Moans, ramps and banter

[78/79]

 Bristawl Si  Pretty much doing the same thing myself now Bris, turning 64 next month, that'll be 48 years of work. That's my bit done as far as I'm concerned. Probably just do the odd small job as, and when, but apart from that, I certainly shan't be looking too hard for it.

 

[Bradowl]

 Stabilo19 Very dull here in South Yorkshire, more like a mid October day. 

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 Scorcher yes definitely seems to be a case of this. I think it's mostly to do with people wearing what they "think" one should wear at X time of year from a seasonality perspective...except obviously, we live in Britain so our weather doesn't play-out in direct accordance with the seasons! 

Hence why puffy coats and wooly hats are out in 17c and sunny (today) because people think "It's February and you wear coats in February", and t shirts, shorts and mini dresses were out last July when it was colder than this *and* windy, rainy and fully overcast because "It's July and you wear summer clothes in July". 

In reality, our maritime climate combined with climate change means realistically we need an adaptable sort of wardrobe that accommodates the randomness of our weather. I know it feels weird to be wearing less layers on a Feb day than a July day, but it is what it is. No point in making yourself feel uncomfortable on some sentiment of "I never wear a coat past X time of the year" and vice versa.

Edited February 15 by In Absence of True Seasons

[East Lancs Rain]

20 hours ago, danm said:

probably because at this time of year the only way to get exceptionally mild weather is from a low pressure system dragging up that air. The SE will sometimes be far enough away from the core of low pressure allowing some sunny spells. Whereas in Spring/Summer the exceptionally mild air can simply come from an area of high pressure sitting over us - at this time of year that will just bring cold, sometimes sunny, sometimes frosty, foggy weather. 

I remember I had one day in February 2019 that reached about 17°C with clear blue skies all day. It’s definitely possible here in the right setup.

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 East Lancs Rain that was the day that was 20c in London. 

Then 3 months later we were struggling to reach those temps in May and June, accompanied with constant grey and drizzly days lol. 

Classic.

[East Lancs Rain]

 In Absence of True Seasons Yes the contrast between the second half of February 2019 and the first half of June 2019 was quite remarkable. Feb 2019 had quite a few days that were 12-15°C, dry and sunny, whereas the first half of  June 2019 had many days that were 11-13°C, overcast and raining, often all day! It was like they had been swapped around.

 

Regarding the people dressing for the season rather the weather thing, I have noticed this too to some degree. Although I remember seeing people wearing shorts and t-shirts during those exceptionally mild/warm days in Feb 2019. I think as you say, people are just used to wearing summer clothes in summer and winter clothes in winter, and so if we get the odd mid teens day in winter or summer, they’ll still wear the same clothes, but if we were to get a week of mid teens temps in Feb (especially if it was dry and sunny) then people would start dressing more for spring/summer.

[Scorcher]

21 hours ago, danm said:

 East Lancs Rain probably because at this time of year the only way to get exceptionally mild weather is from a low pressure system dragging up that air. The SE will sometimes be far enough away from the core of low pressure allowing some sunny spells. Whereas in Spring/Summer the exceptionally mild air can simply come from an area of high pressure sitting over us - at this time of year that will just bring cold, sometimes sunny, sometimes frosty, foggy weather.

Not necessarily in February- by this point it's possible to get higher temps with high pressure over or close to the UK. 

February 2008 as an example. I was at university in Lancaster at the time and even that far north it was in the mid teens with sunshine in this setup:

2019:

The point you make is valid for December and January, but the sun has strengthened enough by this point to allow large diurnal ranges and (relatively) warm, sunny afternoons in the right setup.

 

[Summer18]

I was going to post the same thing, I’m wearing a light jacket and still sweating yet Leeds was full of people in scarfs, hats and gloves. I mean you wouldn’t wear that for 15C in June so just because it’s February doesn’t mean you have to now! 

Edited February 15 by Summer18

[Summer8906]

 raz.org.rain the Greenland high was still there in the 00z GFS at start of March, but its only effect was to force lows south and produce yet more very wet weather! Still, hopefully it'll change.

Greenland highs aren't always good, very much a poisoned chalice. Some of our very worst months (dull, wet, mild in winter, cool by day in summer) have featured strong Greenland highs and a low jetstream as a result.

Edited February 15 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

25 minutes ago, Summer18 said:

I was going to post the same thing, I’m wearing a light jacket and still sweating yet Leeds was full of people in scarfs, hats and gloves. I mean you wouldn’t wear that for 15C in June so just because it’s February doesn’t mean you have to now!

Habituation is the thing though. People expect 7 or 8C this time of year and anything warmer is going to feel anything from somewhat mild to oppressively warm and humid, particularly with the very damp, moisture-laden air at the moment. In June people expect around 20C so 15C is going to feel bone-chillingly cool.

And the temps are just silly today. A typical day in Feb 1986 was probably closer to the long term average.

I've known cooler and fresher feeling days with 28C or 29C maxima, admittedly mostly out of the UK and mostly accompanied by low DP. Often it had been 32 or 33 and more humid in the preceding days, so the clearer air and temp DP drop made it seem positively fresh in comparison.

