Hot In Summer Or Cold In Winter

[Methuselah]

Unless there's snow, I always find winter depressing!

[Lettucing Gutted]

Cold all year round for me. i hate heat mush whether its summer or winter.

[Milhouse]

Unless there's snow, I always find winter depressing!

Same here. Give me a winter like 03/04 that was on the whole a mild one but when it was cold it was usually accompanied by snow. I just despise cold anticyclonic gloom that plagued last winter.

[Scorcher]

Agree about anticylonic gloom in winter- last New Year's Eve springs to mind as a particularly horrid and depressing day with thick fog and temperatures below freezing. Surely no one enjoys those kind of conditions! I remember playing football on that day and breathing was difficult and it was hard to get warm even when running about!

[Bottesford]

I also love in summer how the sun takes so long to set, from about 9pm they sky looks really nice and it only starts getting really dark at about 10pm.. gorgeous. In winter though it just seems to get dark so quickly..

Yes I love the lingering twilight too. In winter the sun still sets at the same rate as in summer (angle is the same) but obviously it sets 'further' so it gets properly dark unlike this time of year.

I rarely see sunsets in winter as they take place when you're normally busy working whereas in summer they take place when you're relaxing. Winter is when I see sunrises (on way to work) but rarely see summer sunrises unless I'm having an all night session!

I do like winter it's just it goes on too long & for the most part is just dull & chilly (what good is 5c with low cloud?!) so gimme a longer summer instead please!

[Methuselah]

Agree about anticylonic gloom in winter- last New Year's Eve springs to mind as a particularly horrid and depressing day with thick fog and temperatures below freezing. Surely no one enjoys those kind of conditions! I remember playing football on that day and breathing was difficult and it was hard to get warm even when running about!

It was the same here: -12C at night, -5C by day, dull, foggy and depressing! But with snow on the ground, everything is transformed: there's enough reflected sunlight to lift one's spirits.

PS: If cold in winter meant snow (like it used to) I'd have voted for cold in winter!

Edited July 5, 2009 by Pete Tattum

[coffee23]

Hi,

I like the heat around 25c to 35c i find is about perfect, however saying that i also like the crisp cold mornings and snow but not the cold wind that makes you feel cold no matter how much you put on or turn the heating up (nasty).

[Thundery wintry showers]

Agree about anticylonic gloom in winter- last New Year's Eve springs to mind as a particularly horrid and depressing day with thick fog and temperatures below freezing. Surely no one enjoys those kind of conditions! I remember playing football on that day and breathing was difficult and it was hard to get warm even when running about!

There are some who enjoy AC gloom (albeit probably not when it's that cold)- primarily those who do a lot of work outdoors whose work benefits from dry cloudy weather, or who like the "nothingness".

However... I'm emphatically not one of them! On the other hand, a cold dry sunny high like in December 2001 and November 2005... bliss!

[Nick L]

I like AC gloom, sometimes it can bring really nice frosts, coating the trees in white. It also brings ice days (not to everyone's tastes but I like low temperatures at any time of year) and everything is perfectly still and quiet. Obviously staying for a long period of time it does get a bit boring but it brings a true wintry feel like it did around New Year, I got -8.9c out of it anyway.

[reef]

There are some who enjoy AC gloom (albeit probably not when it's that cold)- primarily those who do a lot of work outdoors whose work benefits from dry cloudy weather, or who like the "nothingness".

However... I'm emphatically not one of them! On the other hand, a cold dry sunny high like in December 2001 and November 2005... bliss!

When I worked outside in my previous job 3 years ago, I used to be one of those who didnt mind anticyclonic gloom. The best weather in winter was average/mild, calm and cloudy, as the lack of wind meant you rarely felt too cold, sunshine was ok though and made for some lovely winter days. The worst by far was Atlantic-based weather. No matter whether it was 5C or 12C if it was wet and windy it was thoroughly miserable, though obviously the colder the worse it felt.

In summer I detested the typical sunshine and showers scenario, as even in temperatures of the mid-high teens, it felt absolutely boiling when you had to wear your wet gear. Clear and sunny weather was generally ok as long as it wasnt too hot and a breeze certainly helped, but then you had to be aware of sunburn.

I suspect this is stereotypical of what the media expect us to like in winter and summer. Though I differ to that as I always enjoyed the few snowy days we got.

[Thundery wintry showers]

Yes, I can see that for some outdoor activities (esp. some forms of working outdoors) it is best if there is as little "weather" as possible for various reasons, even in the case of sunshine. Although the specifics will vary depending on the type of outdoor work.

I suspect this is stereotypical of what the media expect us to like in winter and summer.

Yeah, sounds about about right- I think there's a slight difference in that we're expected to favour sunshine over cloudy weather esp. in summer but otherwise it's pretty representative IMHO.

To be fair I do appreciate AC gloom when it occurs once in a while, especially if it's as part of an otherwise sunny month- and those days with vivid cloud formations (like the "asperatus" type stuff) and haze can be very atmospheric. The very cold ones like New Year's Eve last year are interesting IMHO for the low temperatures. But in most cases (esp. when it's just a layer of stratus) it's the kind of weather where I tend to lose interest and concentrate on other things.

Edited July 5, 2009 by Thundery wintry showers

[Cookie]

I enjoy warmth cool and light breeze in the winter and summer.

so neither. I like a few days of nice weather and few days off cold but not constant.

