Voice control available

Hands free control of the website

Key features on our website can now be controlled by voice if you are browsing with Google Chrome on Android or small screen Windows platforms.

This means you can check your latest weather forecast hands free. It should make things easier if you're out and about this summer, e.g. at festivals, having a barbecue or lounging on the beach.

Using the new header bar and voice control

The new header bar provides auto suggest when you start typing in the search box. Select your location and you will automatically be taken to the forecast.

Alternatively you can use the find my location (cross hairs icon) function. It will provide your local weather forecast if geolocation is enabled on your device.

The toggle button sets the default format to be 16 day or hourly.

Voice control

You can activate / deactivate voice control at any time. 

1) Tap on the microphone icon (if it doesn't appear automatically it suggests your browser is not supported).

2) Once voice control is active you should see a box below the header bar with text giving example prompts, e.g. Say "weather for London" or "weather for postcode W1.

3) The microphone will automatically switch off after about 5 seconds, although the time may vary on different devices. You can manually switch it on and off by tapping the microphone icon.  

Command list

The voice control feature is experimental so the list of commands may change. Currently the following are available:

My weather
This will try to geolocate you and automatically load your local weather forecast 

Weather for LOCATION
This will go to the 16 day forecast for the UK LOCATION you say. e.g. London

Hourly weather for LOCATION
This will go to the hour by hour forecast for the UK LOCATION you say, e.g. London

Weather for Postcode POSTCODE
This will go to the 16 day forecast for the UK POSTCODE you say, e.g. W1 (only use the part pf the postcode before the space)

Hourly weather for Postcode POSTCODE
This will go to the hour by hour forecast for the UK POSTCODE you say, e.g. W1

Weather for international LOCATION COUNTRY
This will go to the 16 day forecast for the International LOCATION and COUNTRY you say, e.g. Berlin Germany

Home
This will go to the site homepage

Radar
This will go to the rain radar

Models
This will go the inventory of computer model charts and data sets

Buzz
This will go to the Buzz blog feature

Will it snow
This will go to the Will it snow forecast

Will it be hot
This will go to the Will it be hot forecast

Will it thunder
This will go to the Will it thunder forecast

Will it rain
This will go to the Will it rain forecast

Will it be frosty
This will go to the Will it be frost forecast
 

Voice control on Apple devices

This will not work on Apple Safari.

Currently it is being tested on Google Chrome running on Apple iPhone.

Press and media enquiries

If you have any feedback or questions please use the link below.

Contact us