March Blizzard

I'll go for 9.7C, thanks.

I think that's the case, with minima being comparatively lower than maxima. On the whole I've really enjoyed this September, plenty of sunshine, quite dry, decently warm by day and refreshingly cool by night.

Yeah, although it's never usually on a par with Feb/Mar/Apr/May, due to the generally higher humidity, increased likelihood of cloud and latent heat left over in the Autumn. With that being said, I love big diurnal ranges at any time of year.

Thanks guys!

The thing I don't get about the Greenland melt "theory" (is it just a theory??!) in relation to the cold pool is why it is so localised to the south of Greenland. If it is caused/influenced by cold freshwater ice-melt, then wouldn't (shouldn't?) there be cold SST anomalies all around Greenland? I'm not coming at this from any angle, by the way. I'm genuinely interested.

The lighter half of the year isn't the warmer throughout, there is a bit of overlap. The darker half (Oct thru March) is colder overall, obviously, but October is typically warmer than April, despite the comparable lack of sunlight.I get what you are saying, though. Spring and Autumn are often just seen as transition seasons, rather than fully fledged seasons within their own right. In the UK I'd suggest that they are as valid as Summer and Winter, given that Summer like or Winter-like conditions can be hard to come by even in their own respective seasons! However, in many places around the world, spring and Autumn are actually comparatively short, with abrupt transitions into/out of Summer/Winter.

Seen an interesting documentary on those things. They attack honey bee hives, but the honey bees can kill them by completely covering them in a ball, causing the hornet to overheat and die. However, only the Japanese honey bees have figured out this defence. European honey bees meet the Hornets one-on-one, and it never ends well for them. You've got to marvel at the evolution behind such a creature, and how purposeful it looks, but if one is ever in my immediate vicinity I'm either running away or it's getting squashed. Zero middle ground.

Not seen many wasps at all, hardly any. Bees, too. Only really seen them from around August onwards on lavender.

Is it stuck on that?!

I'm not sure, depends where you are I suppose. I got a few good snowfalls last winter from PM air, and that's with the SST cold anomomly a bit warmer than it could be this Winter.

Appreciably lower SST's between the UK and Iceland in 2015 than 2009. Also, SST's look lower overall almost everywhere this year. Interesting.

Fully agree. I'd find any season tedious if it persisted year round. I like the variety. I couldn't imagine having SAD, I'm honestly not fazed in the slightest by the changing daylight.

April is the recent form horse

We are now at the point where the sun has the same intensity as it does in March. http://windowseat.ca/sun/

Was going to say that, Nick. The sun itself has far less intensity, too. I know what you mean about the Autumnal feel; despite the pleasant warmth you can't help but notice the longer shadows and lower sun. It's gorgeous out there today, I love warm sunny days at this time of year.

Maybe, but does that not make much of the western half of North America warmer and drier in Winter? Saying that, snowcover can still probably persist there in spite of the positive anomalies more readily, due to the higher elevation in the lower 48 and higher latitude in Alaska. Cold in the east, especially further south, will obviously help retain snowcover in areas that may not/don't usually sustain it as well, such as Alabama, Georgia etc. Well, that's my simplistic take on a complex matter, anyway!

It seems like North America in recent years has been near/above average, but Eurasia has been below. Is this accurate? If so, why?

12.5C, please.

I never said there was such a comment, I was saying that I got the impression that some people go on as if it's an actual possibility.

Agreed. The way some people go on you'd think we could magic some extra daylight by simply changing the clock.

Absolute stinker of a day. Not a day to have a job working outdoors...

For me it's the first cloudy evening at sunset around this time of year when the longer nights hit me. I obviously notice it much earlier, but it tends to hit home around mid-August. That night was tonight. Around a month ago I could have washed my car at half 8, tonight I was driving it with the lights on!

It's weird, it's not actually been that warm, or felt it as such, yet I've found it quite uncomfortable sleeping at night. Why is this? Have dew points been high recently? Humidity? Usually when I struggle to sleep at night it has been very warm during the day, not so recently.

Come on guys, "miserable season" this, "depressing season" that...just enjoy the summer, will you!

Do you not find anything appealing about the Autumn, Scott? Whilst in a way I'll be sad to see summer go, I can't mourn it's passing. The same goes for every season; variety is the spice of life, and although I may miss certain aspects of any season that's on its way out, I look forward to the unique features of the upcoming season. Truth be told, I'd hate to live in a place without seasons. I might enjoy it for a few months, but I reckon the novelty would start to wear off after that. I do genuinely feel sorry for those that experience SAD.