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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.
The difference between London and Vancouver is that London has 2-3 hrs sun on most days in winter, whereas Vancouver has some sunny days but lots of overcast days as well.
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 would certainly say so?
Depends on where you're used to I suppose, but apart from Britain the climate I'm most familiar with is central Europe (eastern Germany/Poland), and the weather seemed to get "locked" into a certain pattern more readily - if you wake up to sunny or overcast skies you can generally be more confident that it will stay that way all day and be the same the next day than you can here.
Take a look at my forecast - not much sun, just ~3 hours or so a day, but spread all over the day, every day for the next week, i.e. lots of short, sunny spells. Doesn't this seem like a pattern you'd get somewhere like southern NZ?
Re. sunless winter days, last December I counted the days with no sunshine at all as far as I could tell and we got to 10, so 21 days with some sunshine. I was expecting about 15 sunless days, but it was the sunniest December on record (54 hours). I'll try and remember to do the same this year.
No, it does not live up to the supposed stereotype.
I think the bad rap is because the British themselves have overhyped the climate as rainy and cloudy. Most people that visit are pleasantly surprised.
Florida does the opposite. It hypes up its own climate (the media there and the tourist industry) to have everyone believe it is wonderfully warm in winter. Woe the unsuspecting visitor that arrives during an arctic outbreak. They return home very disappointed and some I have known have vowed to stick to the Carib in winter for certain warmth.
What arctic outbreaks? LOL I grew up in Florida, spent most of my "winters" there. (Never saw snow fall from the sky and stick until I was 15, my aunt, who was 46 at the time, also had never seen snow and woke me up as excited as I was, to see it fall that night lol) The "arctic outbreaks" you speak off are pathetic. 40s for a few days as a low in Miami, maybe it might reach 35 if we were lucky. Maybe a chance of snow in northern Florida. Then in like 3 days it warms up to the 70s in South Florida and 60s in North Florida. That is about it. Florida really is as warm as people mention it, only I don't find it a positive. I hate hot weather outside of summer.
Depends on where you're used to I suppose, but apart from Britain the climate I'm most familiar with is central Europe (eastern Germany/Poland), and the weather seemed to get "locked" into a certain pattern more readily - if you wake up to sunny or overcast skies you can generally be more confident that it will stay that way all day and be the same the next day than you can here.
Seattle is rather locked, from what I've seen. In the wintertime, maritime air means clouds and drizzle though not drizzling all the time — rain comes and goes.
You can see mid-month is a mix of sun and clouds but very little rain — a cooler nights presumably more continental air. April is similar except the ratio of rain and clouds to sunshine is lower, though the rainfall totals were actually above average it looks like it was a sunny month:
When I was on the Oregon coast in late May the weather was unlocked: it would go from partly to mostly sunny and then a few hours later cloud over and rain and then go back again. So maybe springtime tends to be less "locked"?
Seattle is rather locked, from what I've seen. In the wintertime, maritime air means clouds and drizzle though not drizzling all the time — rain comes and goes.
You can see mid-month is a mix of sun and clouds but very little rain — a cooler nights presumably more continental air. April is similar except the ratio of rain and clouds to sunshine is lower, though the rainfall totals were actually above average it looks like it was a sunny month:
When I was on the Oregon coast in late May the weather was unlocked: it would go from partly to mostly sunny and then a few hours later cloud over and rain and then go back again. So maybe springtime tends to be less "locked"?
Shame those wunderground icons don't necessarily give the whole picture, since a day can be both rainy and sunny and one word doesn't always describe it adequately.
Though I have experienced one maritime climate with a tendency to get locked into either full-on squally showers mode or full-on sun mode - have a look at this bipolar month!
What arctic outbreaks? LOL I grew up in Florida, spent most of my "winters" there. (Never saw snow fall from the sky and stick until I was 15, my aunt, who was 46 at the time, also had never seen snow and woke me up as excited as I was, to see it fall that night lol) The "arctic outbreaks" you speak off are pathetic. 40s for a few days as a low in Miami, maybe it might reach 35 if we were lucky. Maybe a chance of snow in northern Florida. Then in like 3 days it warms up to the 70s in South Florida and 60s in North Florida. That is about it. Florida really is as warm as people mention it, only I don't find it a positive. I hate hot weather outside of summer.
