A row has broken out over the colour of the weather maps used by the BBC.
Under the current system, which was brought in in 2017, lows of 11C are shown as yellow while highs of 41C would be coloured dark red on the map.
However, this has sparked confusion among some viewers when they then look at the temperature contours, where the map swaps to orange at 13C, reports The Telegraph.
The colour scheme was introduced seven years ago in a bid to help people who are colour blind.
However Toby Young, founder of The Daily Sceptic website, says the BBC was “going a bit far”.
He said: “How is it going to represent temperatures above 20C? Fireballs?”
On Tuesday, the broadcaster showed most of the country as yellow and orange during a forecast for Wednesday – with temperatures set to hit 20C at the time.
On social media commenter called it “utterly farcical”.
They wrote: “I’m not a massive conspiracy theorist but I have to agree with those who castigate the utterly ludicrous use of bright yellow and orange/red on the weather maps to indicate temperatures of 18/19 degrees!”
Another said the BBC needs to “give their heads a collective wobble.” They added: “Since when has 13C warranted yellow/orange on the weather map?!”
Speaking to The Telegraph, a BBC spokesman said: “The colours used now range from blue for the coldest temperatures through to red for the hottest temperatures as these colours are easier to see if you live with colour blindness.”
Last year the BBC clarified its colour scheme after some views felt it had icnreased the intensity of the map to raise the alarm over increasing temperatures.
“The colours used now range from blue for the coldest temperatures through to red for the hottest temperatures as these colours are easier to see if you live with colour blindness,” the BBC said at the time.
