Is weather forecasting an art or is it science?
Neither. Weather forecasting is craftsmanship. It requires a good knowledge of the physical principles involved; a long experience in observations and the empathy to deliver the correct wording to the required audience. If you must use the word ‘art’ or ‘science’ then I would say that weather forecasting is ‘applied science,’ but never ‘art.’ Being myself an illustrator, I am proud to consider myself a craftsman and certainly not an artist. Art (from Italian “bella arte” – nice craftsmanship) lost all of its meaning after the Impressionists “exposition des indépendants” in 1881 but … that’s another story.
