The changing daylight hours thread

[Azazel]

On 17/12/2022 at 02:24, S Bragg said:

Aren't we allowed to enjoy the winter evenings first without people harping on about Spring?  We barely experience decent winters in this country as it is without people wishing the winter away.  Or would you prefer 9 months of spring and summer?

I would prefer 12 months of spring and summer 

[Atleastitwillbemild]

On 17/12/2022 at 02:24, S Bragg said:

Aren't we allowed to enjoy the winter evenings first without people harping on about Spring?  We barely experience decent winters in this country as it is without people wishing the winter away.  Or would you prefer 9 months of spring and summer?

Its not the frost and snow we're wishing away as I have really enjoyed that. Its just the darkness, for those of us with SAD its a nightmare no-one really believes is genuine. One of the reasons I love cold weather so much in winter is because it usually means dry and clear with abundant sunlight like it did these past few weeks. So I for one love the cold (frost more than snow which can lead to dull skies) but I would just prefer it if the UK was at a lower lattitude like some states of America that have bitterly cold temperatures but remain as southerly as Turkey.

[mb018538]

Happy winter solstice eve! We will lose another 6 seconds of daylight tomorrow on the shortest day.....before we start the climb back to the top of the hill. Only a couple more months of utter dreariness before we start to see some lighter mornings and evenings. Hoorah!

[hillbilly]

1 hour ago, mb018538 said:

Happy winter solstice eve! We will lose another 6 seconds of daylight tomorrow on the shortest day.....before we start the climb back to the top of the hill. Only a couple more months of utter dreariness before we start to see some lighter mornings and evenings. Hoorah!

It is much lighter already with clearer skies and some snow around these last few days compared to the dull foggy stuff a couple of weeks ago.

[kold weather]

As expected even though we have bottomed out in terms of night time darkness, it still has felt much darker in the evenings now we've got a much more unsettled flow back in again.

Still got a bit of time left before we reach absolute darkest morning, but even that will be changing before we know it.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Light til 430 tonight! Yesterday we were drawing the curtains at 3:15!

[Don]

3 hours ago, *Stormforce~beka* said:

Light til 430 tonight! Yesterday we were drawing the curtains at 3:15!

And after tomorrow, the days will be lengthening again!

[Sunny76]

For me the climb out of the darkness doesn’t really change until we hit the end of February.

Late February still feels like a long way off. January also feels like 6 weeks as opposed to a month. 

[damianslaw]

Shortest day tomorrow! Winter Solstice, the recent very clear skies has helped make the descent to this point quite short and abrupt, we've not had many 'dark days before christmas', but the next few days do look rather cloudy at times and peak low light will be felt. 

[Summer8906]

14 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

For me the climb out of the darkness doesn’t really change until we hit the end of February.

I'm surprised at that, as even in early February the sunset is an hour later than now. If you finish work around 5pm for example, you will certainly notice a big difference compared to now even at the end of January - though I appreciate not everyone works those hours. And by mid-Feb, if you're lucky with the weather,  you could be going home with the sun still shining.

14 hours ago, Sunny76 said:

Late February still feels like a long way off. January also feels like 6 weeks as opposed to a month. 

I know what you mean by that, the darkest days do drag on a bit.

I tend to consider the four week period starting Dec 26 the grimmest period of the year, not helped by the bizarre UK practice (not replicated in many continental countries) to end Christmas as soon as Christmas Day is past (having started it way too early sometime shortly after Halloween). Somewhere around Jan 20-25 is the turning point, though if the weather is very dull and damp, grimness can be extended towards mid Feb. Which is one of many reasons why southwesterlies and dull, drizzly Tm are particularly unwelcome in late Jan, early Feb, more even than any other time of year. (Disrupting the timing of spring flowering, and destroying the last real chance for prolonged snow cover, are the other ones).

By contrast, cold frosty and sunny in late Jan early Feb can be a real tonic. You can enjoy the extra hour of full daylight between 4-5pm fully, and also have the knowledge that the weather conditions will cause the spring flowering to happen when it should do... in spring.

Edited December 21, 2022 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

On 18/12/2022 at 12:49, Atleastitwillbemild said:

Its not the frost and snow we're wishing away as I have really enjoyed that. Its just the darkness, for those of us with SAD its a nightmare no-one really believes is genuine. One of the reasons I love cold weather so much in winter is because it usually means dry and clear with abundant sunlight like it did these past few weeks. So I for one love the cold (frost more than snow which can lead to dull skies) but I would just prefer it if the UK was at a lower lattitude like some states of America that have bitterly cold temperatures but remain as southerly as Turkey.

Exactly. Cold, dry, sunny, frosty weather with occasional snow is great.

The problem is, the winters in southern England are often not like that. There's nothing fun about perpetual gloomy SW-lies, dullness and a day only lasting from 8am-4pm (though at least from now on the time of sunset will slowly start drifting further and further away from 4pm, and not before time either).

Other countries get colder weather in winter, more sunshine and later sunsets. I'd much prefer to live around 40N in a continental climate.

[Beverley Lass]

Happy Winter Solstice folks  

[kold weather]

Been lucky the last few days that the cloud cover has broken up by 2pm which has allowed us to get the max out of the light that is left. Not as clear today but we should still good with sunlight levels till probably closing in on 4.30pm.

 

[Summer8906]

8 minutes ago, kold weather said:

Been lucky the last few days that the cloud cover has broken up by 2pm which has allowed us to get the max out of the light that is left. Not as clear today but we should still good with sunlight levels till probably closing in on 4.30pm.

