So, just why do you like it cold/hot/wet/dry/foggy?

[Bottesford]

This is a forum of people with many different views, ideas & lifestyles which affect what we find enjoyable in regards weather conditions. Some are baffled by those of us who want it dark & rainy all the time while others cringe at temperatures over 21c - all views being equally as valid as the other.

So, on that idea, why do you enjoy the weather of your preference? Be it that you enjoy looking at pretty scenes created by certain climatic conditions or that a certain weather type makes your day to day routine easier - explain yourselves in this thread.

Many of you know I prefer summer/warmth (generally, not always) but I'll let you all have a go first before I begin my ramble!

Fire away!

[harribo]

Hi, brand new to this so go easy!!

I love this time of year..wrapping up warm and taking the dog out, or sitting in watching the snow ( although we have yet to have a repeat of Jan 95!! )

[Stu_London]

Hi, brand new to this so go easy!!

I love this time of year..wrapping up warm and taking the dog out, or sitting in watching the snow ( although we have yet to have a repeat of Jan 95!! )

Welcome to the forum harribo

By the way, where are you from (you can put this in your profile, so others don't keep asking) and what happened in Jan 95?

[harribo]

Welcome to the forum harribo

By the way, where are you from (you can put this in your profile, so others don't keep asking) and what happened in Jan 95?

Hi stu, i`m from Leeds and we had probably the most sonwfall in a 36 hr period than ive seen in my 28yrs.

[Nick F]

I tend to prefer weather with alot of action, hence the need to go to the US and chase storms. I'm not a great fan of high pressure prevailing for more than a week as a result. My ideal weather is: thundery weather in summer (with the odd 2-3 day fine and hot spell) - so 3 fine days followed by a t-storm kind of pattern; wet and windy spells in autumn interspersed with the odd 2-3 day calm foggy and frosty spell; and a cold snowy winter.

[Weather-history]

Hi stu, i`m from Leeds and we had probably the most sonwfall in a 36 hr period than ive seen in my 28yrs.

....and we had rain turn to snow then back to rain here in Manchester, that evening. I remember that event well, loads of drivers were stranded on the M62 trans-Pennine section by the snow.

I'm not that fussed as long as the weather is interesting. I don't like long periods of anticyclonic gloom nor severe gales.

[The PIT]

Nothing better than a nice crispy sunny morning to wake up and get you ready for the day.

[johnholmes]

all varieties but none lasting more than a few days.

Don't like dull damp weather though at any time of the year.

Edited October 30, 2007 by johnholmes

[Bottesford]

Sunshine & warmth always win for me but sunshine beats warmth hence cold & crisp sunny mornings beat mild, cloudy mornings by a mile.

Think this morning was one of the reasons I'm a summer person - I'm not a morning person at all and have the mental capacity of a flea when I've just got up for work. Winter and cold weather require a lot more thought in the mornings and are thus bad.

eg. for a summer morning - wake up to a warm, airy (and hopefully sunny) house, get ready, grab my bag, leave the house in just a t-shirt/trousers (shorts if July 2006!), unlock bike, off I go for a comfortable ride.

Versus winter - wake up to cold house (and very dry eyes/throat from heating), get ready, grab my fleece, grab my coat, grab my gloves, grab my hat, grab my bike lights, grab my bag, leave the house dressed like the michelin man, unlock stiff cold bike lock, dry seat of dew/chip ice of it, off I go. Face and anything not covered gets frozen but body doesn't take long to become roasting.

With so many steps to the winter morning and me being generally less awake (esp if its dull) it's easy to miss a step like this morning when I forgot my bag. No lunch for me (actually not true since we have cob vans come round here!).

Of course, these are generalisation of 'summer' and 'winter' but you get my drift/morning moan...

[smhouston]

I love nice warm summers, and nice cold winters. As the Pit says, nothing better than waking up in a morning to a nice crispy day.

I hate wind and rain though, it's depressing

[SP1986]

I have to say I like warmth over cold - mainly a comfort issue, Ive never been able to take cold like some people can!

