Do you trust the weather forecast?

By Warren Gamble

If you frolicked in the promised fine, warm Christmas Day as the barbie fumes wafted on moderate easterly winds, did you raise your glass to the weather forecasters?

At least it made you keep your faith in the weather people, right?

Maybe not for many New Zealanders. According to a New Zealand Herald-DigiPoll survey, 49 per cent of the 663 people questioned distrusted the weather forecast against 37.7 per cent who had faith.

Thirteen per cent were not sure and two people refused to answer.

The poll, with a 3.8 per cent margin of error, showed women had a significantly higher disbelief rating than men – 52.6 per cent of women did not trust the forecast while 45.1 per cent of men distrusted.

More than half of those aged 18 to 39 were doubters (50.8 per cent), compared to 47.6 per cent disbelievers in the 40-plus age group.