The Evolution of Meteorological Information
The field of weather prediction has given us curious moments throughout history, revealing fascinating phenomena that have surely gone unnoticed by many. Don’t miss this week’s videos, they are really interesting!
The broadcast of weather information on British television has generated great interest among the public, becoming a common topic of conversation. November 14, 1922 marked a milestone with the first radio broadcast of weather information, which lasted less than a minute. This broadcast received numerous letters of gratitude from farmers, who recognized the value of this information for their daily work.
In 1953, the idea was raised to include a daily weather section on television evening newscasts, initially with voice-over. However, the BBC director insisted on the presence of a presenter, giving rise to the first ‘Weather Man’, George Cowling, who debuted on January 11, 1954. Using a map drawn by himself and pinned with thumbtacks, Cowling managed to bring meteorological information to the public in a friendlier way, avoiding complex scientific terms and sharing unexpected anecdotes, such as the humorous reference to strong wind as ideal for doing laundry.
The arrival of color television marked a new change in the presentation of weather information, introducing magnetic symbols to represent weather phenomena. These symbols were eliminated in 1986 to make way for computing.
The First ‘Weather Man’ in Spain
In Spain, Mariano Medina became the first ‘Weather Man’ on Spanish Television, debuting on October 30, 1956. He made isobaric maps and weather forecasts, presenting them through the 40 televisions in the country. Despite the initial simplicity of the information, over time maritime details and the inclusion of static satellite images were incorporated.
Mariano Medina remained on the air for 29 years, sharing the screen with his brother Fernando Medina and other prominent weather presenters, such as Eugenio Martín Rubio and the first weather woman, Pilar Sanjurjo. His legacy includes the publication of works such as ‘Time is news’, a book that has been republished eight times, standing out for its didactic and humorous approach when addressing meteorological phenomena.
The Return of Alfred Rodríguez Picó and Xavi Freixes
Alfred Rodríguez Picó and Xavi Freixes are preparing to present the weather forecast together on ElNacional.cat next Thursday, June 6. You can not lose this!