Having said that I also like a extremes, 10 feet of snow for example, as long as I'm indoors in the warmth, thunderstorms, and extreme winds.

However bizarrely my favourite weather is warm and humid, when I say humid, I mean drizzle. I find that warm, humid air straight off the Atlantic has a quality that no other airmass can match.

[Coast]

Very boring really as I like my seasons to correspond to what we perceive they really should be:

Spring: Damp and windy interspersed with some sunny days slowly turning into

Summer: Warm dry with temps up to 30 DgC max on the odd day or two

Autumn: Dry sunny with some wet and windy days but not damp and overcast

Winter: Cold, sharp dry, except when its snowing!!!

I really don't mind too much on the variations, what I can't stand is the grey, overcast dampness which seems to have been so prevalent this year, bring on the brightness please!

[Essan]

I like cold, frosty, sunny weather. preferably all year round

Simple reason: I can sit out in the sun or work or partake in outdoor activities in the sun without getting hot, sweaty, sunburnt and irratable. Also, being a distant cousin of a Discworld troll, the hotter I am the stupider I get .... my brain shuts down above 25c ..... And my feet also hate getting hot (can't sleep with hot feet).

Cold, frosty, sunny weather is also best for photography because it usually means good visibility.

I can't think of a single disadvantage to that sort of weather (unless you're a reptilian who can't function in temps under 25c But frankly this is my planet and if you don't like it b*gger off home to zeta reticuli and leave us alone. Your schemes to globally warm Earth won't work )

[MAF]

i am an all seson lover, hot in the summer, variable spring, cold cold winters and foggy autumns. i hate the periods where there is little change between day/night temps its depressing. my favourite has to be cold though. the feel of cold air on your face in the morning and the freshness of the day is great. equally a really good downpour with thunder and lightning is great. nature at its best when the sky lights up and the roll of thunder gives you a feeling of fear.

[Wynn D Woo]

I am more of a continental type weather person than the more maritme one that we get, I like winter to be cold with snow or clear and frosty. Spring needs to be cold to begin then rapidly warm ready for summer which should be hot sunny and dry with the occasional thunder storm just to keep the interest. Finally autumn should be sunny and dry to begin then rapidly cool ready for winter. I'm not that fussed about strong gales but i dont mind periods of heavy rain and i hate dull grey overcast days.

[SP1986]

I like cold, frosty, sunny weather. preferably all year round

Simple reason: I can sit out in the sun or work or partake in outdoor activities in the sun without getting hot, sweaty, sunburnt and irratable. Also, being a distant cousin of a Discworld troll, the hotter I am the stupider I get .... my brain shuts down above 25c ..... And my feet also hate getting hot (can't sleep with hot feet).

Cold, frosty, sunny weather is also best for photography because it usually means good visibility.

I can't think of a single disadvantage to that sort of weather (unless you're a reptilian who can't function in temps under 25c But frankly this is my planet and if you don't like it b*gger off home to zeta reticuli and leave us alone. Your schemes to globally warm Earth won't work )

I regret to inform you, that about 4000 miles to your south is the equator

[DR Hosking]

I would say im a lover of all weather! Sweeping generalisation I know but im fairly happy whatever the weather. The only weather I really can't stand is muggy hot weather above 80 degrees. Having said that im not against all hot weather, just when its humid and uncomfortable. I actually like Spring, Summer, Autumn and winter days and generally enjoy the fact that we are lucky to live in a region that has changeable weather and seasons! If I had to pick my favourite would be a clear crisp snowy winters day, but thats only when im at home and able to enjoy it, if its during the week and I have to sit in the office and watch it then its a waste!

Edited October 30, 2007 by DR Hosking

[jemtom]

I like a really cold, frosty night with some dense freezing fog. I then like to see the fog slowly thinning during the morning, leaving a fine, sunny but very cold afternoon, with sub zero temperatures.

Sadly days like that here are about as common as rocking horse poo...

