Sun Strength at this Time of Year

[Backtrack]

October really hasn't felt remotely like an Autumn month this year, here, anyway. Apart from that windy day the other day which was very fun!

 

What's really striking is the strength of the sun for the time of year. Interestingly, I saw an article yesterday informing that a sunspot 11 times the size of Earth has been discovered on the surface of the sun, now obviously this won't lead to increased solar strength, probably the opposite if I'm correct?

 

But out with the dog earlier, the sun felt VERY warm, akin to something you'd expect in April, not October. My question is, is the sun usually this warm this time of year as we're quickly approaching November, or is it due to the air temperature itself magnifying how it feels on the skin?

 

Could this impact the type of Winter we have this year?

 

Discuss! 

[Nick L]

Almost certainly due to the warm temperatures I would have thought.

[Tony27]

the sun is stronger in the USA but they still get plenty of snow in winter

[Backtrack]

Almost certainly due to the warm temperatures I would have thought.

 

That said though, it's only 13C out there, we can easily achieve that in December 

17C down south, not bad today.

[gottolovethisweather]

Warm seas and less radiation from the land perhaps could be another aspect, maybe? I don't pretend to know anything about that but given the readings someone posted up in the MOD thread a while back, every region in the world was experiencing Temperatures averaged out, well above normal for October. The Arctic region with an anomaly of nearly 4c above the October norm. Something's clearly up. 

Edited October 24, 2014 by gottolovethisweather

[Lauren]

I dunno but I recall days when it has been freezing in temperature but actually felt the warmth of the sun on my skin in the right spot.

[AderynCoch]

Sun? What sun?

[Eugene]

In the midlands, the sun feels strong almost all year long, even in the first half of November/ second half of January it feels warm, it does markedly cool down by December though and by Christmas the sun is very weak, but the window for that is very small from like late November to late January if that.

[Timmytour]

It's getting to that time of year in the office when we no longer bother shouting out to those seen sloping off  a tad early "Be careful out there...make sure you've got some sun cream on..."

Edited October 25, 2014 by Timmytour

[Backtrack]

It's getting to that time of year in the office when we no longer bother shouting out to those seen sloping off  a tad early "Be careful out there...make sure you've got some sun cream on..."

Hahaha, sun's too weak here from about mid-September for any kind of burn/tan.

[Backtrack]

It's November 5th, it's 9C and I've never felt the sun this warm this late on in the year. It really feels like early spring and it's only 9C & solar noon isn't for another hour. What's going on?!

[Weather-history]

It's November 5th, it's 9C and I've never felt the sun this warm this late on in the year. It really feels like early spring and it's only 9C & solar noon isn't for another hour. What's going on?!

Nothing

I remember going for a walk Christmas Eve 2008 in glorious sunshine and feeling warm in the sun even though the thermometer suggested it wasn't that warm.

[Yarmy]

It's November 5th, it's 9C and I've never felt the sun this warm this late on in the year. It really feels like early spring and it's only 9C & solar noon isn't for another hour. What's going on?!

 

That's why thermometers are read in the shade. From Ahrens: 

 

"It is impossible to measure air temperature accurately in direct sunlight because the thermometer absorbs radiant energy from the sun in addition to energy from the air molecules."

[h2005__uk__]

It's November 5th, it's 9C and I've never felt the sun this warm this late on in the year. It really feels like early spring and it's only 9C & solar noon isn't for another hour. What's going on?!

 

I agree - my workplace got very warm yesterday, which it usually struggles to do when it's <10C outside even with the heating on (and the heating was off yesterday). I think the lack of wind played a part, but the sun coming in through the windows felt stronger than usual for the time of year and that was the biggest factor.

[JeffC]

Nothing

I remember going for a walk Christmas Eve 2008 in glorious sunshine and feeling warm in the sun even though the thermometer suggested it wasn't that warm.

 could also be to do with humidity....or lack of