Autumn 2023

[S Bragg]

6 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

24C? Scarcely oppressive heat!

Very nice IMO, the sort of weather on that chart, if it continues for weeks as it did in 2011, does wonders in shortening the darker and duller winter months.

Well not everyone likes warm weather of any type, whether it's spring, summer or autumn.  Personally I'm looking forward to the darker evenings and autumnal weather.

[Summer8906]

5 minutes ago, S Bragg said:

Well not everyone likes warm weather of any type, whether it's spring, summer or autumn.  Personally I'm looking forward to the darker evenings and autumnal weather.

Maybe, but I guess we'll end up getting months of autumnal weather, not just in autumn itself, but for most of winter too - so would prefer some summer weather for now!

But was also countering the notion that 24C could be compared with an "awful heatwave". Granted, 24C in early April would feel seriously hot, but at this time of year we're generally conditioned to temps above 20, so 24 shouldn't feel too abnormal.

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Summer8906

[stainesbloke]

3 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

 

Another factor is that, once people are in summer, they enjoy and get used to the summer vibe, and they just want summer to go on as long as possible until finally and irreversibly killed by pre-5pm sunsets. Well, I do, and I know I'm not alone.

 

It’s the clock changes for me. Probably a bit illogical but I like warm weather to start appearing once we reach late March, and colder weather once we reach late October. Between April-October, I like as much sunny and warm weather as possible, between November and March I’m ok with cold as long as it’s not too grey.

[danm]

1 hour ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

It's interesting that people seem to want the weather to be warm as soon as we get to March, but when September is here they don't want it to cool down until November. 

Mentioning that you want a warm March is socially accepted, but mentioning that you want a cool September wouldn't go down too well.

I am a lover of all seasons at the right time of year personally.

I may be able to explain why. 

For many people, in winter what we want is snow and/or frost. That is out of the question until late November at the very earliest in the UK. Most people also don't particularly like wet, damp, windy weather. So if we aren't going to get snow or frosty weather, then it may as well stay warm and sunny rather than wet and windy. 

In Spring, we aren't looking for something as specific as snow - most people just want it to warm up and turn sunny. Whether the temperature is 19c or 22c doesn't matter too much. Snow in March also can often be fleeting due to the time of year. 

But if you're someone that just likes cool weather, even if that is accompanied by wet and windy weather, then fair enough. 

[danm]

42 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

 

Not so sure, March (usually, not this year) and even February at times is often nice and you have the blossom and the flowers coming out once you get into March. Contrast that to the horror show that is the average southern England December of semi-permanent Tm air, low cloud and drizzle alternating with moderate rain...

IMO the last decent March was 2022, but the last decent December was 2010 - that says it all!

The first half of December 2022 was pretty good. 

[Summer8906]

7 minutes ago, danm said:

The first half of December 2022 was pretty good. 

The second half was so utterly awful though, with no redeeming features whatosever, that the month as a whole I'd consider average at best.

[Summer8906]

15 minutes ago, danm said:

I may be able to explain why. 

For many people, in winter what we want is snow and/or frost. That is out of the question until late November at the very earliest in the UK. Most people also don't particularly like wet, damp, windy weather. So if we aren't going to get snow or frosty weather, then it may as well stay warm and sunny rather than wet and windy. 

In Spring, we aren't looking for something as specific as snow - most people just want it to warm up and turn sunny. Whether the temperature is 19c or 22c doesn't matter too much. Snow in March also can often be fleeting due to the time of year. 

But if you're someone that just likes cool weather, even if that is accompanied by wet and windy weather, then fair enough. 

A good point, though to be fair frost (not snow) is likely a good deal earlier than late November, admittedly less so these days but then again, frost is increasingly becoming a rarity in winter proper, too.

I'd say November 1 is the date at which my preference flips from warm to cold.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Summer8906

[danm]

6 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

A good point, though to be fair frost (not snow) is likely a good deal earlier than late November, admittedly less so these days but then again, frost is increasingly becoming a rarity in winter proper, too.

I'd say November 1 is the date at which my preference flips from warm to cold.

Frost is possible from October, but doesn't happen too often these days so early in the season. 

But like i said the other day, I'd happily take cold, crisp, frosty weather in October. But if it's a choice between an Indian Summer or wind and rain, i'll take the former. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by danm

[TwisterGirl81]

Today has been way more sunnier than I am sure it was forecast to be yesterday, albiet coolish.  Relieved to see that next week is possibly looking sunny and pleasant enough temperatures

[Stabilo19]

I'm in the mood for a bit more lingering heat and sunshine before the autumn storms come (and my garden plants probably feel the same) 

However, one thing I really hate is a mild halloween/bonfire night. They must be crisp and cold! 

[raz.org.rain]

the only months I've ever associated with true cold are January and February. Everything else between October and March is just extended mild and wet for the most part. Mid 20s and low 20s from September into October don't seem that unusual in the modern climate. As a temperate maritime climate I'd expect a general absence of extreme cold compared to anomalous heat.

We're not in the Mediterranean but we're not in the Arctic either.

