Tuesday 29 July 2008

The MetOffice WebCams are Dead

I lament here the passing of the Met Office's webcam scheme.

Started in an age before Web2.0, they provided a 360' view of the land around a few chosen weather stations. Over the years the numbers dwindled. And today, a prompt reply to my query told me that the scheme had become commercially unviable and had been withdrawn.

The few English and Welsh cameras had been withdrawn over the years, and we in Scotland had been the beneficiaries of the remainder. We could point people towards glorious sunsets, snow clad lands and the occasional Met Office subby coming to do some maintenance work. Viral advertising for my homeland.

What a shame that, unbidden, Visit Scotland did not step in and say "Lo, it shames me that we can not show off our land in this way", and pass on some coins for the upkeep. But that is not the way the world works, and we were lucky to have enjoyed such a service for so long.

From you, sweet Scotland, there comes forth
a cause to sing your praise across the earth.

In the meantime, TrafficScotland have some cameras watching the roads (and even some outside the Central Belt!). They aren't 360' views, and you can't just look up and stargaze. But it's better than nowt.

6 comments:

Alan Sloman said...

I am raising a glass of Sotland's finest out of respect for the deceased.

Sad news indeed, Duncan

paul martin said...

Yes that explains the "unsettled" bbc weather we have been having lately. Indeed I am enjoying Sky more un-irately. Is it because of Sian or Bill who are smirkily having their fill of my £139 - yes quite likely.

Anonymous said...

I suppose the MetOffice could always host fictional phone-in competitions and put the money towards new and improved webcams.
Duncan

Anonymous said...

Bleh! What dreadful news.

Richard Webb said...

They were a wonderful resource.

Does anyone remember the slow decay of the stick and tyre man at Aviemore?

Fiona-Jane Brown said...

Och, that's terrible! You'll have nothing to flash the car lights at on trips to Aktoland! :-(