North West Regional Discussion Feb 2021 onwards

[East Lancs Rain]

9 minutes ago, Frost HoIIow said:

A nice comfortably warm day. If it stays like this all summer and in the low 20s I'd be chuffed but no doubt we'll get a roasting hot plume move up from Spain and Africa before August is out and the usual sensationalist headline of "heat bomb" . The only good thing is we usually get a lot of instability with that air mass so not without interest.

 I agree. It would be nice just to get a comfortably warm summer for once. Plenty of dry and sunny useful weather without being baking hot. Like a cooler version of July 2018.

[East Lancs Rain]

8 hours ago, Joe Snow said:

It might just be me but having lived in both the NW and London/ the SE I feel early summer tends to bring generally better summer weather than mid summer (school summer holidays onwards) up here in the NW. I have known countless late July and August days where it’s been 27c and sunny at London Euston and I get off the train in Crewe to 20c and muggy cloudy murk. Even hot summers such as 2018 were better early on up here - June 2018 was a cracker of a month for the NW from memory whereas the peak of the hot weather down south was more late July time I remember getting very sunburnt in 33c heat down in Windsor at the very end of July!  

 

Today is a case in point of this pattern it’s cool and rainy in London whereas it’s a decent early summers day up here. This summer pattern then tends to slip around mid July right in time for the school holidays! Maybe that’s why the Scots break up at the end of June!  

Before 2006 the schools used to break up early July and go back middle of August round here, with two weeks off in September (but no week off at the end of October). Then they switched to late July to early September with no time off in September like the rest of England. We’ve had mostly crappy Augusts and sunny Septembers ever since!
 

I was on holiday in Oban in Western Scotland in late August/early September 2010. Despite August 2010 being a poor month, the weather was actually pretty decent. Sure we did have some cool and cloudy days but I don’t remember any rain and I remember some lovely warm sunny weather when I visited the inner Hebrides. I remember the owner of the guesthouse remarking that the kids had already been back at school for two weeks.

Edited June 4, 2021 by East Lancs Rain

[Joe Snow]

3 minutes ago, East Lancs Rain said:

Before 2006 the schools used to break up early July and go back middle of August round here, then they switched to late July to early September like the rest of England. We’ve had mostly crappy Augusts ever since. 
 

I was on holiday in Oban in Western Scotland in late August/early September 2010. Despite August 2010 being a poor month, the weather was actually pretty decent. Sure we did have some cool and cloudy days but I don’t remember any rain and I remember some lovely warm sunny weather when I visited the inner Hebrides. I remember the owner of the guesthouse remarking that the kids had already been back at school for two weeks.

An early summer school break would certainly be more likely to bring statistically better weather for northerners thats for sure. Yeah definitely you can still get some lovely summerlike weather up in Scotland late August into September but that Autumnal creep of increasingly cooler nights and mellowness arrives mid-late August up in Scotland, September for us northern folk and as late as Halloween for southern Britain with many September and even early Octobers being a mellower summeresque month in recent years - 21-24c can be a quite typical September day in London. Autumn 'proper' didn't really arrive in London the 5 years I lived down there till around October half term week either whereas when I often came up here to Cheshire in late September/ early October for my birthday trees were already in autumn colour and there was that autumn edge to the air that just wasn't there till around Halloween and Bonfire Night further south. It's surprising how subtly diverse the UK climate is at times over just a few hundred miles. 

[damianslaw]

In the thick of the best part of the year in the Lake District right now, these are ideal conditions - doesn't get any better. Right now there is a twilight light it doesn't really get dark. Superb!

[East Lancs Rain]

34 minutes ago, damianslaw said:

In the thick of the best part of the year in the Lake District right now, these are ideal conditions - doesn't get any better. Right now there is a twilight light it doesn't really get dark. Superb!

I’ve always thought of July as being the best summer month. Statistically it is, temperature wise anyway. Not sure about sunshine and rainfall. In the south July tends to be sunnier than May whereas in the north it’s usually the opposite.
 

late July/early August (i.e. the first couple of weeks of the school summer holidays) are traditionally known as the period of “high summer” and where often see our highest temperatures and when we are most likely to get a Spanish plume.
 

However I think you might be right that for this region May and June is usually the best time of year for dry and clear weather (of course it varies from year to year as May has been diabolical this year but it’s normally a good month in this region). July and August is better temperature wise though, and between mid July and mid August we are most likely to see those balmy summer nights where it’s still 18°C at 11 pm.
 

For North Sea Coasts late summer is much better than early summer as the sea has had chance to warm up. At the moment the North Sea Coast is getting a lot of cool and misty weather as the warm air drifts over the cold North Sea causing mist and low temperatures. Very common at this time of year for them with an easterly flow. September is actually warmer than June on the east coast, for that reason.

 

As for the daylight, yes I love the really long days short nights at this time of year. On clear nights at this time of year the sky normally remains a very deep blue all night rather than turning inky black. If I happen to be awake at 3 am and look out the window towards the north I can already see a bright glow in the sky. It’s midnight right now and it’s still not quite completely pitch black yet, I can still just about make out the silhouette of Pendle hill and the sky looks brighter looking towards the north. Probably a bit brighter up in the Lake District as you’re further north than me.

 

I’d love to experience the “white nights“ up in the Shetland Islands at this time of year. Apparently its still light enough to read a book at midnight up there in June.

