So What If They Got It Wrong?

When my husband announced an orange and red weather alert for Chennai and nearby areas, with schools shutting down, my brain didn’t go to “emergency prep” or “stock up on snacks.” No. My first thought was:   “Ah, perfect. Time to wash the bed sheets. They’ve been waiting forever.”

He stared at me, baffled.

“When they predict rain,” I added casually, “it’s definitely going to be sunny.”

The science reporter in him gave me a death glare and walked away.

But am I really wrong? How does the Tamil Nadu Meteorological Department so often miss the mark? Sure, the weather is unpredictable — always shifting, just like our thoughts and emotions.

Still, I can’t help but wonder: if mindfulness helps me manage my emotional storms, what would it take for our weather experts to predict the skies?

Being a K-drama fan, I recently watched Forecasting Love and Weather. A young meteorologist joins the national weather bureau and ends up predicting typhoons perfectly, saving countless lives. If only real forecasts were that precise!

Of course, I’m not undermining our meteorologists. They face real challenges — geography, limited resources, outdated equipment, and a dash of Indian bureaucracy. I respect their intelligence, dedication, and effort.

And yes, there have been moments when their warnings genuinely saved lives. Remember Rain Man Ramanan? His timely announcements helped the Tamil Nadu government avert disasters and saved the lives of many fishermen. And of course, he was a darling among students — every 2015 school kid watched him with bated breath, hoping for a holiday the next day. He was so iconic that he even had a Wikipedia page and a Facebook fan page — true cult hero material! Who knows, they may be quietly saving many more lives even now.

Still, for the most part, forecasts in India are optimistic. Even Google Weather often outperforms them. But since we don’t really know what goes on behind the scenes, it’s probably best not to dwell on it.

Mindfulness teaches us to accept and adapt, and that’s exactly what we’ve done with weather predictions. When they fail, we shrug, adjust our plans, and move on.

Take my student, for example. When a cyclone warning came through, he rushed home to pack his cricket kit. His logic? “If they say it’s going to rain, schools will be closed — and it’ll be sunny for my long-overdue match!”

So, by that logic… was I really wrong to wash my bed sheets? And if you still have doubts, just peek outside the window.

Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get. - Mark Twain