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The Scilly isles looks similar to Invercargill, but with warmer nights, or a sunnier version of the Chatham islands -not what I call nice climates. Portsmouth would be better for favourable comparisons.
The South Island has as much variation in average temperature, as the UK, and I don't find the English people compare southern UK climates favourably to the warmest South Island climates.
Central heating is unusual, although ducted heat transfer systems are becoming more common. Our place only has one heated room in a 220 square metre house, and being cold isn't an issue.
The fact that central heating is unusual in NZ shows that around the world temperatures for heating/AC are not fact based. Christchurch’s winter lows are a lot colder than the Scilly Isles yet you say that they have no central heating? It’s quite annoying actually. I think we should have AC here in the UK as coastal Californian places with the same summer average highs probably have AC and I really could do with it sometimes
Also we should be comparing places like Campbell Island to England because they lie at the same latitude. Otherwise it’s like comparing Northern Spain to the UK.
Last edited by wilkinsonj417; 12-26-2017 at 05:57 AM..
I agree that your climate is much better than London’s but only because the sun is more evenly spread throughout the year.
If you discount temperatures, the annual sunshine totals are far less important than the distribution. Vostok Station is one of the sunniest places in the world but has 4 months with no sun at all. Compare the sunshine with Brinchang, Malaysia and despite having lower hours they are more evenly spread throughout the year.
Wellington has about the same sunshine distribution as my climate, but feels less sunny than here, because it is less sunny. London has 450 hours less sun than Wellington, so is going to feel even less sunny.
Christchurch has 2142 hours, rather than than 2070 hours you posted.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wilkinsonj417
The fact that central heating is unusual in NZ shows that around the world temperatures for heating/AC are not fact based. Christchurch’s winter lows are a lot colder than the Scilly Isles yet you say that they have no central heating? It’s quite annoying actually. I think we should have AC here in the UK as coastal Californian places with the same summer average highs probably have AC and I really could do with it sometimes
Also we should be comparing places like Campbell Island to England because they lie at the same latitude. Otherwise it’s like comparing Northern Spain to the UK.
Low temperature isn't the only factor when considering central heating -my climate has cooler minimums than Christchurch, but even less central heating -maximum temperature is higher, as are sunshine hours, and these factors create a greater ability for ground and buildings to warm up and retain heat.
It's hard to imagine AC being needed in the UK, as it's not necessary here.
Comparing latitudes will only get you so far -my climate lies at the same latitude as Vladivostok, but southern UK would still be closer climatically.
Wellington has about the same sunshine distribution as my climate, but feels less sunny than here, because it is less sunny. London has 450 hours less sun than Wellington, so is going to feel even less sunny.
Christchurch has 2142 hours, rather than than 2070 hours you posted.
Low temperature isn't the only factor when considering central heating -my climate has cooler minimums than Christchurch, but even less central heating -maximum temperature is higher, as are sunshine hours, and these factors create a greater ability for ground and buildings to warm up and retain heat.
It's hard to imagine AC being needed in the UK, as it's not necessary here.
Comparing latitudes will only get you so far -my climate lies at the same latitude as Vladivostok, but southern UK would still be closer climatically.
Yes but distribution is still far more important. For example Hong Kong has less sunshine than many places in Southern England, but the minimum monthly sun hours are higher and winters are much sunnier.
Christchurch has 2070 hours according to wikipedia, which is what I am going by to be consistent.
According to wikipedia, Christchurch has lower minimum temperatures than where you live. Sunshine and higher day temps can help, but when the sun goes down and the temperature falls, the chill would set in in the house. I would imagine the temperature would fall to 14°C or even lower inside the house, which would be very uncomfortable without central heating. Isles of Scilly have higher mean winter temperatures and most houses have heating. Most people (not me) keep the heating on even if it gets to 16°C here.
In recent years it has been getting hotter here, and we get more heatwaves than you do, despite the same summer maximum temperatures. If you correct for the opposite seasons in the southern hemisphere then only February, May, July and August have lower record highs than here. Your December record high is 25.3°C, equivalent to June here where it is 34°C. In June you would expect the highest monthly temperature to be 26.3°C here, enough for AC for me. Sometimes the house gets above 30°C in summer heatwaves, its unbearable.