[Summer of 95]

I agree in general with the "what the season should bring" idea:

Winter:

YES: Snow interspersed with bright frosty weather; maybe a storm or two in the early part of the season

NO: Days on end of Sw'lies with cloud, drizzle or steady rain and temps into double figures. Also NO to to the type of easterly that promises much but delivers nothing but tons of cloud and temps that barely fall below freezing.

Spring:

YES: Starts with more snow in early March before brightening up (with maybe a few N'lies bringing late wintry showers up to and including early April) then what we had this April followed by May bringing an early taste of summer in the daytime but still a few chilly nights to remind us it's not quite midsummer yet!

NO: 1) Lack of temperature variation (spring should have this more than any other season), usually meaning mild cloudy and damp weather 2) Too many sub-15C maxima after late April 3) Monsoons just as summer should be starting (May 2006 and 2007!)

Summer:

YES: Hot sunny days with mild but not too warm nights, little cloud and rain save for a few meaty thunderstorms.

NO: 1) Boring cloudy weather for days on end, which keeps the temps up at night and down in the daytime (The dreaded "dull as ditchwater but warmer than average due to high minima") 2) Too many days with rain or showers, preventing summer activities from taking place 3) Too many days with temps failing to reach at least 20C (second half of July 2005 was terrible for this, spoiled what was otherwise quite a good summer)

Autumn:

YES: September starting as a continuation of summer but cooling down to finish bringing those cold misty mornings; then frost and fog appear in October (with a brief Indian Summer interrupting the cooling) before the first snow appears in November

NO: Cloud, wind, rain and temps constantly 10-15C night and day, also the summer NOs remain valid for early autumn.

[charlton north-downs]

Living inat Biggin Hill on the North Downs at 650ft and only 19 miles from Central London we have our own Micro Climate which is fascinating for me. It seems to be windier certainly wetter and colder.

A perfect climate for me would be Spring - A cold start with March/April snowstorms then warming up give spring storms and pleasant sunny days

Summer- Hot with a breeze

Autumn -Stormy start settleing down to frosty mornings and cool nights

Winter -Frosty for walking interspersed with snow-storms and having lived through 63' and 87" I would like to see that

that sort of snow again and unlike others I think the Country would cope eventually.

[MattS]

I've got a penchant for blue skies, being it either in mid summer accompanied by warmth or in mid winter when it's crisp and cold! Can't stand too much humidity.

Being born in the mid 70's i've got so many memories of some amazing snowfall events (like the winter of '81 and the easterly of Feb 91) i'm always invariably drawn to anything snow related.

[Bottesford]

The other main preference for summer, aside from practical issues, is that it's a much more social time where you feel alot closer to other people. Comparing my street last night to a summers evening in July there's quite a difference as now everyones tucked away in their houses, curtains closed only making the fast stomp down the shop, etc. Summer there's more people out & about and certainly a lot more people dwelling outdoors for longer instead of the A to B fast as possible march. I'm sure there's more 'dwell' during the daytime on days like today but I'm not out there to see it!

As for ideal weather:

- Winter : Cold, clear & frosty generally is preferred. However, I mind little if the temp is 6c instead of -2c so long as it's sunny in the daytime and clear at night. Mix in some snow too + the rain we have to have (and so some milder periods) and it's all good for me.

Bad winter = too much rain, grey/drizzly easterlies and temps around 5c.

- Spring : Sunny with rainy periods esp in early spring. Frosts in April and wind coming from northerlys bringing in heavy/thundery wintry showers + some warmer settled periods. May needs at least one 25c+ day but also some chillier nights mixed in. Thunderstorm too is good.

Bad spring = too much rain, grey/drizzly easterlies and temps around 5c.

- Summer : Hot, sunny & dry throughout especially in June & July. Temps of 25-27c by day and 18c min at night with clear skies with some high & some low humidity periods. Thunderstorms are good esp in late summer.

Bad summer = any persistant frontal rain, cold nights, AC gloom (often from easterlies).

- Autumn = this autumn just about qualifies for it although a bit too much AC gloom around at times. Do like a good gale too...

Bad autumn - too much rain, too cold too early, too much mildness into November.

