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Well it can be incredibly gloomy here in winter. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we've recorded a December or January which recorded in the single digits the number of hours of sunshine at some point previously. Conversely, in the summer due to fairly consistent high pressure, we've recorded weeks of clear blue dome skies especially in the last number of years. The climate here is very bipolar in regards to sunshine that way which makes this region fairly unique with regards to the normal pattern of oceanic climates like Britain where there is more sunshine spread throughout the year.
Well it can be incredibly gloomy here in winter. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we've recorded a December or January which recorded in the single digits the number of hours of sunshine at some point previously. Conversely, in the summer due to fairly consistent high pressure, we've recorded weeks of clear blue dome skies especially in the last number of years. The climate here is very bipolar in regards to sunshine that way which makes this region fairly unique with regards to the normal pattern of oceanic climates like Britain where there is more sunshine spread throughout the year.
So Vancouver is like Ioannina. The only season that is generally sunny is the summer. This only prevents us from being a dull city.
Well it can be incredibly gloomy here in winter. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we've recorded a December or January which recorded in the single digits the number of hours of sunshine at some point previously. Conversely, in the summer due to fairly consistent high pressure, we've recorded weeks of clear blue dome skies especially in the last number of years. The climate here is very bipolar in regards to sunshine that way which makes this region fairly unique with regards to the normal pattern of oceanic climates like Britain where there is more sunshine spread throughout the year.
Except London's winter sunshine hours are similar to Vancouver; it's less than Britain spreads its sunshine more evenly and more than London stays gloomy after winter. Late fall is a bit cloudier in Vancouver than London.
Except London's winter sunshine hours are similar to Vancouver; it's less than Britain spreads its sunshine more evenly and more than London stays gloomy after winter. Late fall is a bit cloudier in Vancouver than London.
Lol, these sort of threads attract way too much attention..
My view is this - Britain overall does have a boring climate, though it certainly isn't unliveable.
Sunshine is generally poor as a whole throughout the whole country. East and south though are better, and there are a few small pockets of places that approach 2,000 hours of sunshine a year on the south coast. This area is pretty small though, but you have to remember that when comparing to places in the US, it is not too far behind some cities that are considered quite sunny.
For example, by adjusting some US cities sunshine stats to bring them in line with measuring methods used in the rest of the world, comparing with Portsmouth on the south coast which receives 1,950 hours:
So really, the difference is not too large with these places. Of course, this area in the UK is very small, and most of the UK receives a lot less sunshine.
Temperature wise, summers are too cool everywhere for my tastes, summers in the north west and in Scotland/NI are terrible. SE summers are not terrible but could be better. Winters are gloomy, but to be honest i'd rather our mild winters than brutal cold experienced in NE USA, eastern Europe, Asia etc.
I think Britain's reputation for its climate is pretty fair, although I don't get the rain stereotype, as that is not true at all.
Indeed, total amounts of Sunshine in Britain are not great. However, due to the variable conditions, most Britts see the sun every day.
Countries with 2000+ Sunshine hours but stable weather won't see the sun as many days a year as in the UK.
I don't think that is accurate. My area sees stable weather with 2000+ hours, but I can't see somewhere like Edinburgh getting more days with sunshine
Quote:
Originally Posted by ben86
Interesting, I thought variability would be a feature of your climate as well, being maritime like ours. Don't you get sunny spells in winter between bouts of rain? Some places in the south of England in January 2014 had up to three times the average rainfall yet still had above average sunshine.
Is variability really much of a feature of Maritime climates? Our rainfall might go up and down a bit, but apart from that, I wouldn't call the weather variable, and would have thought the UK the same.
I wonder what the summer temps would be like there if they had the sun hours of Seattle or Portland in summer?
I'll bet if they had sunnier summers the climate would be thought of more highly.
Whenever we have had a July or August with around 260-310 hrs of sun, the average highs are around 26-28c; comparable to Portland and hotter than Seattle.
August 1995 had 295 hrs of sun, an avg high of 27.0c, and 0.3mm precipitation (though it didn't actually rain at all). I think that would be typical in Portland?
Whenever we have had a July or August with around 260-310 hrs of sun, the average highs are around 26-28c; comparable to Portland and hotter than Seattle.
No sea breeze? The high pressure must stop convection -like a Mediterranean climate.
Summers here can get 260-310 hrs of sunshine, but they are usually just average or maybe maximums a degree warmer - but with cooler nights
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