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I've never been able to track down a Europe-wide sunshine map (probably because there's no Europe-wide weather service) but Germany is not really that much sunnier than us on average, take a look:
and for France, which is notably sunnier (I couldn't fully explain why):
I think the annual figures only tell half the story. The further east in europe you go, while annual totals dont increase much, summers are notably sunnier, and winters duller, thanks to high pressure and associated anticyclonic gloom during winter. With a weak sun at >50N and little wind to break up the low cloud, winters in Berlin Warsaw and Moscow can make London winters seem sunny. I think this is why american cities are far sunnier than 'continental' european cities during winter. Most american cities are 1000 miles futher south or so, thus the sun is able to burn off the freezing fog at 43N that wouldnt shift at 53N.
For example, Berlin gets 238 hours of sun in July, but just 38 hours in December. London gets less sun in July (207 hours) but more in December 49 hours) (1971-2000 averages). Our windy climate does what the sun is too weak to do. Maybe french totals are higher because they benefit from more winter wind than germany?
Even so, Germany isnt a sunny country, i guess thats why theres so many Germans and Brits at meditteranean resorts during the summer.
It seems Freiburg is warmer in winter, Karlsruhe warmer in summer. Max in Jan of 4.5c and max in august of 25.9c at Karlshure vs 5.1c and 25.2c at Freiburg
I'm impressed how big the contrast in sunshine there is between Southern France and Northern France. Part of the country is much sunnier than I'm used and most of the rest is much cloudier than I'm used to (I get 2400-2500 hours) There's very little in between. It's as if there are two Frances, climate-wise.
I'm puzzled that the PNW is only slightly cloudier than New England. Maybe the sunny summers make up for the gloominess of the rest of the year?
Yes, ive always been jealous of the french. I would often like to tow britain 1000 miles south so we get the same climate as them.
I'm impressed how big the contrast in sunshine there is between Southern France and Northern France. Part of the country is much sunnier than I'm used and most of the rest is much cloudier than I'm used to (I get 2400-2500 hours) There's very little in between. It's as if there are two Frances, climate-wise.
I'm puzzled that the PNW is only slightly cloudier than New England. Maybe the sunny summers make up for the gloominess of the rest of the year?
As far as our country and the PNW vs New England in sunshine – “only slightly cloudier" is a bit of a stretch (New England is far sunnier). Annually, most of New England receives from 2200 to 2600, and parts of southern Connecticut (although some consider this part of the Tri-State area and not New England) get more than 2600 hours of sunshine – far more than the 2000 hrs cities like Seattle, Portland, Eugene, etc gets:
Keep in mind these are annual averages – in winter (Dec/Jan/Feb) a city like Seattle will see about half as many hours of sun as a New England city like Boston. Although many parts of the USA get more sunshine annually (2800 - 4000 hrs) and monthly (more than 300 hours ) than Boston or New England…the PNW is by far the center of sunless skies on the USA mainland
The PNW receives less sunshine than other areas in the United States, that's not a bad thing because even places like Seattle and Portland average over 2000 hours of sunshine annually and that's pretty good considering the fact they have a climate almost identical to places like London and Paris which are much cloudier..
Also consider that Seattle is the northernmost major city in the lower 48, the sun sets at 4pm in December and rises at 8am.. more or less..
As far as our country and the PNW vs New England in sunshine – “only slightly cloudier" is a bit of a stretch (New England is far sunnier). Annually, most of New England receives from 2200 to 2600, and parts of southern Connecticut (although some consider this part of the Tri-State area and not New England) get more than 2600 hours of sunshine – far more than the 2000 hrs cities like Seattle, Portland, Eugene, etc gets:
Thanks for the map. I thought 2300 hours was a bit high for Portland. Looks like I live exactly on the 2400 hours line. Still Northern Vermont and New Hampshire look just as cloudy as the Pacific Northwest. The White Mountains of New Hampshire appear to be in the less than 1800 hours of sun zone; lower than the North Cascades and possibly the Olympic Mountains.
Any clue why this is? Though I wonder whether they using Mt. Washington as a data point, skewing the contour lines.
