a little lad when he first experienced a thunderstorm, he has been fascinated by the climate.

As a seven-year-old he set up a weather station in the garden of his Keighley home and kept records for nine years.

"I read them every day and when I was not around my grandfather or dad took the records.

"They are now in the archives at Keighley library."

He caught the TV bug when he appeared on ITV as a 15-year-old with his hero now friend - Bob Rust - in a feature on his fascination with the weather.

"I was terrified but thrilled. Little did I realise that one day I would be doing the same job. It's great," added Paul.

Weather forecasting itself has gone through some big changes since the devastating storm on 1987.

The Meteorological Office, based in Berkshire, has overhauled its computers and predictive methods and now claims greater accuracy in forecasting. In 1995 predictions were rated to be 85 per cent correct, up from 80 per cent in 1982.

"Thanks to better observation sites and technological advances, our data is much more accurate than it used to be," said a Met Office spokesman.

"We're able to provide more reliable information to those who need it in order to plan ahead."

Weather forecasting is extremely important for corporations, agriculture and sport and agencies like the Ministry of Defence.

Even supermarkets rely on forecasts to help them decide when to launch new products and scale back supplies.

Meteorologist Phillip Eden said there had been massive improvements in technology in the last 40 years.

"Satellite imagery arrived in the 1960s and computers became seriously useful from 1975 onwards." he said.

He said thanks to this technology, the accuracy of the 72-hour forecast was the same as the 24-hour forecast 40 years ago.

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