Spring moans, ramps, chat and banter

[stainesbloke]

Today has been a 'nice' enough day with the sun feeling warm, despite the low temperatures. However, the huge difference is at this time of day onwards; it's already feeling chilly and I'm having to put on a thick hoodie and trackie pants as opposed to the shorts/tshirts of the past 2 weeks. I love warm nights so would far prefer the previous weather type to return asap!

[Frost HoIIow]

This house is so cold most of the year, it takes an absolute eternity to heat it up and after turning the heating off it starts going cold after about 30 mins & that's despite having double glazing, loft & cavity wall insulation. The main problem is where I am in a semi rural location and living in a frost hollow. It's only the last week or so that we've not had to have the heating on at all really. Right now it's 17C in the living room without the heating on which is bearable but any lower and it starts to become a bit uncomfortable just sat around doing nothing. Yesterday it was 20C........so it's dropping with the cooler weather.

 

Edited May 14, 2016 by Frost HoIIow

[Weather-history]

14th May: a lovely day

 

[cheese]

6 hours ago, markyo said:

Disagree totally i'm afraid,today has been so much more useable weather wise,it is very 'nice' weather which i'm sure the majority would agree with! Weather preferences are subjective and each person has their own opinion,this is not being detached from reality its just their own choice. Seen a lot more people out today than last weekend but that may just be a coincidence. Also way more garden activity but thats probably down to just long grass!!

There were people about - it was, after all, a dry and mostly sunny afternoon -  but in contrast to last weekend, people today were in jackets, and there definitely weren't as many people actually in parks. Last weekend I saw droves of people sitting outside eating lunch or relaxing, but today's weather isn't really conductive to that because you feel the chill quickly, more so when the sun goes in or the breeze picks up.

I commented to a friend today, that it was a nice day.. and they said 'Cold though'. As ever it depends on the individual, but given the choice I think most will choose 22C and sunny over 12C and sunny. I think that's just common sense. Today would have been great in March or early April, but it's now mid May. 

Edited May 14, 2016 by cheese

[markyo]

7 hours ago, cheese said:

There were people about - it was, after all, a dry and mostly sunny afternoon -  but in contrast to last weekend, people today were in jackets, and there definitely weren't as many people actually in parks. Last weekend I saw droves of people sitting outside eating lunch or relaxing, but today's weather isn't really conductive to that because you feel the chill quickly, more so when the sun goes in or the breeze picks up.

I commented to a friend today, that it was a nice day.. and they said 'Cold though'. As ever it depends on the individual, but given the choice I think most will choose 22C and sunny over 12C and sunny. I think that's just common sense. Today would have been great in March or early April, but it's now mid May. 

To be honest i think most people would enjoy a country walk in 12c and sunny rather than 22c and sunny and that's down to just how much more comfortable the lower temps are for that kind of activity. Agree 12c would be tad low for sitting out in especially with a good breeze but for getting out and about the slightly lower temperature makes things so much more pleasant. Car travel is a case in point,i spend most of my day jumping in and out of the car and believe me a car sat in 22c soon becomes a very,very nasty place to be in! 40c plus is not fun.

[Cakie]

I dream of 22c. It was 30c at 6.30am here. Looking forward to some cool walks in the summer when were are back in the UK

[Polar Maritime]

16 minutes ago, Cakie said:

I dream of 22c. It was 30c at 6.30am here. Looking forward to some cool walks in the summer when were are back in the UK

I just don't know how you cope Cakie, I take it you have good air-con over there! Currently 10c here..

Edited May 15, 2016 by Polar Maritime

[Cakie]

Even the bus stops have aircon. It's heating up now, 44c is a regular temperature now. I'm suffering from Vitamin D deficiency partly due to not going out in the sunshine. 

[markyo]

52 minutes ago, Cakie said:

Even the bus stops have aircon. It's heating up now, 44c is a regular temperature now. I'm suffering from Vitamin D deficiency partly due to not going out in the sunshine. 

