By month what is the most typical weather conditions in your area? (snowing, average)
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London is not typical of the UK. It's an anomaly as far as the rest of the UK is concerned.
I never understood the obsession for foreigners to talk about the UK's climate in terms of London's climate. 95% of the UK is north of London the city is definitely an outlier and not the norm. York is more typical of the UK, since it's located roughly halfway between Dover and Inverness
I never understood the obsession for foreigners to talk about the UK's climate in terms of London's climate. 95% of the UK is north of London the city is definitely an outlier and not the norm. York is more typical of the UK, since it's located roughly halfway between Dover and Inverness
for myself, it's because I've visited London much more than anywhere else. But usually I just comment on London rather than say UK, but it probably does color my impression of the country. At least we're limiting to just England, the differences look rather slim:
To be fair Ariete is correct, other than greater london the summer averages are quite similar. I'd say that Helsinki is closer to northern England and the south west during summer for averages
January and February are bitterly cold. High temperatures usually hover in between 10 and 30 F (-12 and -1 C), with maximum temperatures rarely exceeding freezing (most often in late February) and sometimes being in the subzero F range (below -18C). Low temperatures are often recorded at sunrise and typically range from -10 F to 23 F (-23 to -5 C), with at least one day below -20F (-29C) recorded in one of these months. Precipitation is almost always in the form of snow during these months; pure liquid precipitation is very rare. The wind can pick up and mixed with the cold produce windchills of -40F/C or lower. Snow cover is constant in almost all winters through these months.
March is a more variable month. Temperatures begin to pick up but can sink to winter levels. March 2012 was unique in the length and intensity of its warmth, with a July-like high of 75F (24C) being recorded on one day, as well as summer-like lows above 50F/10C, but a more typical early March day would have a high near 30F/-1C and a low near 12F/-11C; a typical late March day would have a high more in the range of 41F/5C and a low near 23F/-5C. Practically every March has at least one day below 0F/-18C. Snow cover sometimes dissipates during March; other times, it stays above six inches the entire month. Rain commonly falls for the first time in several months in March. However, many fantastic snowstorms have occurred in March as well.
April is probably the most mixed month. On average, the first day without snow cover is in April, although there is still almost always significant (>1") snowfalls in April, especially in the first half of the month. On the other hand, days featuring summer-like warmth are not rare. Temperatures vary from about 14F/-10C to 73F/23C. Shorts and T-shirts come out on the first day the thermometer passes 50F/10C, and it definitely feels warm at 59F/15C.
May sees the flowering of trees and the greening of grass, with May 1st almost always looking very much different than Memorial Day. During May, Duluth and the rest of the North Shore, unlike other parts of Minnesota, are under influence by winds off the perpetually-cold Lake Superior, and often while the rest of Minnesota is in the 80s and 90s F (25-35C), we will fail to have a high exceeding 41F/5C. Generally, these days are cloudy and windy. Highs in May can also reach the 80's F, though, as long as there is not a wind off of Lake Superior, but generally highs are within the range of 45 F to 75 F (7-24C) and lows in the range of 30F to 50F (0C to 10C). The start of the growing season often is in early to mid May, but it is not safe to sow plants outside until roughly Memorial Day. Snow is rare in May but at least a trace falls in most months, although significant accumulating snow is fairly rare and for it to last more than a day or so is extremely rare. May also sees the beginning of the thunderstorm season. The insects begin to come out before the appearance of foliage on trees, and mosquito activity and such is intense by the end of the month.
June is a mixed summer-spring month with plenty of thunderstorm-induced precipitation and highs above 80F/27C, but also days that do not get out of the 50's or even 40's F (6-12C), usually influenced by the lake. Most Junes go without air frosts but they are not unheard of.
July and August are the most summer-like months in Duluth, with summer usually peaking from mid-July to mid-August. Summer means highs between 70 and 86 F (21C-30C), with southerly air masses usually bringing at least a few days of hot, humid, and hazy conditions to the area each summer, with dewpoints in the 60's and sometimes 70's F (18-23C). Nightly lows are typically between 50F and 65F (10C-17C), with lows above 68F/20C uncommon because of the cold lake. Usually you can have your windows open constantly during these months. The mosquito / insect activity, still high in early July, begins to calm down, and by the end of August one sees few mosquitoes out. Thunderstorms are common.