Edited February 15 by Summer8906

[johncam]

Noticing that a lot of the trees and shrubs starting to bud , what's it like down south guys?

[East Lancs Rain]

2 hours ago, Scorcher said:

It always amazes me how many people struggle to dress appropriately for the weather. I can only think they just don't pay attention to forecasts and/or don't check the temperature before they go out for the day.

I find the opposite is true in the US (even Florida where I lived for a year) in the sense people always seem to underdress for the weather. They get the shorts out at any opportunity and hoodies are often seen when the temperature is well below 10C.

I have noticed people in my area tend to overdress for the weather a lot of the time, with people wearing thick coats in sub 20C weather  in summer a common occurrence, whereas I only usually wear a thick coat between November and March. However I’ve been up to the north east and people tend to dress much lighter there. I was last up there in May/June 2018 and I was right on the coast and it was sunny but only in the low teens with a cold NE breeze coming from off the sea, but most people were dressed like it was a hot summers day. Very strange. I can only think it’s possibly something to do with the damp climate here. People not wanting to be caught out in the rain.
 

I am at the more lightly dressed end of the “dressing for the weather spectrum”, have often just worn a hoodie outside when the temp has been below 10C and worn shorts in spring when it’s been sunny but only 10-13°C.. I do have good circulation though so I tend to feel a lot warmer after walking for a while, especially when the humidity is high I have noticed. I do try and make the most of the weather though, sitting outside in the garden in shorts on sunny days in spring and summer as much as possible, because that kind of weather is in short supply in this part of the world, and come late September or early October, I know the shorts will be packed away for another six months. I think a lot of people are the same, as a 15C sunny day in spring will see the local park quite busy and lots of people in shorts and t-shirts.
 

If I lived in a warmer and sunnier climate however, I would probably take the fine weather more for granted and wait until it got a bit warmer before getting the shorts out.

[danm]

 johncam Trees already starting to blossom. 

[johncam]

 East Lancs Rain you need to come to Scotland mate in the spring / summer it's taps aff at 14C

[Methuselah]

 danm Very similar to February 1975, Dan; daffs were out, hedgerows were in leaf. . . and then it all went pear-shaped! 

[WYorksWeather]

Just worth trying to put today in anomaly terms. Since it's one of the CET stations, let's take a look at Pershore. 8C would be the climatological average. Temperatures today reached 17C, which is closer to the average for the middle of May. Minima in double figures would not be typical until June.

I have a distinct feeling that unless we get locked into an unfavourable synoptic for a significant period of time, we'll have hit 21C by the first half of March.

[East Lancs Rain]

 johncam Still bare trees here. Rain has been on and off this afternoon, currently 12.6°C with 84% humidity. Yes I can imagine 14°C in spring in Scotland must be considered a heatwave lol. 
 

It must have been an exceptionally mild winter further south as Gavin Partridge from Northampton on his live stream last night mentioned how long the grass had grown in his garden… Whereas here it is still short.

[markyo]

 damianslaw Without doubt you had the best Winter by a country mile, very envious!

[markyo]

What a awful awful day, so mild and humid, utterly repulsive at this time of year. Uncomfortable where i was for working, a very sad sign of things to come. Only hope is a lovely cold spring. That would be fantastic

[East Lancs Rain]

 markyo You would probably love it if todays weather occurred in July or August… It has been like a typical poor summer day here, overcast, high of 14°C, rain on and off. And after the atrocious weather of the last few months the last thing we want is a cold spring… A repeat of Spring 2020 would be lovely. Wouldn’t mind a repeat of April 2021 though as despite being cold it was very dry and sunny and there was still some mild and sunny days.

Edited February 15 by East Lancs Rain

[moochops]

3 hours ago, In Absence of True Seasons said:

Plenty of people still out and about in winter coats and wooly hats though lol. Stockholm syndrome? Or perhaps tourists from warm places in the USA or Australia who find anything below 18c to be frigid...

Might be worth looking into Stockholm syndrome.  I'm pretty sure you have an alternative idea what it relates to.  It doesn't have much to do with winter coats and woolly hats........

[East Lancs Rain]

1 hour ago, Summer18 said:

I was going to post the same thing, I’m wearing a light jacket and still sweating yet Leeds was full of people in scarfs, hats and gloves. I mean you wouldn’t wear that for 15C in June so just because it’s February doesn’t mean you have to now! 

Totally bizzare isn’t yet, but get the same conditions in June and many people would be in shorts and /or t-shirts. At the other extreme I’ve seen people wear next to nothing on a Friday/Saturday night in winter when it’s barely been above freezing…

[In Absence of True Seasons]

 moochops oh I know what it means. We are in an abusive relationship with our climate lol. It wasn't meant in a serious manner, obviously 

Edited February 15 by In Absence of True Seasons

[johncam]

 East Lancs Rain in the January cold(ish) spell we only managed 4 air frosts as it was cloudy when it was in the easterly feed , been mildish since 

[Dark Horse]

 East Lancs Rain that'll be the booze. I get really hot after a few drinks. Plus who wants to be lugging round a coat on a night out only to probably lose it when drunk?