I know why they say hell is hot,that would be my hell!! No idea how you cope with that extreme,makes my pitiful moans about our weather seem trivial.

[Cakie]

I can't moan really. I choose to live here. We have aircon which we leave on at night time. Last year in France was tricky when it was warm at night as I was used to having aircon so it was hard to sleep. 

They chill the water in swimming pools when it is really warm, which sound awful but is soooooo nice

[Captain Shortwave]

I must admit that on holiday in Florida last summer it was rather testing to cope with the heat and humidity (32-35C with humidity in the 70-90% range) makes you want to melt into a puddle on the floor, especially when the sun is shining. 

My ideal temperature range would be around 22-27C, last weekend was just lovely. But hey different people have different tolerances. I do find cold weather a pain as this my job make with hands very prone to dermatitis, I don't get it during the warmest parts of the year. It doesn't stop me wanting cold and snowy weather though

Anyway it is all academic as the models look distinctly average in terms of temperatures and at times quite wet. 

Edited May 15, 2016 by Captain Shortwave

[conor123]

Stratocumulus have to be the most irritating weather type ever, if it's high pressure be sunny please, horrid stuff.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

4 hours ago, conor123 said:

Stratocumulus have to be the most irritating weather type ever, if it's high pressure be sunny please, horrid stuff.

I prefer it to Atlantic muck, or any low pressure 'trough near uk' weather, Vile!

[Wildswimmer Pete]

No sunbathing this afternoon, strong, chilly NW breeze probably girding its loins ready for the PM assault this coming "summer" if the past four "summers" are anything to go by.

Echoing previous comments, 13C on a mid-May afternoon isn't anything to write home about, while April was more like March.  

[Thundery wintry showers]

On 5/15/2016 at 09:00, Cakie said:

I dream of 22c. It was 30c at 6.30am here. Looking forward to some cool walks in the summer when were are back in the UK

I've never had it that bad, but I got fairly close when I happened to take a two-week holiday in France, and the second week coincided exactly with the August 2003 heatwave.  Temperatures were around 20C minimum by night, and 35-40C by day.  It was generally most pleasant after the sun had gone down. 

I had a week-long holiday in Provence in August 2010 when it was 30-35C by day and 15-20C by night.  I remember coping OK in the first two or three days and then gradually having the energy sucked out of me- the warm nights were as big a problem as the hot days.

When I was a boy I saw myself as a heat-hater and was afraid of anything above 25C, but in hindsight I think that was psychological, as I had a few outdoor trips in late-July and August 1995, believing that it was low 20s when it was actually high 20s, and didn't find it unbearably hot.  My upper threshold appears to be about 29C plus or minus 3C, depending on humidity and pollution levels.  But there are genuinely some people who struggle at 25C and above.

 

[March]

Was 18C and sunny today. Can't really complain! 

[Frost HoIIow]

1 hour ago, Thundery wintry showers said:

I've never had it that bad, but I got fairly close when I happened to take a two-week holiday in France, and the second week coincided exactly with the August 2003 heatwave.  Temperatures were around 20C minimum by night, and 35-40C by day.  It was generally most pleasant after the sun had gone down. 

I had a week-long holiday in Provence in August 2010 when it was 30-35C by day and 15-20C by night.  I remember coping OK in the first two or three days and then gradually having the energy sucked out of me- the warm nights were as big a problem as the hot days.

When I was a boy I saw myself as a heat-hater and was afraid of anything above 25C, but in hindsight I think that was psychological, as I had a few outdoor trips in late-July and August 1995, believing that it was low 20s when it was actually high 20s, and didn't find it unbearably hot.  My upper threshold appears to be about 29C plus or minus 3C, depending on humidity and pollution levels.  But there are genuinely some people who struggle at 25C and above.