September is a pleasant month that witnesses the changing of the trees from green to yellow and red, with peak foliage usually being at the end of the month. Often the beginning of the month is a continuation of summer conditions with the first burst of fall occurring in the early or middle part of the month, followed later by a possible air frost (especially away from the lake) and cool maximum temperatures of around 55F/13C; however, snow is very unusual.
October is a variable month. The leaves fall of the the trees during the early part of this month away from the lake and towards the end of the month (or even beginning of November) towards the lake. Summer-like weather in the 70s F usually occurs on one or two days in October and is the last of the sort until April or May. Duluth usually sees its first snowfall in October, but the snow usually does not rest on the ground for more than a few hours.
November is even more variable. High temperatures drop from the upper 40s F at the beginning of the month to below the freezing mark at the end of the month, and snowstorms are very common, but it can also rain. However, the predominant form of precipitation usually is snow by Thanksgiving (at the earliest). Bitterly-cold conditions often emerge in November, with lows sometimes falling below 4F/-15C.
December can vary from cold to very cold. Usually days on which snow falls (rainfall is quite rare in December, although sleet is not) feel warmer than days on which it does not, with them often peaking at around 32F/0C and lowering to about 28F/-2C as a low. However, days with lows below -10F/-23C occur at least once most Decembers.
In 30 year periods, the averages certainly tell the truth about the climate. The highest ever max in Scandinavia was 38.0C in MÃ¥lilla, Sweden in 1947. The highest ever monthly mean was 23.0C in Puumala, Finland in 2010. Those figures tell nothing about an average summer.
In Helsinki, on average 18 days between June and August exceed 25.1C (so 24.5C days don't count). That's not many, but I think they are on par with most locations in the UK. On a normal day in mid May the high temp is 15C, in mid June 19C, in mid July 21C, in mid August 20C. We may all agree upon, that in the UK, the daily maxes are pretty much the same.
I don't want to start another "my climate is better than yours" -quarrel, I'm just saying that compared to Scandinavia, UK summers won't beat them, certainly not if we count the sunshine hours. It was dean york who mentioned "warmer and longer summers", and "one month of summer".
e: And how petty this is comparing to the guys before who cried about a bad summer in Australia, when they got only 2700 sun hours a year and high temps of 30C, when then next city got 3000 and 35C....
How frequent does southern Scandinavia get hit by heatwaves. In Southern England temperatures on most years will hit 27C This year London hit 30C which generally occurs every year. Also Indian summers can hit the UK just last year we basically had a heatwave at the start of october. I don't think it was the whole country but I think it shows that the Uk is more exposed to heat.
But of course our sunshine levels will be lower due to the nearby Atlantic ocean.
for myself, it's because I've visited London much more than anywhere else. But usually I just comment on London rather than say UK, but it probably does color my impression of the country. At least we're limiting to just England, the differences look rather slim:
difference between Long Island, and say Amherst, MA is more drastic over a similar distance.
Differences may be small but they could be a heatwave in southern England with temperatures reaching 30C while York sits in Heay rain with a temperature of 21C If i moved to York I would feel the difference between the 2 locations.
For more of a dramatic example it could be lashing it down with rain in Wick (Northern Sotland) while Brighton is in a heatwave. Differences are generally slim but some the top and tail of the country can be worlds apart on occasions.
Depends where; in the suburbs (Heathrow) it can get as low as -5C but in central London it's usually around -2C. The average low in winter is between 2-5C though depending on where you are.
I never understood the obsession for foreigners to talk about the UK's climate in terms of London's climate. 95% of the UK is north of London the city is definitely an outlier and not the norm. York is more typical of the UK, since it's located roughly halfway between Dover and Inverness
Because most of the population of the UK live in London & the south east. The south east in general has similar summer averages to London, so not really an outlier in terms of population...
Quote:
Originally Posted by P London
How frequent does southern Scandinavia get hit by heatwaves. In Southern England temperatures on most years will hit 27C This year London hit 30C which generally occurs every year. Also Indian summers can hit the UK just last year we basically had a heatwave at the start of october. I don't think it was the whole country but I think it shows that the Uk is more exposed to heat.
But of course our sunshine levels will be lower due to the nearby Atlantic ocean.
In an average summer London & the south east will hit at least 30C, even in poor summers. London actually hit 32C this past summer & 33C last year...
Quote:
Originally Posted by P London
Yes but I literally leave 4 miles or so from central London our lows are always around -3/-4C at the coldest.
4 miles out is away from the true urban heat Island of central London. In the very centre of London the average absolute minimum is around -2C & some years it doesn't even drop below 0C.
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