[Snowyowl9]

Days like don`t rock my boat pretty bland really for high summer,last week was better hotter humid temps do at least produce more amazing cloud formations although it went too warm/muggy at night last week with no thunderstorm to refresh it.

Winter cold with AGloom with freezing fog dry and ice days are also very welcome indeed.

Anything besides mid wet west to SW-lys all the time,but in small doses yes.

Edited July 5, 2009 by Snowyowl9

[Scorcher]

However... I'm emphatically not one of them! On the other hand, a cold dry sunny high like in December 2001 and November 2005... bliss!

Agree about December 2001, it was a superb month, and one the few winter months that I've enjoyed, along with February 2008.

[Rollo]

My favourite is a cold snowy spell followed by an anticyclone sitting over us for a few days-snow and heavy rime deposits suit me down to the ground.

[LadyPakal]

Birds migrate north to breed for the food supply — hardly any insects around in the dry season, whereas northern climes have the mild weather and the water to keep a healthy insect population going. Enough to feed a family of hungry chicks.

What gets me about elfin safety is that there's a rule if working conditions are too cold, but none for when it's too hot. What you should do is insist on some fans being bought and have one on your desk, not perfect but helps.

Ospreys don't eat insects...

Fans in a hot office just move the hot air around, just as nasty as no fan if there is no external ventilation. Like having someone heavy breathing down your neck all day. How anyone can be expected to be productive in a 30°C room full of other peoples exhaled CO2 is beyond me. All I want to do is sleep.

Still, hopefully the cooler temp are back now for a while. Just had a very pleasant evening meal on the patio - temp around 16°C.

[Bottesford]

Ospreys don't eat insects...

Fans in a hot office just move the hot air around, just as nasty as no fan if there is no external ventilation. Like having someone heavy breathing down your neck all day. How anyone can be expected to be productive in a 30°C room full of other peoples exhaled CO2 is beyond me. All I want to do is sleep.

Still, hopefully the cooler temp are back now for a while. Just had a very pleasant evening meal on the patio - temp around 16°C.

Exactly the problem I get in winter in the office - we can't open any windows so it's just recycled CO2 all day leading to my almost daily 'sunset headaches' at about 4pm. The room ends up very warm (but stuffy warm from computers & people) but you can't get any air in as I'd get shouted at for letting that nasty cold air in! In summer no problem as we can get plenty of air in. Although yes during heatwaves it gets pretty toasty in here. Still, at least there's oxygen to breath.

[GRHinPorts]

There are some who enjoy AC gloom (albeit probably not when it's that cold)- primarily those who do a lot of work outdoors whose work benefits from dry cloudy weather, or who like the "nothingness".

However... I'm emphatically not one of them! On the other hand, a cold dry sunny high like in December 2001 and November 2005... bliss!

Sorry to be late joining this discussion but I am definitely a fan of AC gloom (both in Summer and Winter so long as it is not as cold as back at New Year - cold AC gloom is indeed the worst - thinking of the last week of Feb and first 3 weeks of March in 2006 here) both because its very easy to work outdoors in and IMO its an integral part of the English weather pattern.

Its a pity the transition to less summery weather this week has brought in such a showery regime in the South or otherwise I'd have to say I prefer this week to last.

November 2005 did yield some spectacular sunsets as a backdrop to Portsmouth Millenium tower on the drive in after to work so was not all bad.

However I would say my favourite season in recent times for working outdoors would have to have been this years Spring. Perpetually (or should that be homogenously) mild/warm with not too much rain. At the risk of sounding like Harold MacMillan "Ive never had it so good!"

[Tim B]

I like both..

Like I remember having as a kid.

The seasons have become increasingly boring over the last decade or so.

[Nick L]

I don't particularly mind boring seasons. I love boring summers (like today, dull, cloudy and cool). Nice and comfortable today.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

I like AC gloom, sometimes it can bring really nice frosts, coating the trees in white. It also brings ice days (not to everyone's tastes but I like low temperatures at any time of year) and everything is perfectly still and quiet. Obviously staying for a long period of time it does get a bit boring but it brings a true wintry feel like it did around New Year, I got -8.9c out of it anyway.

ive never known it bring frosts, in winter usually minimums above 0oC and cloud stops frosts. anticyclonic 'gloom' to me means all cloud and never breaking otherwise its not 'gloom'

[Nick L]

ive never known it bring frosts, in winter usually minimums above 0oC and cloud stops frosts. anticyclonic 'gloom' to me means all cloud and never breaking otherwise its not 'gloom'

What about the spell at New Year? On New Year's Day we went to Telford, was bitterly cold and completely overcast with fog in places. All the trees along the M54 were coated in white.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I don't remember seeing frosts in a spell of anticyclonic gloom before (except when skies temporarily cleared overnight) but I did, on one occasion (early February 2006 in Leeds) see snow falling during such a spell. In Decembers 2006 and 2007 I recall such surprise snowfalls being reported in some other areas of the country and giving a dusting in places.

[Schnee]

Easily Cold in Winter.

English houses are so not made for keeping cool in Summer heat. The brickwork acts as a storage heater and there's no air flowing so things get hot and stuffy. Not my cup of tea.

However, I do like donning the leathers and going for a nice tootle round North Yorks in the summer sun.

Winter on the other hand is better. If i'm cold i'll put more clothes on, 2 duvets on the bed and it's toasty.