Probabilistic Forecasting — Predicting Uncertainty, Not Just a Number
A forecast of "1,000 units next week" is almost useless without knowing whether the real range is 950–1,050 or 200–1,800. The future is uncertain, and a point forecast that hides that uncertainty leads to confidently wrong decisions. Probabilistic forecasting predicts the distribution of outcomes, not just a single number — and for most real decisions, that uncertainty is more valuable than the point estimate itself. This post is about forecasting honestly.
A point forecast hides the thing decisions need: how uncertain it is. Probabilistic forecasting predicts the distribution — prediction intervals, quantiles — via classical analytic intervals, quantile regression, or simulation. Uncertainty grows with the horizon, and calibration checks whether your stated confidence is honest.