When do you change preferences from cold to warm (if at all)?

[WYorksWeather]

Not sure if there's already a fairly recent thread on this topic, but given the discussions in the model thread:

Interesting question for everyone is this:

If your weather preferences flip from being a coldie in Winter to enjoying the warmth of Spring, at what point do you start looking for the first warm charts and stop looking for cold charts?

 

 

For me personally, as someone whose preferences do flip, it's really about when cold weather stops delivering a real chance of snow. Given my location, I would say I start looking for mild in late February, unless there is a sufficiently notable cold / warm spell upcoming. In other words I have no issue with either cold sufficient to produce snow in early March, or warmth sufficient to actually feel warm in late February.

 

[Freeze]

I start looking for warmth in March, however like you I don't mind a late cold spell in march or an early warmer spell in late February.

[Summer8906]

Month by month my preferences are:

Jan - cold, unambiguously. Mild weather in Jan is bad on so many levels

Feb - cold, but warm and dry ok in second half

Mar-May - neutral on temp, but dry and sunny. Prefer springs with big temp swings rather than flatlining near average.

June-Sep- warm

Oct - warm and sunny, but cool and dry better than mild and wet

Nov-Dec cold (though warm and sunny at start of Nov can be enjoyable, if rare)

Edited January 22 by Summer8906

[cheeky_monkey]

im done with cold By Xmas for obvious reasons

[WYorksWeather]

If we're doing whole year, then I'd say warm through to mid-November (with the exception that I don't like heat above the low 30s except for historical / record-breaking interest, but that's still very rare at my location). Similar principle, for me cold weather is about snow. I don't see the point in anything below average outside of mid-November to early March as the odds of it delivering any proper snow at my location are essentially nil.

[Metwatch]

Mid November to mid feb for cold, but don't like cold without snow, so it's a funny one for me. Some cold spells I like more than others depending on what else happens or how snowy it is. Then from mid February i'd be looking to warmth.

However mid Feb to mid March is a bit of a limbo period as I wouldn't mind any snow, and the first 2 weeks of March still has winter like temperatures, often the case recently. However by Mid March spring equinox period i'd want the cold to naff off fully.

[Frigid]

Never done with cold, will take it any time of the year given how stupidly rare it is these days. 

[Sun Chaser]

Usually done with it by around now, can't wait for the longer evenings and warmer days. In the next couple of weeks sunny days above 10c suddenly become possible again and it's that I'm looking for by now. By late Feb all eyes are on spring and any late cold is just a nuisance. Especially if there's no snow which there usually isn't.

Having said that: love some cold weather in late autumn! October or November snow/frost is always interesting (much better than mild rain) and the novelty is great as the evenings are still drawing in. Generally only look for cold in late Oct to mid Jan*

*one recent exception being that freak sunny warm spell in mid Nov 2022

Edited January 22 by Sun Chaser

[alexisj9]

I like winter in winter, spring in spring, summer in summer but without extremes for medical reasons, and autumn in autumn.  Seems to be to much to ask for in this country though lol, take last year's winter till late May June, autumn in July yuk.

[Kent Blizzard]

Usually as we get towards the end of Feb, certainly as we enter March. 

Working outside it's nice to feel that early spring warmth, plus the lighter nights to l look forward to

P.S Still hoping for a proper snow event in Feb though....but hopes are fading!

[*Stormforce~beka*]

1 hour ago, Freeze said:

I start looking for warmth in March, however like you I don't mind a late cold spell in march or an early warmer spell in late February.

I'm a March girl too. Once 1st March is here I wanna be out in that garden! With no more time for cold thanks!

However if a beast was to materialise and drop an Inch on me I woudn't say no ... But it HAS to deliver!

[Rain All Night]

23 minutes ago, *Stormforce~beka* said:

if a beast was to materialise and drop an Inch on me I woudn't say no ...

[*Stormforce~beka*]

1 minute ago, RainAllNight said:

You know I'm right ...

[Rain All Night]

7 minutes ago, *Stormforce~beka* said:

You know I'm right ...

