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BBC Weather

In pictures

A very hand-drawn line drawing of the UK with crude symbols and thick lines. Date is 11 November 1936. — Pre-war TV weather chart from November 1936.

A slightly improved map of the UK, with no symbols, only the words 'showery' 'rain' 'dull mild and rainy' over large areas — Weather chart as seen in 1949

George Cowling adding symbols to a map saying 'tomorrow's weather' — Forecaster George Cowling in 1954.

TH Clifton looks around rather furtively at the camera as he adds a symbol to Scotland. — Forecaster TH Clifton in 1954.

Bill Bruce points to the map, a large BBC camera is pointing at him. — Forecaster Bill Bruce in 1959.

The weather studio - a large number of charts and maps, two cameras, and various lights and cables. — Weather Presentation Studio A in 1960.

Jack Armstrong looking relaxed in front of the charts, with hand in pocket. — Forecaster Jack Armstrong in 1963.

Bert Foord in front of tonight's weather, with his face duplicated in a monitor to his right. — Forecaster Bert Foord in 1969.

Jack Scott points at the isobars on his colour chart. — Forecaster Jack Scott as seen in colour in 1969.

Graham Parker in front of tomorrow's weather. The map of the UK is quite sparse, with just a few temperature symbols. — Forecaster Graham Parker in 1970.

Michael Fish in the 1970s when he had a big moustache, wild hair and a very thick pair of black glasses. — A younger Michael Fish in 1973

Bill Giles sticking on one of the magnetic weather symbols showing rain. He looks a bit cross. — Bill Giles in 1975; the symbols are by this point magnetic (and prone to fall off).

Ceefax weather map made up of a blocky outline of the UK. Winds moderate, mostly cloudy and some rain. Outlook: rain. — Early Ceefax weather map, 1974

The UK with lots of symbols for heavy rain all over it. — How the weather map looked in 1975.

Barbara Edwards pins a magnetic symbol for overcast over the Midlands. — Barbara Edwards in 1975.

Ian McCaskill dressed quite informally in a blue denim jacket. He grins at the camera in his square glasses. — Forecaster Ian McCaskill in 1978.

The symbols have got larger and the map of the UK seems a bit fatter by 1979. Forecast is for heavy snow. — By 1979 the weather map looked like this.

Anne Purvis looking cheerful in front of the map. — Forecaster Anne Purvis in 1981.

David Lee in a rather natty red suit and matching tie with balloons. The UK map behind him is computer generated. — David Lee in the 1990s. The map is now a computer graphic.

Helen Young gestures towards the computerised map. — Helen Young in the 1990s.

Isobel Lang gestures towards Northern Ireland. — Isobel Lang in the 1990s.

John Kettley smiles for a promotional photo. He has a very stripy tie on. — John Kettley in the 1990s.

Peter Cockroft points at Wales with a slightly sheepish grin. He's wearing a salmon pink jacket. — Peter Cockroft in the 1990s. The reason for the red suits worn by many of the presenters is that the bluescreen technology would superimpose the map over a blue jacket.

Another red suit for Rob McElwee in a promotional shot. — Rob McElwee in the 1990s.

Bill Giles looking older than his previous appearance in front of the computer weather map. — Bill Giles in the 1990s.

David Braine in front of a map of Asia. By contrast to the UK maps, the temperatures are very high showing orange and red. 44 degrees in Delhi. — David Braine with a map of Asia in the 1990s.

Carol Kirkwood not in front of a weather map, but smiling broadly for a promotional photo. — Forecaster Carol Kirkwood in 2002.

A section of the 3D weather map showing temperatures in Lincolnshire. The clouds and weather are now represented by animated clouds rather than symbols. — The once controversial BBC Weather map, launched in 2005.

How the weather looks on-screen in 2024. — How BBC Weather looks on screen in 2024.

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