Au contraire. Florida most definitely gets arctic air, sometimes even Cuba. Of course it is modified by then. Check out Jan of 2010. Remind me why all the iguanas were falling out of the trees?
Jan 1985 Miami avg high 72F avg low 51F. Three days in a row didn't break 64F, with one day having a high temp of 53F and a low of 30F at Miami. Much colder in other parts of the state. Dead coconut palm trees in Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Cocoa Beach, etc.
How bout Dec of 1989
Miami avg high 74F avg low 55F.
Tell me this three day stretch isn't air directly from the Arctic sitting down at 35N latitude at sea level:
Now imagine you are a tourist seeking some warm summery weather. I don't think 59/31F cuts it.
In fact, Miami airport averages 2 days per year where the high temp does not exceed 60F. And six days per year with a temp of 65F or lower. Those 60F or 50F temps are from arctic air making its way to FL. And 6 days of temps in the 60's or 50's is not summer like. And this is Miami. Orlando, forget about it. Orlando averages 10 days per year with a high temp in the 50'sF. In 2010 Orlando had 33 days with a high temp of 60F or below.
I don't think it's all that bad. It's summers are too cool and winter's too warm for my personal taste, however it still occasionally gets snow and heat. Spring and fall sound amazing there. The right amount of coolness. Maybe I'd prefer a warmer May though. Our winter lows are slightly colder than London's, but the winter highs are like London in spring. November lows are almost identical, but November highs are warmer. I like more of a temperature range in a day. It is kind of annoying though, to be able to wear a sweater in October during the morning, and then 2 hours later be sweating yer tuchus off.
I never understood the disdain for cloudy or rainy weather. I always loved overcast and rainy days. I'd rather have too much rain than not enough. Y'all think a dry long summer in Texas is all that pleasant? Travel all around the state and you see signs saying "Pray for rain!" Light showers like England gets are nothing to really moan about. They keep the country right green, as well. Texas is beautiful and green in the spring but the late summer heat usually dries it all up. I don't mind the dry look during late fall and winter, but it's not very nice looking in summer with green leaves and brown grass.
Au contraire. Florida most definitely gets arctic air, sometimes even Cuba. Of course it is modified by then. Check out Jan of 2010. Remind me why all the iguanas were falling out of the trees?
Jan 1985 Miami avg high 72F avg low 51F. Three days in a row didn't break 64F, with one day having a high temp of 53F and a low of 30F at Miami. Much colder in other parts of the state. Dead coconut palm trees in Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Cocoa Beach, etc.
How bout Dec of 1989
Miami avg high 74F avg low 55F.
Tell me this three day stretch isn't air directly from the Arctic sitting down at 35N latitude at sea level:
Now imagine you are a tourist seeking some warm summery weather. I don't think 59/31F cuts it.
In fact, Miami airport averages 2 days per year where the high temp does not exceed 60F. And six days per year with a temp of 65F or lower. Those 60F or 50F temps are from arctic air making its way to FL. And 6 days of temps in the 60's or 50's is not summer like. And this is Miami. Orlando, forget about it. Orlando averages 10 days per year with a high temp in the 50'sF. In 2010 Orlando had 33 days with a high temp of 60F or below.
I know Miami gets cold fronts, I grew up there. I remember plenty of days where I could see my breath, and it was great if it happened around Christmas. However, our "cold" down there, is the 50s, 60s, maybe 40s. It is not summery, it's more like fall, but it's not Arctic. The blasts maybe originate in the arctic, but the conditions by the time they reach Florida are never arctic. Maybe in New York, but way down in Florida, it's more like a brisk autumn day than any kind of winter conditions. You're right, it's not summery, but it's nonetheless pleasant and shouldn't ruin a vacation.
I don't understand tourism for summery weather though, especially from people from up north. Stop being impatient, just wait 6 months If I travel, it's to see a place, not to feel a temperature. The temperature is just a bonus.
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At least they don't worry about droughts.
If I travel, it's to see a place, not to feel a temperature. The temperature is just a bonus.