Online weather game helps UK weather office collect data

A new online game launched on August 22 lets players run a virtual ice cream business while taking part in what aims to be the largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted into how weather probabilities are communicated. 

The game, simply called Weather Game, challenges players to help 'Brad,' an ice cream seller,  run his business by deciding where and when he should sell ice cream based upon the weather. 

The game, which appears to be aimed at a younger audience, presents players with simple sets of UK-based data and asks them to make decisions for Brad based upon this data over a period representing four weeks. At the end of each week, players receive a score based upon the amount of money Brad would have made based upon their decisions.

The game is designed to see how people react to forward-looking forecasts and is designed to help the MET office, the UK's national weather service, understand the most effective way of communicating information about the weather.

The game can be played online at: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/weather-game

A number of other free online games themed around the weather are available via the BBC ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/multimedia/games/) and NASA ( http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/goes/wwa/).