 

Was that the case even on Sunday and Monday? Both days here (south Hampshire, so not so far away) were really oppressively dark and gloomy in the afternoon - particularly Sunday.

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Summer8906

[Mapantz]

3 hours ago, Beverley Lass said:

Happy Winter Solstice folks  

6 hours and 23 minutes left to go .. 

[kold weather]

1 hour ago, Summer8906 said:

Was that the case even on Sunday and Monday? Both days here (south Hampshire, so not so far away) were really oppressively dark and gloomy in the afternoon - particularly Sunday.

 

They were both dark and gloomy, but yesterday and today both have been decent in the 2nd half of the afternoon. still got useable light at the moment which wasn't the case on Sunday nor Monday at this time.

The good news is at least we are now starting to gain in the evening, every little helps!

[BlueHedgehog074]

Appreciating the little extra light being gained in the afternoons. Some light left at half 4 in the afternoon recently, whereas last week or so it would be almost fully dark by that time. 

[Row w]

It only occurred to me that its the winter solstice today, crazy thinking that from now to the 21/22nd June the days will be getting longer again even if its not noticeable until mid/late Feb 

[sarahng]

Almost my favourite day of the year - everything getting better for a WHOLE 6 months!!  Light, warmth and sunshine, please!

[Maz]

23 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

Exactly. Cold, dry, sunny, frosty weather with occasional snow is great.

The problem is, the winters in southern England are often not like that. There's nothing fun about perpetual gloomy SW-lies, dullness and a day only lasting from 8am-4pm (though at least from now on the time of sunset will slowly start drifting further and further away from 4pm, and not before time either).

Other countries get colder weather in winter, more sunshine and later sunsets. I'd much prefer to live around 40N in a continental climate.

Snow is like magic in winter - suddenly light levels are transformed.  Frost and clear days similar, but not quite as magical.  I think that is why, as a SAD sufferer, I love cold spells.  Sadly the majority of a UK winter is dull, grey and grim though.  
 

I find that with a positive attitude the onset of SAD can be delayed, especially if like this year, late autumn has some sunny days.  Mid December though and it always hits hard for me.  The melting of last weeks snow proving a double whammy this year.  
 

Get through Christmas faking some sort of bonhomie, dig in for January, and before the end of the month there is some light at 5pm.  It’s all upwards from there…

[cheeky_monkey]

i suffer from morning SAD so things don't turn the corner with regard to sunrise times until Jan 4th 

[Sunny76]

In Latvia for Christmas and the snow has stopped. But, it’s still on the ground, so that still gives it a festive feel.

I’m kind of glad I’m away from London where it’s turned mild and grey, but if I can’t have snow, cold and sunny frosty weather, I’ll take the damp dull stuff as a third option over having a Christmas in a warm climate like Oz or somewhere warm. Not a fan of that. 
 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Sunny76

[Summer8906]

On 22/12/2022 at 15:13, Sunny76 said:

In Latvia for Christmas and the snow has stopped. But, it’s still on the ground, so that still gives it a festive feel.

I’m kind of glad I’m away from London where it’s turned mild and grey, but if I can’t have snow, cold and sunny frosty weather, I’ll take the damp dull stuff as a third option over having a Christmas in a warm climate like Oz or somewhere warm. Not a fan of that.
 

 

I have to admit that while I like cold and frosty, I'd prefer a taste of really warm and dry weather over dull and damp anyday! If given the chance to travel to Australia for the next 4 weeks or so without spending too much money and work not minding, I'd take it! Or even 8 weeks for that matter, experience the Australian summer then come back just in time for the UK spring.

I spent new year in the Malaga area at the end of 2015, beginning of 2016 where the weather and light levels resembled a nice spell of UK weather in October (day maxima a pretty constant 18C), and was glad I was there during a particularly grim period in the UK, even worse than earlier in December by all accounts. (I see this year they are having some really extreme warm weather for the time of year, with 21C forecast for today, surely exceptional for mainland Europe in late December).

Edited December 24, 2022 by Summer8906

[RJBingham]

11 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

I have to admit that while I like cold and frosty, I'd prefer a taste of really warm and dry weather over dull and damp anyday! If given the chance to travel to Australia for the next 4 weeks or so without spending too much money and work not minding, I'd take it! Or even 8 weeks for that matter, experience the Australian summer then come back just in time for the UK spring.

I spent new year in the Malaga area at the end of 2015, beginning of 2016 where the weather and light levels resembled a nice spell of UK weather in October (day maxima a pretty constant 18C), and was glad I was there during a particularly grim period in the UK, even worse than earlier in December by all accounts. (I see this year they are having some really extreme warm weather for the time of year, with 21C forecast for today, surely exceptional for mainland Europe in late December).

I'll be in Australia for most of February, can't wait.  

[Summer8906]

I had a dream last night that I saw the sun still up just after 4pm.

Probably not yet quite possible, but will be in about a week. Of course, looking at the synoptic charts for the rest of the month I wonder if it'll be early Jan until we see the sun again at midday yet alone 4pm!

No noticeable change in late afternoon daylight yet, but if you look carefully you do notice it once you get to around New Years' Day; we need to gain about 10 mins of afternoon daylight for it to become detectable. For now, still more dependent on the weather conditions than anything else.

Edited December 24, 2022 by Summer8906