 

I worked in the California desert years ago (near this place) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algodones_Dunes and it can get bloody hot there in the Summer - thing is the humidity was never high so despite temps into the high 30's and low 40's most days in Summer it didn't feel unbearable, dew points were extremely low as well which helped tone down the heat. I have felt much more un-comfortable here in the UK because when we do get high temps humidity is usually higher than California.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Frost HoIIow

[cheese]

51 minutes ago, Frost HoIIow said:

I worked in the California desert years ago (near this place) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algodones_Dunes and it can get bloody hot there in the Summer - thing is the humidity was never high so despite temps into the high 30's and low 40's most days in Summer it didn't feel unbearable, dew points were extremely low as well which helped tone down the heat. I have felt much more un-comfortable here in the UK because when we do get high temps humidity is usually higher than California.

See, in general this isn't true. Whenever it's very hot in the UK, humidity is usually quite low - look at July 2006. I checked Heathrow's temperatures during that month and on the hottest days in the 30s, dew points were around 12C - so definitely not unbearable. 

The most humid-feeling day I remember in recent years, was 1 August 2013 - the temp was 30C with a dew point of 21C at the same time. When it's 30C, the dew point is usually in the teens or lower.

In general, high humidity is not conductive to high temperatures - this is why cities like Miami have lower record high temperatures than London and Paris despite being a lot hotter on average.

Also, take latitude into account - California is much further south than the UK. The sun is very strong at those latitudes in summer. In the UK it's quite weak all year in comparison. I think a 40C day in southern California is going to feel a lot hotter than a 30-35C day in the UK regardless of humidity levels. Dry heat is no joke - it's searing heat, as opposed to the stuffiness of humid heat. It's the type of heat where you can cook eggs on the pavement. It's the type of heat that totally zaps you of your energy and makes it hard to breath because the air is so dry.

Edited May 16, 2016 by cheese

[AderynCoch]

Had 29C here earlier with a dew point of just 5.3C but it felt really toasty, probably a result of the stupidly strong sun at this time of year.

I was in Melbourne one time when it was 37C with a dew point of around -4C. That felt more like a typical 27C in the UK.

[MP-R]

8 hours ago, cheese said:

See, in general this isn't true. Whenever it's very hot in the UK, humidity is usually quite low - look at July 2006. I checked Heathrow's temperatures during that month and on the hottest days in the 30s, dew points were around 12C - so definitely not unbearable. 

The most humid-feeling day I remember in recent years, was 1 August 2013 - the temp was 30C with a dew point of 21C at the same time. When it's 30C, the dew point is usually in the teens or lower.

In general, high humidity is not conductive to high temperatures - this is why cities like Miami have lower record high temperatures than London and Paris despite being a lot hotter on average.

Also, take latitude into account - California is much further south than the UK. The sun is very strong at those latitudes in summer. In the UK it's quite weak all year in comparison. I think a 40C day in southern California is going to feel a lot hotter than a 30-35C day in the UK regardless of humidity levels. Dry heat is no joke - it's searing heat, as opposed to the stuffiness of humid heat. It's the type of heat where you can cook eggs on the pavement. It's the type of heat that totally zaps you of your energy and makes it hard to breath because the air is so dry.

Agreed, though there is some strength in the humidity argument I think. When I lived in Madrid, there were a few days over 30C when the humidity was around 10-15% and that felt fine, though here in the UK it hardly ever gets that low, and the more realistic 30-40% can 'feel' humid because of the temperature even though it really isn't. I think a lot of people mistake the humidity for just the actual temperature at the time. As such, to me, heat always feels more draining in this country than say southern Spain where I quite often holiday. 2006 is a rare example of relatively pleasant heat despite notably high temperatures, compared to say the heatwaves in late July 2008, early July 2009 and 01st August 2013 which were all really stuffy.

[Relativistic]

I've got to say, in my opinion humid heat is far more unpleasant than dry heat. Humidity gets inside the house, so when you're sleeping (if you can sleep!) you'll wake up in the morning in a pool of sweat. When the heat is dry, this becomes less of a problem. I also find that a breeze on a humid day is far less effective in cooling you down than on a dry day, probably because the sweat on your skin doesn't get absorbed into the air as easily because the air is already holding more moisture, and so the sweat evaporates and is blown away at a slower rate.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Relativistic

[Cakie]

Last night was unpleasant. It was around 90% humidity and even with aircon I could not sleep very well. We have just started with humid weather. It was 29c this morning and the floor was wet with humidity, not nice. While this afternoon it is 44c but the humidity has reduced. In the shade it is farm more pleasant than this morning.