On so many levels

[Wade]

If it doesn't bother to snow or have decent frost/ice days then I am happy for it to be warm all "winter". If it did snow however and we actually got decent winters, mid march onwards would be the time a warm up is warranted.

[Dark Horse]

Cool or cold weather for me from October through to the end of March. Not a fan of hot weather. For me that's from about 27c upwards but I can accommodate and forgive the weather gods if thunderstorms are a possibility!

I do like warmth though, at the right time of year, and so I like this around the start of April onwards through into September. Before then I'm still on the look out for cold. March for me is just an extension of winter, rarely feels properly spring like, still no leaves on the trees either. A bit like September rarely feels like truly autumn, you can still get some properly warm days but the feel of it is different with the lower sun angle.

[Weather Enthusiast91]

I like weather to be seasonal in all four seasons. So I am not a fan of warm autumns just as much as I'm not a fan of cold springs. But here's a general summary:

Late November to early March - I am interested in cold during this period. By the time we get to March my interest starts switching to more springlike conditions, though I am still happy for it to remain wintry during early to mid March.

Mid March to end of May - Fully in spring mode now and no longer interested in cold. During this period, I like it to be mild or warm with sunshine and showers.

June to early September - Warm or hot sunny days with thunderstorms is what I am interested in during this period. Much like with winter lasting up to mid March, I am happy for summer to last up to mid September though my interest does wane as I begin the transition into autumn mode.

Mid September to mid November - I have lost all interest in warmth by this point and start looking for something more autumnal, though that doesn't necessarily mean unsettled unless it's a good storm or two (not constant mind, like during this winter). Mild or cool sunny days with chilly nights is what I am mostly after during this period.

 

Edited January 23 by Weather Enthusiast91

[Catherine91]

By the start of March I don't want any snow and want any lingering winter temperatures to go away! Even during winter itself, I only look for cold if it's also meant to be sunny or snowy - not a fan of a cold/cloudy/rainy combination.

[SummerShower]

Am happy for warmer days in 2nd half of February, eg 2019 but equally happy for cold snaps, if they deliver snow around this period.  The novelty wears off though after a day or 2.  After mid march snow is pointless (excepting 2013 in northern areas).

At the other end of the year, happy for warm and sunny, with thundery episodes right the way to early October.  Last 2 autumn's have been good for that.  Warmth and storms not really possible at all after about mid October.

[Wynn D Woo]

Living where I do, I tend to start looking for warmth from mid to late February. Whilst we can still get snow at that time, it tends to melt very quickly if it even settles, so I'd rather start getting on with things in the garden etc.

At the other end of the scale, I'd rather keep the warmth in til the end of October or beginning of November as realistically we arent getting any snow until December at the earliest ,but we might just scrape the odd frost in November if we are lucky.

[Scuba steve]

  @Wynn D Woo same , end of February I’ve had enough of winter by then if not sooner 

[I remember Atlantic 252]

late Feb, say after holiday week, but wouldn't say no to snow of course

[Racer]

My preferences don't change.  I love the longer evenings and warmer weather, I hate our cold dark winters.

[Bradley in Kent]

Echoing many others here, February I'm looking for cold and by April I'm looking for heat. Conversely in August I'm looking for heat and by October I'm looking for cold (plus conditions which help vibrant autumn colours). 

March and September are my weather breaks. They are somewhat nothing months with little distinction and don't really fit into any season. They're not particularly light or dark either.

March doesn't feel like winter or spring and September doesn't feel like summer or autumn.

One thing I want anytime is clear skies!

[Maz]

It’s all about the light levels/sun for me.  Winter means SAD.  Snow transforms the light, even if cloudy.  Sunny and frosty is great too.  In NW England mild winter days with sun are vanishingly rare.  
 

Hence I look for cold weather in the dark months (5th Nov to 5th February).

From 6th February mild and sunny, cool and sunny, cold and sunny, cold and snowy are all possible so I look for all of them.  
 

Cloudy grot like March last year (part cold and part mild), I loathe.  Late winter/early Spring sun is massive for me to lift SAD.

 

Edited January 24 by Maz