Thanks for the map. I thought 2300 hours was a bit high for Portland. Looks like I live exactly on the 2400 hours line. Still Northern Vermont and New Hampshire look just as cloudy as the Pacific Northwest. The White Mountains of New Hampshire appear to be in the less than 1800 hours of sun zone; lower than the North Cascades and possibly the Olympic Mountains.
Any clue why this is? Though I wonder whether they using Mt. Washington as a data point, skewing the contour lines.
I got the Portland hours from this site. Our NWS doesn't seem to do the annual recording and posting of sunshine hours data that the rest of the world seems to do. Maybe it's because we are a sunny country.
I think the annual figures only tell half the story. The further east in europe you go, while annual totals dont increase much, summers are notably sunnier, and winters duller, thanks to high pressure and associated anticyclonic gloom during winter. With a weak sun at >50N and little wind to break up the low cloud, winters in Berlin Warsaw and Moscow can make London winters seem sunny. I think this is why american cities are far sunnier than 'continental' european cities during winter. Most american cities are 1000 miles futher south or so, thus the sun is able to burn off the freezing fog at 43N that wouldnt shift at 53N.
For example, Berlin gets 238 hours of sun in July, but just 38 hours in December. London gets less sun in July (207 hours) but more in December 49 hours) (1971-2000 averages). Our windy climate does what the sun is too weak to do. Maybe french totals are higher because they benefit from more winter wind than germany?
Even so, Germany isnt a sunny country, i guess thats why theres so many Germans and Brits at meditteranean resorts during the summer.
It seems Freiburg is warmer in winter, Karlsruhe warmer in summer. Max in Jan of 4.5c and max in august of 25.9c at Karlshure vs 5.1c and 25.2c at Freiburg
True, when I think of central/eastern European climates as surely much sunnier than us I suppose I'm really just thinking of the sunnier, more stable summers.
Thanks for the map. I thought 2300 hours was a bit high for Portland. Looks like I live exactly on the 2400 hours line. Still Northern Vermont and New Hampshire look just as cloudy as the Pacific Northwest. The White Mountains of New Hampshire appear to be in the less than 1800 hours of sun zone; lower than the North Cascades and possibly the Olympic Mountains.
Any clue why this is? Though I wonder whether they using Mt. Washington as a data point, skewing the contour lines.
Which means you’re in north - central Massachusetts (roughly) I guess. Keep in mind, 2,400 hours of sunshine might be low for much of the USA – but it’s not bad for a mid latitude (above 40 N/S) location. Your location still gets more hours of sun annually than cities like Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, London, Paris, many parts of New Zealand, and Melbourne, Australia. I know that’s not saying much, since those locations are known to be often overcast, but 2,400 hours of sun annually is not all that bad.
As far as that tiny area of less than 1800 hours around northern New Hampshire – I would guess that has everything to do with the data point of Mt. Washington (6800 feet). Notice (on the map above) the 2200 line up in northern Maine and west of Burlington, VT. From what I can tell – outside of northern New Hampshire – all areas of even northern New England still receive 2000 to 2200 hours of sunshine - more than anywhere in the PNW from the central coast of Oregon northward (which gets less than 2000).
I'm impressed how big the contrast in sunshine there is between Southern France and Northern France. Part of the country is much sunnier than I'm used and most of the rest is much cloudier than I'm used to (I get 2400-2500 hours) There's very little in between. It's as if there are two Frances, climate-wise.
Yep, such weather maps are quite common. The Mediterranean regions are just shielded from temperate circulation during the warm season.
It must be frustrating for sun lovers to see such maps repeating themselves for days on end.
As for Freiburg, it's OK though not different enough from Paris. A C for me. Karlsruhe seems slightly better: cooler winters and warmer summers. As for the sun issue, there are solar panels all over the place in Freiburg, being the least dull city of the big solar electricity producer that is Germany.
Late answer:
Karlsruhe and Freiburg have always been competing for the warmest cities,along with Mannheim and Frankfurt. Actually the whole upper Rhine valley from Basel to Frankfurt has very similar weather, both in winter and summer. I lived in Freiburg for over 20 years and have been living in Karlsruhe for over 15 years. Their weather is basically identical.
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