Summer 2013

[cheese]

The dullness, the (almost) bare trees and the dampness make November feel like winter, but temperature-wise, even March is colder than November here - I'm sure it's the same for much of the country. Of course, March has longer days, and is capable of proper warmth (record high nearly 26C), but then again, snow is more common in March from my experience, and air frost is more common in March than November. For weather most often associated with winter (snow, frost etc), March is more winter, but for a more typical 'British winter' feel (i.e gloomy, dank and miserable), November is more winter.

Edited July 24, 2013 by cheese

[AderynCoch]

November is usually pretty bland, but when it delivers snow and cold (like in 2010) it's brilliant.

[weatherguru14]

Lovely day  again  could get use to this

[GRHinPorts]

OK...on the subject of early September/early March....I thought that technically the seasons really only start on the 21st of the quarterly months. i.e Summer runs from June 21-September 21 or the solstice to the equinox.

 

I thought I had heard that its only in the meteorological world that the seasons run from the 1st of the quarterly months to enable the simple collection of statistical data.

 

Anyway its very much of how the weather feels in September/March as to how you are likely to describe it as Summer or Winter. March this year definitely winter. September 2006 definitely summer.

 

For what its worth the CET temperature average for September 1st-21st is higher than what it is for June 1st-21st. So statistically the warmest 3 month period of the year must be from June 21st - September 21st. Its worthwhile holding onto this data in your head when the season (whichever season) starts disappointingly as to what we might expect of it. 

[Jax]

OK...on the subject of early September/early March....I thought that technically the seasons really only start on the 21st of the quarterly months. i.e Summer runs from June 21-September 21 or the solstice to the equinox.

 

I thought I had heard that its only in the meteorological world that the seasons run from the 1st of the quarterly months to enable the simple collection of statistical data.

 

Anyway its very much of how the weather feels in September/March as to how you are likely to describe it as Summer or Winter. March this year definitely winter. September 2006 definitely summer.

 

For what its worth the CET temperature average for September 1st-21st is higher than what it is for June 1st-21st. So statistically the warmest 3 month period of the year must be from June 21st - September 21st. Its worthwhile holding onto this data in your head when the season (whichever season) starts disappointingly as to what we might expect of it. 

The "seasons" really do depend on who/how you measure it

 

I stick to the solar cycle one rather than the calender/meterological one

[GRHinPorts]

To develop this further I definitely have less expectations of June as a summer month than I do of July and August. The CET averages back this up with the latter 2 months being over 2 degrees warmer. This in spite of June having the longest days of the year. Its all because of the lag effect in temperature change from one season to the next I guess.

[Jax]

To develop this further I definitely have less expectations of June as a summer month than I do of July and August. The CET averages back this up with the latter 2 months being over 2 degrees warmer. This in spite of June having the longest days of the year. Its all because of the lag effect in temperature change from one season to the next I guess.

like it take time to warm up, it takes time to cool down, hence why the dawn is normally the coldest part of the day

[Milhouse]

To develop this further I definitely have less expectations of June as a summer month than I do of July and August. The CET averages back this up with the latter 2 months being over 2 degrees warmer. This in spite of June having the longest days of the year. Its all because of the lag effect in temperature change from one season to the next I guess.

 

I recall the 'warm' spell at the start of June when eastern England was seeing 13-15c in sunny skies and an easterly wind. That seems awfully cold now in this incredible warm spell.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

To develop this further I definitely have less expectations of June as a summer month than I do of July and August. The CET averages back this up with the latter 2 months being over 2 degrees warmer. This in spite of June having the longest days of the year. Its all because of the lag effect in temperature change from one season to the next I guess.

 

I find the 2nd half of Aug cooler, I always think the coolest part of the summer (01 jun-31 aug)

[hillbilly]

To develop this further I definitely have less expectations of June as a summer month than I do of July and August. The CET averages back this up with the latter 2 months being over 2 degrees warmer. This in spite of June having the longest days of the year. Its all because of the lag effect in temperature change from one season to the next I guess.

june is the sunniest month of the year I believe,when the sun is out it can feel warmer at 18 in the sun than 24 and cloudy.june in recent years have been better than the other two summer months

[GRHinPorts]

june is the sunniest month of the year I believe,when the sun is out it can feel warmer at 18 in the sun than 24 and cloudy.june in recent years have been better than the other two summer months

 

Is it the sunniest month though because of the extra day length? Because that might distort the statistics.

