The changing daylight hours thread

[Milhouse]

Never seems right when the longest day on 21st June is cool and unsettled. Luckily this year its going to be warm and settled.

[Cheshire Freeze]

At that time of the year now where we're about to start the long descent into winter darkness. I feel September/March has about the right balance of daylight for me. However there's something awesome about those mega short days in December....especially if there's a bit of snow on the ground to go with it. Can't beat that glow of the moonlight reflecting off snow covered surfaces! Early Jan 2010 remains unbeaten for me in terms of the magical atmosphere of such conditions.

Edited June 18, 2014 by CreweCold

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Time flies, the turning of the year is nearly upon us, and it's only 10 weeks until Autumn.

 

My garden's in full swing for Autumn, green berries are in abundance on holly, rowan, cotoneaster etc. Green damsons are looking good too.

 

It'll be time for a log & coal delivery before we know it !!

 

 

[simshady]

Yes, wholly looking forward to Autumn this year with the changing colours of the flora and my apple tree bearing fruit.

[laserguy]

As soon as the tiny flowers begin to appear on my hop plants, I know summer is on the backfoot and autumn is in the ascendancy. However hot and sunny it gets at any point after the solstice, I take comfort in knowing that the sun will be above the horizon for less time than it was the day before. I gather strength as the summer weakens, and autumn,slowly and almost imperceptibly at first, displaces summer and assumes the upper hand. There comes a day,at the end of August or beginning of September when a subtle but profound change occurs in the whole feel of things,regardless of actual weather conditions. It's as if summer has breathed a sigh of defeat and there is a pregnant pause of anticipation before autumn begins in earnest. Love that change,the tired old leaves giving up the fight,morning mist,swollen fruits and the unmistakable smell of autumn,mornings and evenings getting darker and the shadows growing longer as the blanket of autumn is thrown across the land. Shall be looking forward to all that once the solstice is out of the way!

[Turnedoutniceagain]

Spot on laserguy

[snowgirl30]

Yes definitely looking forward to slightly darker mornings prefer it to get light around 6 then the kids don't get me up so early!!! And definitely want a bit of snow this winter as last one was awful!!

[NorthernRab]

About 11:00PM in Inverness last week.

[summer blizzard]

Amazingly at 23:54 there was still some light blue sky to one side.

[Costa Del Fal]

Yep even all the way down here last night there was still some light clinging on about 11.15pm!!!  

 

Absolutely love it.

[Liam J]

What a depressing thread lol.....It may only be 10 weeks to Autumn but we are less than 3 weeks into our (meteorological) Summer, it's all too short in this country so I say enjoy it while it lasts! Once Autumn sets in it'll be a long time dark - not the best time of year for me as I can suffer from SAD especially if we don't get any snow!!

Edited June 18, 2014 by Liam J

[Bobby]

As soon as the tiny flowers begin to appear on my hop plants, I know summer is on the backfoot and autumn is in the ascendancy. However hot and sunny it gets at any point after the solstice, I take comfort in knowing that the sun will be above the horizon for less time than it was the day before. I gather strength as the summer weakens, and autumn,slowly and almost imperceptibly at first, displaces summer and assumes the upper hand. There comes a day,at the end of August or beginning of September when a subtle but profound change occurs in the whole feel of things,regardless of actual weather conditions. It's as if summer has breathed a sigh of defeat and there is a pregnant pause of anticipation before autumn begins in earnest. Love that change,the tired old leaves giving up the fight,morning mist,swollen fruits and the unmistakable smell of autumn,mornings and evenings getting darker and the shadows growing longer as the blanket of autumn is thrown across the land. Shall be looking forward to all that once the solstice is out of the way!

 

Quite poetic that.

 

Yes that change to Autumn (probably my favourite season) is magical. I see August as the real new beginning as it marks the end of the dry season here (April, May, June, July). Things only get wetter, windier and cooler then until January. I look forward to seeing the reds on the charts draining away and the building of greens and the blues, and seeing the first stirrings of the Atlantic and those first deep depressions as it awakes from its spring/summer slumber.

 

I wouldn't get rid of summer though although it's my least favourite season as it makes the others more enjoyable. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Bobby

[laserguy]

I wouldn't get rid of summer though although it's my least favourite season as it makes the others more enjoyable. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say.

 

Yes you've got to endure the bad times to appreciate the good. For that, I'm thankful for summer. The solstice may only be a whisker away but there's still five or six weeks to go before the lengthening nights become readily noticeable. The tension is killing me!