Edited September 18, 2023 by razorgrain
autocorrect

[cheeky_monkey]

21 minutes ago, Stabilo19 said:

 

However, one thing I really hate is a mild halloween/bonfire night. They must be crisp and cold! 

i thought bonfire night was well and truly dead and buried now

[B87]

3 hours ago, SollyOlly said:

I'm completely with you. Balance in all things...

So if we had a cool summer with no 30c days, you'd be alright with a mild winter and no frost or snow?

Maybe people wouldn't be desperate for warm weather to continue, if spring had actually shown up before 20th May this year.

Edited September 18, 2023 by B87

[Frigid]

26 minutes ago, razorgrain said:

the only months I've ever associated with true cold are January and February. Everything else between October and March is just extended mild and wet for the most part. Mid 20s and low 20s from September into October don't seem that unusual in the modern climate. As a temperate maritime climate I'd expect a general absence of extreme cold compared to anomalous heat.

We're not in the Mediterranean but we're not in the Arctic either.

I wouldn't even consider February as cold anymore, feels more like the start of spring. February 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 were all exceptionally mild, with only 2018 and 2021 having cold spells. 

[Weather Enthusiast91]

40 minutes ago, Frigid said:

I wouldn't even consider February as cold anymore, feels more like the start of spring. February 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 were all exceptionally mild, with only 2018 and 2021 having cold spells. 

That's true. February and March have switched places in most years nowadays.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Weather Enthusiast91

[Summer8906]

32 minutes ago, cheeky_monkey said:

i thought bonfire night was well and truly dead and buried now

Certainly the whole Guy Fawkes thing is rather controversial (was he the good guy or the bad guy?) but these days it's just treated as a festival to lighten up the mood of a dark time of year a little rather than anything political.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Summer8906

[Summer8906]

21 minutes ago, Frigid said:

I wouldn't even consider February as cold anymore, feels more like the start of spring. February 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 were all exceptionally mild, with only 2018 and 2021 having cold spells. 

January isn't really cold either to be honest, and nor is December. There is, however, typically a transition from mild, dull and wet to mild, dry and bright sometime in February, or March if you're unlucky, and it's that which can be considered the end of winter and start of spring.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Summer8906

[cheeky_monkey]

32 minutes ago, Summer8906 said:

Certainly the whole Guy Fawkes thing is rather controversial (was he the good guy or the bad guy?) but these days it's just treated as a festival to lighten up the mood of a dark time of year a little rather than anything political.

i mean its just a damp squib these days and no one bothers with it anymore 

[NEVES SCREAMER]

1 hour ago, B87 said:

So if we had a cool summer with no 30c days, you'd be alright with a mild winter and no frost or snow?

Maybe people wouldn't be desperate for warm weather to continue, if spring had actually shown up before 20th May this year.

Good point. Didn't reach 22c here until June 3rd. And got to 23c by June 9th !  I thought the warmer weather was never gonna show up. 

[In Absence of True Seasons]

Some insane winds in London this afternoon. Nearly blew my phone out my hand a minute ago. 

[MP-R]

3 hours ago, Summer8906 said:

I'd say:

November to mid Feb - prefer cold

mid Feb to March - prefer mild (but anticyclonic, not dull SW-lies)

April to mid May - strangely, prefer average or a little below (but with decent amounts of sunshine), this is to prevent the spring flowering ending too early

mid May to Oct - prefer warm

We’re quite similar then wrt preferences, although I’m happy to have a bout of Atlantic weather in March if it’s of the west or northwesterly variety… not like this March! 
 

I also like warm days in April to mid May but don’t mind the chilly nights. 18-23°C by day but 2-6°C by night - it’s the best time for those diurnal ranges.

[This Moody Sky]

Wind has picked up in the last hour. Actually feels chilly. Very welcome and very refreshing! 

[*Stormforce~beka*]

15 minutes ago, In Absence of True Seasons said:

Some insane winds in London this afternoon. Nearly blew my phone out my hand a minute ago. 

Feels cold to me!

[stainesbloke]

15 minutes ago, In Absence of True Seasons said:

Some insane winds in London this afternoon. Nearly blew my phone out my hand a minute ago. 

It’s crazy windy! Looks like tomorrow might be as bad or worse. Bit early for that malarkey 

[baddie]

1 hour ago, Weather Enthusiast91 said:

That's true. February and March have switched places in most years nowadays.

For some reason, it is always cold, dull and overcast in the first 5 days of March, but the last week of February is always sunny. Always an anticyclonic gloomfest. Marches 11, 18, 21, 22 and 23 did not record any sunshine until around the 6th. But somehow we ended up the the second sunniest March ever last year. Its also weird  This would be every March according to recent patterns :

1st-5th : Very Cold and Dull. No susnhine at all and temperatures not getting above 7c
6th-20th : Very mixed, with some sunny days, but some wet and windy days. Temperatures around or jsut above the March average. More settled towards the end of the period
21st-27th : Spring arrives here, with a week of wall-to-wall sunshine constantly. Temperatures around 16-18c on the 23rd-25th, but also some chilly mornings
28th-31st : The cloud returns, with temperatures near average. Maybe one sunny day on the 30th or something

This is March in a nutshell
 

5 minutes ago, stainesbloke said:

It’s crazy windy! Looks like tomorrow might be as bad or worse. Bit early for that malarkey 

Autmn of hold through October, according to the Met Office models