 

I agree 18 in the sun can feel warmer than 24 in the cloud especially if there is a wind blowing with the latter. 

 

The fact that June has been the better of the summer months in recent times is really an indication of how poor the summers have been since 2006.

[March Blizzard]

I consider the first month of each season as something of a "runt"; the transitional months are neither here nor there in terms of the conditions normally expected in the season they belong to.

December is the "mild" winter month, often more akin to autumnal November than Jan and Feb.

March is the "cold" spring month, winter's last gasp. Nothing like May.

June is the "cool" summer month, often lacks the real heat of July and August.

September is the "warm" Autumn month, summer's last gasp. Nothing like November.

It's interesting to note that in the all years CET series March 1-15th averages 4.9C (Using figures from Roger J Smith in another thread) while December 1-15th averages 4.6C. Almost neck and neck. At 6.9C, the first half of November is a full 2C warmer than the first half of March.

[Summer Sun]

If I remember correctly August is statistically the hottest month in the UK even the night start to draw in

 

Not sure on the sunniest month statistically I believe 383.9 hours at Eastbourne in July 1911 is the current UK record

[Summer of 95]

The strangest thing I remember about that late warm spell in 2011 was sitting outside the pub enjoying a beer, with the temp way above 20C, as darkness fell- at 7pm. Normally when you can do that here it's more like 9 or even 10. In a way it felt like being in Greece where it gets dark at 7-8 in summer.

[Scorcher]

The strangest thing I remember about that late warm spell in 2011 was sitting outside the pub enjoying a beer, with the temp way above 20C, as darkness fell- at 7pm. Normally when you can do that here it's more like 9 or even 10. In a way it felt like being in Greece where it gets dark at 7-8 in summer.

 

It really was an incredible spell of weather, it was amazing how warm it stayed well into the evening despite the sun going down around 7. I recall going out to some bars in Cheltenham on the evening of October 1st and there were so many people sitting outside bars even at midnight wearing shorts and t-shirts without a hint of a chill in the air.

 

One of my favourite weather events of my lifetime, mainly because it was so unexpected and it far exceeded what I thought was possible- I recall being amazed after hearing about October 1985 several years beforehand and thinking how unlikely something like that was to happen again.

[mushymanrob]

OK...on the subject of early September/early March....I thought that technically the seasons really only start on the 21st of the quarterly months. i.e Summer runs from June 21-September 21 or the solstice to the equinox.

 

I thought I had heard that its only in the meteorological world that the seasons run from the 1st of the quarterly months to enable the simple collection of statistical data.

 

Anyway its very much of how the weather feels in September/March as to how you are likely to describe it as Summer or Winter. March this year definitely winter. September 2006 definitely summer.

 

For what its worth the CET temperature average for September 1st-21st is higher than what it is for June 1st-21st. So statistically the warmest 3 month period of the year must be from June 21st - September 21st. Its worthwhile holding onto this data in your head when the season (whichever season) starts disappointingly as to what we might expect of it. 

 

... but temperatures alone do not a season define.

 

early march more often then not is certainly spring. early spring flowers are in bloom, daylength, sun strength, birdsong, all point to it being spring.

 

early june spring? (1st - 20th) ... nah... trees are in full leaf, plant growth is at its maximum, daylength/sun strength/hight..

 

i think the meterological spring is the right one, not the quarter day definition.

[GRHinPorts]

... but temperatures alone do not a season define.

 

early march more often then not is certainly spring. early spring flowers are in bloom, daylength, sun strength, birdsong, all point to it being spring.

 

early june spring? (1st - 20th) ... nah... trees are in full leaf, plant growth is at its maximum, daylength/sun strength/hight..

 

i think the meterological spring is the right one, not the quarter day definition.

 

I agree with this bit about temperatures.