[Terminal Moraine]

As soon as the tiny flowers begin to appear on my hop plants, I know summer is on the backfoot and autumn is in the ascendancy. However hot and sunny it gets at any point after the solstice, I take comfort in knowing that the sun will be above the horizon for less time than it was the day before. I gather strength as the summer weakens, and autumn,slowly and almost imperceptibly at first, displaces summer and assumes the upper hand. There comes a day,at the end of August or beginning of September when a subtle but profound change occurs in the whole feel of things,regardless of actual weather conditions. It's as if summer has breathed a sigh of defeat and there is a pregnant pause of anticipation before autumn begins in earnest. Love that change,the tired old leaves giving up the fight,morning mist,swollen fruits and the unmistakable smell of autumn,mornings and evenings getting darker and the shadows growing longer as the blanket of autumn is thrown across the land. Shall be looking forward to all that once the solstice is out of the way!

 

Both the sentiment and the eloquence of that brought a tear of joy to my eye, Laserguy.

[Bottesford]

As soon as the tiny flowers begin to appear on my hop plants, I know summer is on the backfoot and autumn is in the ascendancy. However hot and sunny it gets at any point after the solstice, I take comfort in knowing that the sun will be above the horizon for less time than it was the day before. I gather strength as the summer weakens, and autumn,slowly and almost imperceptibly at first, displaces summer and assumes the upper hand. There comes a day,at the end of August or beginning of September when a subtle but profound change occurs in the whole feel of things,regardless of actual weather conditions. It's as if summer has breathed a sigh of defeat and there is a pregnant pause of anticipation before autumn begins in earnest. Love that change,the tired old leaves giving up the fight,morning mist,swollen fruits and the unmistakable smell of autumn,mornings and evenings getting darker and the shadows growing longer as the blanket of autumn is thrown across the land. Shall be looking forward to all that once the solstice is out of the way!

 

Love the way you put it! I do know exactly what you mean about that 'change' that happens at some point usually in early Sept when things just feel different - the light changes, nature looks tired... For me its the sad resignation that the good times are retreating so make of it what you can before the long grim nights of winter approach. 

It's usually mid Feb when you get the exact opposite effect - a sudden feeling that the shackles are being removed - that first mild sunny day that brings you outside at long last. But it's only the February so the cold beats you back inside... but not for long... you know it's finally on its way out! 

But saying that, despite my preference for this lovely time of year, I don't quite get the level of despair in winter that you seem to be affected by. Perhaps Christmas helps a bit (jeez wouldn't it be awful if it was in summer!) although that awful feeling post new year (particularly this year- bit of home sickness perhaps!) sure brings you back down to Earth again. But even then, it's best to find some joy even in the darkest (or lightest) of times otherwise you'll spend 50% of your life unhappy. And that's a real waste.

[summer blizzard]

I love that mental change too. I recall in 2011 it happened suddenly when on the 25th August a stagnant front brought cool rain and i mentally switched while outside as my brain then said.. 'Autumn has arrived'.

[Costa Del Fal]

The solstice may nearly be here but for many any noticeable effects are some weeks away yet and I shall take great comfort in that. Plenty enough time for dark. 

[cheese]

To the casual observer, it's dark, but it isn't pitch darkness - there is a subtle blue tinge to the sky that simply does not exist in winter, autumn or most of spring. True darkness never arrives. That glow on the northern horizon never disappears.

[picog]

As I cannot sleep tonight, being close to solstice is a great comfort because it is already starting to get light. I find that sleeplessness is more bearable once the sun starts coming up. 

[sundog]

At 11:51 am on Saturday the sun will be directly over the tropic of cancer its all downhill after that,the countdown to next winter will then commence lol.

[East_England_Stormchaser91]

Loving and embracing this week as twilight lasts nearly all night long!

However in terms of summer weather, its not until late September until we see the real changes happen. Even October can produce remarkable extremes such as the 30c recorded in October 2011, and those awesome storms on the south coast seen last October. Not forgetting that our all time high of 38.5c was recorded well into august too. So this is essentially just the beginning of what may be to come of this summer.

I also recommend for storm staved folk to head down to the Mediterranean between September and November if they're willing to see some fantastic crazy storms !

Edited June 19, 2014 by East_England_Stormchaser91

[Lauren]

Not bothered about long evenings but it could do with getting lighter later. August is about perfect for that.

[laserguy]

Not bothered about long evenings but it could do with getting lighter later. August is about perfect for that.

 

Bookmark August 12th! It's significant for me cos' it's the first date when the sun has not risen at 6am - the time I either start or finish work depending on the shift I'm on. After that, the receding daylight 'falls off a cliff'. Marvellous!

[laserguy]

As I cannot sleep tonight, being close to solstice is a great comfort because it is already starting to get light. I find that sleeplessness is more bearable once the sun starts coming up. 

 

It's probably the excess of photons which kept you awake in the first place!

[CongletonHeat]

I can't wait for the 5th of August, then everyone can start repeating their posts again, should be thriling.