[eddie]

A howling Autumn gale would be my favorite type of weather. That feeling of the wind and rain on my face just makes me feel alive. You can probably guess that I am finding the weather a bit dull at the moment.

I was lucky enough to see some pretty great winters during the 80s (living 1100 feet above sea level in the Pennines helped) and I would love to see that much snow again but perhaps just a two week period over Christmas when I don't have to get to work. Something like 1947 or 1963 would be interesting but I bet the novelty would soon wear off when the supermarkets started to run out of food.

I also don't like anything too hot. If you could take the weather from April 2007 and add 2C to the CET then that would be my perfect summer.

[J07]

I tend to be interested in almost any sort of weather. The only one I genuinelly dislike is grey skies and calm hanging around for days. In winter I like to look on the horizon and see dark clouds promising snow. (Sadly too rare).

In summer I do like the odd blast of horribly humid, hot weather, although frankly British houses are torture to live in during these periods. I prefer it cooler and drier, although balmy evenings are really lovely during the humid spells.

Autumn....I would say what we have now is close to perfect! For once, no one is complaining about the leaves failing to change or drop! It's been a slow, gradual process, with a good mixture of all sorts of lovely autumnal weather.

Springtime, I think is a great time of year. Every single time, I hang on and think, when will the change happen? And as always, it's rarely a sudden thing, it's always gradual and you can never quite put your finger on when winter is over. This year, admitedly was pretty odd though! One thing I love is at the end of Feb, people delight in the end of winter....er hold on! There's still March to come! Rarely do I consider March to be real Springtime. At least, not the early part. Snow is quite common for us then, as are low temperatures.

In NZ, my expectations are different, since snow is basically impossible (in Wellington). I like a long, warm summer with lots of sun. 20C is perfectly sufficient for me. It allows you to basically do anything you want outside, and if the sun is blazing at UV index higher than 12 (fairly common in NZ) then any temperature above 25C is quite intolerable. How Aussies cope I'll never know!

In winter there, a quality blast of southerly air is simply marvellous. Refreshment.....ah!

Probably my favourite NZ weather is the Nor'Westers, which are pretty common. Standing on the lee side of mountains, getting puffed by hot air makes some people quite irritable but I find it very interesting, although horrible to work outside in. On the coastline, it really is marvellous, gusty, warm, humid air blowing straight at you. I could spend my life in it.

If I had to choose one favourite month....I would cheat and choose the last 2 weeks of May combined with the first 2 weeks of June. In a good year, it is almost unbeatable for me. Temperatures can often hover in the low 20s (perfect), lots of sunshine, quite mild nights (but not stifling), and of course very long days! Only crimp is hayfever, I get it bad for a few days around this time, but rarely does it spoil my enjoyment of the period as a whole.

[Thundery wintry showers]

My favourite weather phenomena are sunshine, convective showers, snow and thunderstorms. Sunshine tends to be the variable I assign the most importance to, followed by the other three. The reason is that my feeling of well-being is correlated with sunshine amounts, while the other three are variables that I find exciting to watch.

The seasons in an 'ideal' year would go like this:

Winter- episodic, several short-lived but significant cold blasts from NW, N, NE and E, bringing sunshine and snow showers, and some troughs/polar lows blanketing most of the country in snow cover, typically for 3-6 days before mild air returns. In between, a mix of blustery showery polar maritime airmasses, cold crisp anticyclonic weather, and mild sunny southerlies.

Spring- episodic with temperature contrasts, continuing with alternation of the same patterns as winter, but getting erratically warmer with increasing frequency of anticyclonic spells and southerlies, and chill reminders of winter with snow showers and night frosts declining in frequency and intensity.

Summer- a mix of anticyclonic spells, hot thundery southerly incursions, and cooler showery polar maritime airmasses, overall warm and very sunny but probably above average rainfall because of the heavy showers & thunderstorms

Autumn- alternation mostly between the four weather types described earlier, with increasing frequency of cold snaps, and some early snowfalls in October and more especially November

I have a general preference for 'episodic' type months because there is usually a wide variety of weather crammed into their 28-31 days.