The perfect storm for small talk? Weather forecasters aim at long-range accuracy

In the 70s, weather forecasts were accurate just one or two days ahead. Now a specialist university project at Reading is trying to get them right a month into the future

The mainstay of casual conversation – the unexpected state of the weather – is under existential threat. Scientists plan to make forecasts so accurate they will be able to determine weather patterns a month into the future.

Barbecue misery and Wimbledon washouts could take a serious hit - thanks to the new 15-year research programme that has been launched by Reading University, in partnership with the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The aim is to transform our ability to unravel the minute influences that determine weather patterns and uncover the limits of predictability in the real world.