 

Actually though I think there is a bit of human conditioning at work here as well by which I mean that as we live through the seasons we know what to expect and what to look forward to. Hence in early December we look forward to winter, early March we look forward to Spring, early June to Summer and so on.

 

And perhaps on occasion our anticipation of the season runs ahead of the reality. Certainly I have lost count of the times I have felt the weather is not summery, wintry, springlike in early June, December et al. Only to have things look more appropriately season within mere weeks.

Edited July 27, 2013 by GRHinPorts

[hillbilly]

If I remember correctly August is statistically the hottest month in the UK even the night start to draw in

 

Not sure on the sunniest month statistically I believe 383.9 hours at Eastbourne in July 1911 is the current UK record

just a quick look through met office figures I would definitely say that june is the sunniest in general without doing some serious addition .

[damianslaw]

I agree with this bit about temperatures.

 

Actually though I think there is a bit of human conditioning at work here as well by which I mean that as we live through the seasons we know what to expect and what to look forward to. Hence in early December we look forward to winter, early March we look forward to Spring, early June to Summer and so on.

 

And perhaps on occasion our anticipation of the season runs ahead of the reality. Certainly I have lost count of the times I have felt the weather is not summery, wintry, springlike in early June, December et al. Only to have things look more appropriately season within mere weeks.

 

 

I agree with the above, the start of each 'meteorological' season is often a hangover from the season past. Very rarely does the weather suddenly change into mid season feel on the 1st of March, June, September and December.

 

It often takes a good 6 weeks into each season before we feel like the season is in full swing, right now for instance we are in peak summer.

 

Spring late April/early May - most likely period of the year to feel like the images of spring conjure up i.e. sunshine and showers and first properwarmth of the year, a world away from how early March usually feels.

Summer late July/early August - most likely period when heat and thunder is likely and the classic heatwave.

Autumn late October/early November - most likely period when we see the classic autumn storms and proper frosts a world away from how early Sept usually opens up (incidentally on average the most settled period of the year).

Winter late Jan/early Feb - on average the coldest snowiest period of the year.

 

Hence there is a lag effect.

[mushymanrob]

well obviously there is a gradient from early season to late season with it peaking proper half way through...

[Bottesford]

One thing that I do find though - winter feels a damn sight longer than summer! Summer feels like a weekend - blink and its over. 

Guess you could almost equate seasons to a normal week... Monday is deep winter (sluggish, not very sociable time- yes I'm a Monday grouch!), Thursday early spring (it's coming at last!), Friday late spring/early summer (full of excitement and ready to party!), Saturday & early Sunday is high summer (kick back and enjoy...well once the shopping/cleaning is done anyway!), Sunday late afternoon & evening is autumn (we're still ok but its coming... and boy does it go fast!).

[laserguy]

One thing that I do find though - winter feels a damn sight longer than summer! Summer feels like a weekend - blink and its over. 

 

 

You have got to be joking. Summer,this one in particular,feels like it's been dragging on for eternity and it ain't over for a long,long time. The happy memories I have of March seem to belong in another lifetime, a snippet from a dream which I try in vain to recall in its entirety. April came along with all its vulgar warmth and light with all the finesse of a raucous alarm clock and transformed it in an instant to a waking nightmare.

[johnholmes]

You have got to be joking. Summer,this one in particular,feels like it's been dragging on for eternity and it ain't over for a long,long time. The happy memories I have of March seem to belong in another lifetime, a snippet from a dream which I try in vain to recall in its entirety. April came along with all its vulgar warmth and light with all the finesse of a raucous alarm clock and transformed it in an instant to a waking nightmare.

 

I think you and TM should get together!

[Derp Patrol]

I'm sorry but I just can't understand why anyone would want darkness and cold... fair enough to those who don't like heat (I would hardly call average temps for most of the UK in summer 'heat' though) but how do people enjoy sitting inside with darkness at 4:30pm...? I prefer summer where it is actually light and I can go outside and socialize 

[laserguy]

I'm sorry but I just can't understand why anyone would want darkness and cold...

 

And for the life of me I can't fathom folk who want the opposite. Aren't folk strange?