Completely unrelated but there are streets in my village with New Zealand names like Wellington Road and Blenheim Close and there is also a cafe called Blenheim Cafe.
Last edited by wilkinsonj417; 12-26-2017 at 03:13 PM..
Oklahoma City. Tornadoes are somewhat rare outside of late April and early May. However, that short stretch can be VERY intense with severe weather/tornadoes in the forecast almost every day some years. 11 months out of the year however are typically quiet. The area also is a lot more "continental" than most people think. Winters are cold, springs are wet, summers are hot and dry, and autumns are very bipolar.
Yes but distribution is still far more important. For example Hong Kong has less sunshine than many places in Southern England, but the minimum monthly sun hours are higher and winters are much sunnier.
Christchurch has 2070 hours according to wikipedia, which is what I am going by to be consistent.
According to wikipedia, Christchurch has lower minimum temperatures than where you live. Sunshine and higher day temps can help, but when the sun goes down and the temperature falls, the chill would set in in the house. I would imagine the temperature would fall to 14°C or even lower inside the house, which would be very uncomfortable without central heating. Isles of Scilly have higher mean winter temperatures and most houses have heating. Most people (not me) keep the heating on even if it gets to 16°C here.
In recent years it has been getting hotter here, and we get more heatwaves than you do, despite the same summer maximum temperatures. If you correct for the opposite seasons in the southern hemisphere then only February, May, July and August have lower record highs than here. Your December record high is 25.3°C, equivalent to June here where it is 34°C. In June you would expect the highest monthly temperature to be 26.3°C here, enough for AC for me. Sometimes the house gets above 30°C in summer heatwaves, its unbearable.
Completely unrelated but there are streets in my village with New Zealand names like Wellington Road and Blenheim Close and there is also a cafe called Blenheim Cafe.
Blather on. Nearest station measuring sunshine to Selsey is Bognor Regis which happens to be the sunniest spot in mainland UK with 1921 hours, not 1998. Your error about Ch'ch's average has already been pointed out. Your "thesis" about equality only works when you put an averagish NZ location against the UK's sunniest. As for distribution, citing Vostok is ridiculous. There are plenty of people who completely oppose your view - some prefer a strong imbalance, others the opposite. Nearly all of the NZers I have known who spent significant amounts of time in the UK hated the drab winters, and don't try and use latitude as the reason - the percentages of measurable sun in winter still drop far below typical values in NZ. Personally I don't care much about distribution at all - total amount is my criterion.
{Incidentally the sunniest NZ locations have as many or more sun hours in the sunniest month than Bognor, despite the significantly shorter amount of available daylight.}
That's all - I have more important things to do than argue with you. Alex985 has summed you up already.
Yes but distribution is still far more important. For example Hong Kong has less sunshine than many places in Southern England, but the minimum monthly sun hours are higher and winters are much sunnier.
Christchurch has 2070 hours according to wikipedia, which is what I am going by to be consistent.
According to wikipedia, Christchurch has lower minimum temperatures than where you live. Sunshine and higher day temps can help, but when the sun goes down and the temperature falls, the chill would set in in the house. I would imagine the temperature would fall to 14°C or even lower inside the house, which would be very uncomfortable without central heating. Isles of Scilly have higher mean winter temperatures and most houses have heating. Most people (not me) keep the heating on even if it gets to 16°C here.
In recent years it has been getting hotter here, and we get more heatwaves than you do, despite the same summer maximum temperatures. If you correct for the opposite seasons in the southern hemisphere then only February, May, July and August have lower record highs than here. Your December record high is 25.3°C, equivalent to June here where it is 34°C. In June you would expect the highest monthly temperature to be 26.3°C here, enough for AC for me. Sometimes the house gets above 30°C in summer heatwaves, its unbearable.
Completely unrelated but there are streets in my village with New Zealand names like Wellington Road and Blenheim Close and there is also a cafe called Blenheim Cafe.
You're not being consistent by quoting the wrong sunshine hours for Christchurch -just use Niwa stats for NZ https://www.niwa.co.nz/sites/niwa.co...s/sunshine.csv , and use Netoffice stats for the UK, I can't access the Selsey stats on the Metoffice site, so will go with Bognor regis as the sunniest location, unless you can post a met office table for Selsey, as a screenshot.
