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Chat about all aspects of snowsports, backcountry, climbing and mountaineering.
veletron
Posts: 447
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 14:46 1st Apr 2021
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MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 22.10hrs on Fri 9 Sep 16
Hi
There are rumours floating about from respected sources that MWIS could be no more by the end of this year. This appears to be driven by Geoff Monk's desire to retire - I guess he is not immortal!
MWIS has informed my weekend decisions for the past 10 years, so if this is true,then its time for me to say 'Thanks Geoff (and team), and happy retirement'!
Plans are apparently afoot (MCofS, Sport Scotland etc) to try and have something else on place to ensure continuity of service, I just hope it does not get left to the MET Office.
Nigel
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DonaldM
Posts: 871
Joined: Jan 2009
Last Visited: 20:58 10th Aug 2019
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 10.15hrs on Sat 10 Sep 16
I saw this too and as far as I can see, the only source is the post on Alan Kimber's facebook page where he cites "contacts".
Then the MCofS say they have no knowledge of this so the contact can't have been 100% correct.
Wait and see I say.
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veletron
Posts: 447
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 14:46 1st Apr 2021
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 20.43hrs on Sat 10 Sep 16
Its official now, see mwis website. Sport Scotland has withdrawn funding. Somthing political going on I think between sport scotland and the met office.
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h11lly
Posts: 2150
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 18:38 2nd Sep 2019
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 20.45hrs on Sat 10 Sep 16
They have also posted this on their website
MWIS is asking those in the mountain community who use MWIS forecasts to declare their support for MWIS by writing to Shaun Roberts, Head of Glenmore Lodge (SportScotland) ( enquiries@glenmorelodge.org.uk) and Richard Orrell at the Met Office ( Richard.Orrell@metoffice.gov.uk) asking them to reinstate MWIS funding, and copying in geoff@mwis.org.uk.
Helen
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veletron
Posts: 447
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 14:46 1st Apr 2021
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 20.49hrs on Sat 10 Sep 16
I suspect the MCofS are treading carefully given that a fair portion of their funding comes from Sport Scotland too.
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andrewr
Posts: 237
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 15:13 30th Mar 2021
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 15.50hrs on Sun 11 Sep 16
#MWIS update - Shaun Roberts, Principal at Glenmore Lodge has issued the following statement today:
"The mountaineering community is alive with social media statements and petitions regarding the MWIS, following a press release posted on the MWIS website: ‘Mountain safety at risk as key Government funding is withdrawn from crucial mountain weather information service’.
Over the past year MWIS has been directly involved in collaboration discussions with the Met Office and sportscotland. These discussions sought to find a resilient and development focussed structure to ensure the provision of reliable and authoritative mountain weather forecasts. I have been representing sportscotland throughout these discussions and would like to state that the claims made by Geoff Monk are disappointing and misleading. Geoff Monk, representing MWIS has had a very active role within these discussions and the lines of communications have always been open and remain so.
As a mountaineering community the provision of quality mountain weather forecasts has become a critical part of our risk awareness process before heading for the hills and mountains. Sportscotland has been investing in mountain weather provision since 2007 and avalanche forecast provision since 1988 and we are committed to ensuring continuity and enhancement of these forecast services.
I look forward to sharing more information with you regarding future developments and can confirm that sportscotland will ensure the provision of mountain weather forecasting as we enter this coming winter.
Given that the current social media traffic is being driven by misleading statements, I would appreciate it if you would circulate this email to colleagues and friends to help inform our community."
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andrewr
Posts: 237
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 15:13 30th Mar 2021
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 17.08hrs on Sun 11 Sep 16
And a statement from the MCoS: [ www.walkhighlands.co.uk]
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alan
Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 18:32 11th Oct 2024
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 21.41hrs on Sun 11 Sep 16
There will be a kinda of political element to this, the bottom line is if MWIS was to become a Met Office service, why should Scottish taxpayers through the Scottish Government in effect be paying twice for a Met Office public service?
From the previous tendering round it was clear there were issues with access to Met Office model data etc (I've heard similar from various places about similar issues with the SAIS and the Met Office).
The Met Offices Aberdeen forecasting office has been downscaled and has been under threat on a number of occasions. The Met Office's own mountain forecasts used to be produced there, but I believe this is no longer the case.
The purpose of MWIS was not just to provide forecasts for mountain areas, but to provide forecasts specifically tailored to mountain activities and the impacts the weather would have on them. This is best provided from a local organisation with local knowledge of not just the mountain ranges themselves, but specifically the effect of these mountains on the weather and the impact of those weather conditions on mountain activities. If the Met Office met those requirements, MWIS wouldn't have existed.
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DonaldM
Posts: 871
Joined: Jan 2009
Last Visited: 20:58 10th Aug 2019
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 11.36hrs on Mon 12 Sep 16
Good points all and excellent from Alan re paying twice.
From what I can see, Geoff Monk wanted to retire but the dispute is over how to continue the service. If no one else is waiting in the wings, then the opnly option is the Met Office.
Regardless of how it is paid for, unless someone is willing to do it, it can't continue in its current form.
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paraffin
Posts: 580
Joined: Mar 2007
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 11.55hrs on Mon 12 Sep 16
Shaun Roberts said,
"Over the past year MWIS has been directly involved in collaboration discussions with the Met Office and sportscotland. These discussions sought to find a resilient and development focussed structure to ensure the provision of reliable and authoritative mountain weather forecasts."
Eh?
Edited 1 times. Last edit at 13.28hrs Mon 12 Sep 16 by paraffin.
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Gorminator
Posts: 667
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 15:45 11th Aug 2019
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 08.07hrs on Tue 13 Sep 16
Yup Paraffin....as is usual nowadays, a marble-mouth who can't speak to normal people !
Check out Dave Whalley's(ex RAF MRT) Blog for what he has to say about it !
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paraffin
Posts: 580
Joined: Mar 2007
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 08.34hrs on Tue 13 Sep 16
Hi Gorminator,
Indeed marble-mouth when it comes to protecting his/ SportScotland's position.
But not so marble-mouthed when describing MWIS /Geoff Monk's contribution.
Or as a fellow poster over on UKC says . . .
"chocolate fireguard response from SportScotland - disses the position put by MWIS but offers nothing useful in presenting its own view of the circumstances..."
Is it any wonder the discussions have gone the way they have?
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alan
Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 18:32 11th Oct 2024
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 21.08hrs on Tue 13 Sep 16
Worth a read: [ www.grough.co.uk]
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paraffin
Posts: 580
Joined: Mar 2007
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 21.34hrs on Tue 13 Sep 16
Thanks Al,
[ www.grough.co.uk]
Makes interesting reading.
Seems like the parties involved need to climb down off their respective horses, kiss and make up?
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DonaldM
Posts: 871
Joined: Jan 2009
Last Visited: 20:58 10th Aug 2019
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Re: MWIS shutting down end of 2016
Date Posted: 22.29hrs on Tue 13 Sep 16
Yes that was my reading also, Paraffin. It appears that everyone want to work together and from the information available, Sport Scotland seem to have a different vision. But given that MWIS is very much a personal creation, I could understand if a potential change to the service was not viewed in a positive light.
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