Pollution Forecasts: Who to Trust?

[PeterRS]

This morning CNN posted their usual graph of pollution in cities around Asia. I don't recall seeing a number higher than 5 before but that may be because I simply was not paying attention. Today CNN gave Bangkok a 6, higher even than the 5s in the usual heavily polluted cities like Delhi and Jakarta. Just from looking out of my window I can see that the air quality is not as good as recently, but it is nowhere near as bad as the dreadful pollution over the winter of 2019/20. Indeed the Real Time AQI index for Bangkok this morning is just "moderate" at 74. Delhi is an "unhealthy" 104. So where does CNN pick up its inaccurate information?

It made me think of a day some years ago when I was sitting at the desk in a hotel room in Taipei. According to the BBC weather site, at that moment Taipei was enjoying a clear, warm and sunny day. As I looked outside my window, there was howling wind, lashing rain and leaves and tree branches being blown around everywhere. The city was in the middle of a quite major typhoon!  So how did the BBC come up with the total opposite for its weather forecast?

Since they can not get their information right, I wonder why they bother.

[Ruthrieston]

Most weather forecasts are untrustworthy. This morning there is a deep haze across Pattaya, from my condo on Pratumnak I cannot see the island of Koh Larn at all. I have no idea what is causing this but it is sad after many months of lovely clean and clear air here.