I live in Motueka (about 35 km NW of Nelson) so your stats are all wrong -winter minimums here are colder than Christchurch, the December record is certainly more than 25.3C, with 18 days so far this December, warmer than 25.3C. If there are more summer heatwaves in the UK, but only the same or colder maximums, that would mean it's summer also has more cold days -not cool man!
The SE of England has some acceptable summer climates by my standards, but are chillier and cloudier in all other seasons, than all but our worst southern climates.
I think you're just over sensitive to the heat - there's no way climates like ours need AC in summer. The Scilly isles have central heating, because the sun doesn't warm buildings and land in winter like they do here. Our house has one fireplace roughly in the centre of the house and just doesn't need additional heating.
That's cool about NZ street names -is there a Nelson, or Motueka street?
Blather on. Nearest station measuring sunshine to Selsey is Bognor Regis which happens to be the sunniest spot in mainland UK with 1921 hours, not 1998. Your error about Ch'ch's average has already been pointed out. Your "thesis" about equality only works when you put an averagish NZ location against the UK's sunniest. As for distribution, citing Vostok is ridiculous. There are plenty of people who completely oppose your view - some prefer a strong imbalance, others the opposite. Nearly all of the NZers I have known who spent significant amounts of time in the UK hated the drab winters, and don't try and use latitude as the reason - the percentages of measurable sun in winter still drop far below typical values in NZ. Personally I don't care much about distribution at all - total amount is my criterion.
{Incidentally the sunniest NZ locations have as many or more sun hours in the sunniest month than Bognor, despite the significantly shorter amount of available daylight.}
That's all - I have more important things to do than argue with you. Alex985 has summed you up already.
Which is exactly what I'm saying! Distribution is far more important because that's why UK has drab winters and NZ is sunnier but they are still only some places like Motueka, Blenheim and Whakatane that have truly sunny winters. Then during the summer there is not much difference. Citing Vostok is not ridiculous because (as I said, disregarding temperature completely) it highlights that somewhere could be as sunny as North Africa and not really seem like it. If you didn't know Vostok was so cold you wouldn't be saying that.
I will use latitude. Campbell Island is pathetic for its latitude bring the same as the UK. The only reason why most of NZ is sunnier is because its closer to the equator and therefore often sunny when it isn't raining. The further from the equator you are, the lower the percent sun (with oceanic climates).
Selsey has 1998 hours of sun and is the sunniest place in the UK https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selsey#Climate
I know its sunny because I went there in October and it was sunny almost all the time
Which is exactly what I'm saying! Distribution is far more important because that's why UK has drab winters and NZ is sunnier but they are still only some places like Motueka, Blenheim and Whakatane that have truly sunny winters. Then during the summer there is not much difference. Citing Vostok is not ridiculous because (as I said, disregarding temperature completely) it highlights that somewhere could be as sunny as North Africa and not really seem like it. If you didn't know Vostok was so cold you wouldn't be saying that.
I will use latitude. Campbell Island is pathetic for its latitude bring the same as the UK. The only reason why most of NZ is sunnier is because its closer to the equator and therefore often sunny when it isn't raining. The further from the equator you are, the lower the percent sun (with oceanic climates).
Selsey has 1998 hours of sun and is the sunniest place in the UK https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selsey#Climate
I know its sunny because I went there in October and it was sunny almost all the time
Selsey as the sunniest town, is a contentious claim, so you need to post actual Met Office data to silence any doubters. Just as Wiki led you astray into thinking Christchurch had lower hours than it actually does, so could Wiki be leading you astray into thinking Selsey is sunnier than it actually is.
End the doubt -show the quality data backing your claim.
Selsey as the sunniest town, is a contentious claim, so you need to post actual Met Office data to silence any doubters. Just as Wiki led you astray into thinking Christchurch had lower hours than it actually does, so could Wiki be leading you astray into thinking Selsey is sunnier than it actually is.
End the doubt -show the quality data backing your claim.
The UK (particularly the South) is much 'sunnier' in the Summer months than people seem prepared to believe, the downfall is the winter months when the sun is hard to come by, in the winter even on 'sunny' days we are so far north that the sun doesn't really get very high in the sky, at least the winter isn't the frozen hell it would be this far north without the Gulf Stream. The Summer months here are really rather pleasant (warm and sunny without it getting too hot (well not too often anyway)). The British weather, one of the most talked about yet still least understood.
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