48c dry heat is hard work but much nicer than when it is humid. Obviously you don't get this in the UK but I find pre Thunderstorm humidity unbearable in comparison in the UK

Edited May 17, 2016 by Cakie

[Costa Del Fal]

So much of Europe under stupid infill/convective cloud today. Very few places with truly clear skies!

[Frost HoIIow]

17 hours ago, cheese said:

See, in general this isn't true. Whenever it's very hot in the UK, humidity is usually quite low - look at July 2006. I checked Heathrow's temperatures during that month and on the hottest days in the 30s, dew points were around 12C - so definitely not unbearable. 

The most humid-feeling day I remember in recent years, was 1 August 2013 - the temp was 30C with a dew point of 21C at the same time. When it's 30C, the dew point is usually in the teens or lower.

In general, high humidity is not conductive to high temperatures - this is why cities like Miami have lower record high temperatures than London and Paris despite being a lot hotter on average.

Also, take latitude into account - California is much further south than the UK. The sun is very strong at those latitudes in summer. In the UK it's quite weak all year in comparison. I think a 40C day in southern California is going to feel a lot hotter than a 30-35C day in the UK regardless of humidity levels. Dry heat is no joke - it's searing heat, as opposed to the stuffiness of humid heat. It's the type of heat where you can cook eggs on the pavement. It's the type of heat that totally zaps you of your energy and makes it hard to breath because the air is so dry.

In general it isn't true for some people but for some it is. There has been many instances in my lifetime (I wasn't born yesterday) when that was the opposite & humidity came along with the very warm/hot temps & dew points were above 15C. Like this not long ago. https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/EGCC/2015/7/1/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Manchester&req_state=&req_statename=United+Kingdom&reqdb.zip=00000&reqdb.magic=6&reqdb.wmo=03334

Whilst the air temps were very hot over there in California, it felt hot for sure but certainly not humid & sticky like it can here. I did not sweat as much as I do here. In fact I would say I have sweated more outside here in mid 20's temps with high humidity than I did with 38C in southern California & very low humidity. It's all relative to the individual.

If you haven't experienced proper very dry desert heat with a dew point of about 3C & humidity below 10% then you don't know what you are on about. I went over there with a group of people from work and neither me nor them ever complained about it being "hard to breathe" or having a lack of energy. Back then I smoked as well.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Frost HoIIow

[markyo]

50 minutes ago, Frost HoIIow said:

In general it isn't true for some people but for some it is. There has been many instances in my lifetime (I wasn't born yesterday) when that was the opposite & humidity came along with the very warm/hot temps & dew points were above 15C. Like this not long ago. https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/EGCC/2015/7/1/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Manchester&req_state=&req_statename=United+Kingdom&reqdb.zip=00000&reqdb.magic=6&reqdb.wmo=03334

Whilst the air temps were very hot over there in California, it felt hot for sure but certainly not humid & sticky like it can here. I did not sweat as much as I do here. In fact I would say I have sweated more outside here in mid 20's temps with high humidity than I did with 38C in southern California & very low humidity. It's all relative to the individual.

If you haven't experienced proper very dry desert heat with a dew point of about 3C & humidity below 10% then you don't know what you are on about. I went over there with a group of people from work and neither me nor them ever complained about it being "hard to breathe" or having a lack of energy. Back then I smoked as well.

Totally agree,i work in a industry were the conditions are very humid,i've worked in the eastern part of the states a couple of times and found the much higher temps coupled with low humidity much more comfortable(relatively) than a 25c plus day in the uk with high humidity. Some people cope better with humidity than others,but again i have to say its subjective to who you are and to say this isn't true i'm afraid is very wrong in my opinion.