the same comment from the Governor every time they met at a function. "In Bermuda,'' Sir Desmond Langley would announce, "the Americans are responsible for the weather.'' It is not strictly true. In his two and a half years as commanding officer of the US Naval Oceanography Command Facility, otherwise known as Bermuda's weather service, Lt. Cdr. Bancroft has not been able to guarantee blue skies every day. Nor has been able to persuade storms to stay away.

But he is satisfied that with his 20-plus staff, he has been able to predict the weather with a 85 to 90 percent success rate, 36 or even 48 hours in advance.

Lt. Cdr. Bancroft, 48, leaves his North Shore home next month for Rota, Spain, where he will survey the weather over Europe and beyond for the Navy's Sixth Fleet, with a staff of up to 150.

But the biggest change for him will be dealing purely with Navy personnel, because the Bermuda facility is the only one that provides services for the public in a host country.

Weather forecasts are one of the services provided by the Navy as "rent'' for its base, and during his stint on the Island Lt. Cdr. Bancroft has presided over some major innovations.

Telephone weather services were expanded, giving four options on the 977 number, and a weather channel on cable TV was introduced. The TV service is so highly regarded it is even used by Harbour Radio.

Another successful move was to use layman's language in forecasts instead of official Naval terms, which were unpopular with Bermudians. "Before, all the phrases had the word `cloudy' in them,'' recalled Lt. Cdr. Bancroft. "I don't think the Department of Tourism felt that was a very good reflection of the country's weather.'' Then came the introduction of a weather briefing service at the yacht reporting centre on Ordnance Island. Boaters can pick up weather details there and even chat to forecasters on a phone link, instead of making a trip to the Navy base.

Finally, last month, came a 24-hour radio service to alert boaters or residents to severe weather on the way.

Lt. Cdr. Bancroft hopes he has restored Bermudians' faith in his service, badly dented after Hurricane Emily.

"Confidence had to be restored in our ability to do the job,'' he said.

"There were some very basic weaknesses in the entire structure, in notifying the public and getting them prepared and aware of the danger of hurricanes.'' One problem, he realised, was that there was no way to warn people in their homes when TV and radio were off-air. This was the stimulus for the expanded phone service, the cable TV service and the 24-hour radio channel.

"At the same time the Emily situation was not handled too well by the US national hurricane centre and the Navy,'' he said. "I don't think we're going to see any re-occurence of that kind of thing - a little too much nonchalance at the national centre and this organisation.'' Because Bermuda is such a small target, Lt. Cdr. Bancroft believes the chances of a big storm hitting the Island are "pretty doggone slim'`. Still, he is a firm believer in being prepared, and has helped organise lectures at every primary and secondary school on the subject.

"Bermudians are especially interested in the weather. It's such a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic and the weather affects it dramatically,'' he said.

Fortunately, the island's weather is reasonably predictable, with no mountains or other features to change it much as it sweeps in from the US. The main problem is a lack of stations between here and the US to provide data on what is coming. And even satellite pictures don't always reveal exactly when rain will begin or end, or how intense it will be.

A self-confessed beach bum, Lt. Cdr. Bancroft has enjoyed the days in Bermuda when his predictions of sunshine have proved correct. But if he were able to control the forces of nature, instead of just being what Navy colleagues call a "weather weenie'', he would get one thing fixed.

"If I had to be critical of one thing about Bermuda's weather, I would say it's a tad too humid.'' ON THE MOVE -- Lt. Cdr. Jim Bancroft of Bermuda's weather service is heading for a change of atmosphere. His next posting is in Spain.