On October 15, 1987, BBC weather forecaster Michael Fish started off his broadcast with the words: “Earlier today a woman rang the BBC and said she’d heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t.” In the hours that followed, winds peaked at more than 120mph, damaging buildings, destroying entire forests, and killing 18 people. Millions of homes were left without power for almost 2 weeks, and a Channel ferry was driven ashore in what turned out to be the worst hurricane since 1703. The Great Storm is estimated to have cost the insurance industry $2.4 billion. In case you’re wondering, Fish’s career wasn’t affected by his inaccurate forecast and lack of warning. He went on to become the longest-serving BBC weather forecaster, appearing for 36 years between 1974 and 2010. You have to love an industry where you can fail miserably at your job and still come out on top.
