Peter Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Peter Gibbs is a BBC Weather
forecaster, who appears regularly on BBC News, BBC World News and BBC Radio, particularly BBC Radio Four. He has previously worked on the BBC News at One, BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten and BBC Breakfast
.
, attending Kendal Grammar School
. Peter graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1979 with an Honours degree in Physics
and Geography
. He started work at the British Antarctic Survey
in Cambridge. He worked at the British Halley base on the Brunt Ice Shelf
for two years from October 1979. He made routine observations of the weather and helped to maintain the base.
When he returned to the UK in May 1982 he joined the Met Office
the next year as a forecaster in training. He spent several years forecasting at RAF Honington
in Suffolk
and on the Benbecula
island in the Outer Hebrides
, where he forecast for the Army missile range on South Uist
. He moved to the Norwich Weather Centre in 1989.
debut as a forecaster was with BBC Norwich's Look East
in 1993, and he moved to the BBC Weather Centre to join the BBC World team in October 1997. He began forecasting for other BBC channels in November 1998 and he now broadcasts across all BBC channels. He often hosts Gardeners' Question Time
on Radio 4.
, cycling
, and sailing
with his family. He married Susan Hollands in June 1988 in Cambridge and they have a son (born September 1990) and daughter (born May 1993). In 2002 Peter Gibbs visited Alwyn primary school.
BBC Weather
BBC Weather is the BBC's department in charge of preparing and broadcasting weather forecasts and is now part of BBC News. The broadcast meteorologists are employed by the Met Office...
forecaster, who appears regularly on BBC News, BBC World News and BBC Radio, particularly BBC Radio Four. He has previously worked on the BBC News at One, BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten and BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
.
Early life
He was born in Sunderland, and brought up in KendalKendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, attending Kendal Grammar School
Kirkbie Kendal School
Kirkbie Kendal School is a comprehensive school and known as a Business and Enterprise College in Kendal, Cumbria, England, and serves the area around the town and rural countryside. Kirkbie Kendal School operates as a Foundation school, and has been regularly oversubscribed, accepting students...
. Peter graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1979 with an Honours degree in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
. He started work at the British Antarctic Survey
British Antarctic Survey
The British Antarctic Survey is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operation and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 400 staff. It operates five research stations, two ships and five aircraft in and around Antarctica....
in Cambridge. He worked at the British Halley base on the Brunt Ice Shelf
Brunt Ice Shelf
The Brunt Ice Shelf borders the Antarctic coast of Coats Land between Dawson-Lambton Glacier and Stancomb-Wills Glacier Tongue. It was the location of the base of the Royal Society Expedition, 1955–59 which was taken over as the British Halley Research Station...
for two years from October 1979. He made routine observations of the weather and helped to maintain the base.
When he returned to the UK in May 1982 he joined the Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
the next year as a forecaster in training. He spent several years forecasting at RAF Honington
RAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and on the Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
island in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
, where he forecast for the Army missile range on South Uist
South Uist
South Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
. He moved to the Norwich Weather Centre in 1989.
BBC career
His televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
debut as a forecaster was with BBC Norwich's Look East
Look East
BBC Look East is the BBC's regional television news programme for the BBC East region, covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, north Buckinghamshire and southern Lincolnshire....
in 1993, and he moved to the BBC Weather Centre to join the BBC World team in October 1997. He began forecasting for other BBC channels in November 1998 and he now broadcasts across all BBC channels. He often hosts Gardeners' Question Time
Gardeners' Question Time
Gardeners' Question Time is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme in which amateur gardeners can put questions to a panel of experts.-History:...
on Radio 4.
Personal life
He enjoys walkingWalking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
with his family. He married Susan Hollands in June 1988 in Cambridge and they have a son (born September 1990) and daughter (born May 1993). In 2002 Peter Gibbs visited Alwyn primary school.