Edited June 4, 2021 by East Lancs Rain

[matty40s]

Couldnt beat it yesterday, stunning.

 

[iand61]

15 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Couldnt beat it yesterday, stunning.

 

The part of Blackpool I like but the part that most visitors probably don’t even know exists.

that view north towards the Lakes is stunning and but for the tower, the view south could be a resort in Devon or along the channel coast.

[A Face like Thunder]

10 hours ago, East Lancs Rain said:

For North Sea Coasts late summer is much better than early summer as the sea has had chance to warm up. At the moment the North Sea Coast is getting a lot of cool and misty weather as the warm air drifts over the cold North Sea causing mist and low temperatures. Very common at this time of year for them with an easterly flow. September is actually warmer than June on the east coast, for that reason.

 

With a caravan at Whitby, don't I know it! We often have the heating on in early June but not in October. Having said that, Whitby can be sunny when the Moors and Vale of York are anything but. A bit of a micro-climate is Whitby.

No such problems here in S Cheshire today, and a real scorcher in prospect. 

 

[Frost HoIIow]

14 hours ago, East Lancs Rain said:

I’ve always thought of July as being the best summer month. Statistically it is, temperature wise anyway. Not sure about sunshine and rainfall. In the south July tends to be sunnier than May whereas in the north it’s usually the opposite.
 

late July/early August (i.e. the first couple of weeks of the school summer holidays) are traditionally known as the period of “high summer” and where often see our highest temperatures and when we are most likely to get a Spanish plume.
 

However I think you might be right that for this region May and June is usually the best time of year for dry and clear weather (of course it varies from year to year as May has been diabolical this year but it’s normally a good month in this region). July and August is better temperature wise though, and between mid July and mid August we are most likely to see those balmy summer nights where it’s still 18°C at 11 pm.
 

For North Sea Coasts late summer is much better than early summer as the sea has had chance to warm up. At the moment the North Sea Coast is getting a lot of cool and misty weather as the warm air drifts over the cold North Sea causing mist and low temperatures. Very common at this time of year for them with an easterly flow. September is actually warmer than June on the east coast, for that reason.

 

As for the daylight, yes I love the really long days short nights at this time of year. On clear nights at this time of year the sky normally remains a very deep blue all night rather than turning inky black. If I happen to be awake at 3 am and look out the window towards the north I can already see a bright glow in the sky. It’s midnight right now and it’s still not quite completely pitch black yet, I can still just about make out the silhouette of Pendle hill and the sky looks brighter looking towards the north. Probably a bit brighter up in the Lake District as you’re further north than me.

 

I’d love to experience the “white nights“ up in the Shetland Islands at this time of year. Apparently its still light enough to read a book at midnight up there in June.

In Kiruna, Sweden the sun never sets at this time of year. It's light all the time but through most of December the sun is down all day so they don't see any daylight at all. You'd have to have your lights on all the time. I'd like to experience that for the strangeness of it.

Sunrise and sunset times in Kiruna, June 2021

WWW.TIMEANDDATE.COM

---

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Kiruna – Sweden for June 2021. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones...

 

[East Lancs Rain]

1 hour ago, Frost HoIIow said:

In Kiruna, Sweden the sun never sets at this time of year. It's light all the time but through most of December the sun is down all day so they don't see any daylight at all. You'd have to have your lights on all the time. I'd like to experience that for the strangeness of it.

Sunrise and sunset times in Kiruna, June 2021

WWW.TIMEANDDATE.COM

---

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Kiruna – Sweden for June 2021. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones...

 

Very cold as well, especially in winter: 

kiruna+climate - Google Search

WWW.GOOGLE.CO.UK

 

[A Face like Thunder]

Looking a bit stormy in the last hour or so and sun has disappeared completely. Wonder what that's all about?!

[RobR]

Clouded over here in Crewe with thick cloud which seemingly came from no where. Shame just as the BBQ was fired up.

[dodge]

Still clinging onto the bright skies here, although the sun is not as strong as an hour ago, so maybe some milky high cloud as invaded from the south west.  Bobby dazzler of an early summers day, still on the right side of marginal with regards to how comfortable the heat feels...nothing energy sapping yet.

[East Lancs Rain]

1 hour ago, A Face like Thunder said:

Looking a bit stormy in the last hour or so and sun has disappeared completely. Wonder what that's all about?!

 

47 minutes ago, RobR said:

Clouded over here in Crewe with thick cloud which seemingly came from no where. Shame just as the BBQ was fired up.

Still very sunny here, just a little fair weather cloud at times this afternoon. Some wispy high cloud at the moment. Temp 22 and feeling hot in the very strong sunshine, a bit cooler in any cloud and breeze. Sat out in the garden eating a magnum, getting a good tan with the smell of the neighbours BBQ wafting over. Lovely.

[toggerob]

A interesting day weather wise with wall-to-wall blue skies in the morning, followed by a little convection over the hills at lunch time and now clouding over completely as isolated patches of drizzle begin moving their way eastwards from Cheshire. I made the best of the day by heading out around the usual Bleaklow and Higher Shelf Moor area along with the crowds having the same idea, it still boggles my mind how so many people were going up and clueless as to where they were going and to just how far the B29 wreck-site is from the road especially when they have little kids and carrying no map or water at all.

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by SNOW_JOKE

[East Lancs Rain]

Clouded over here as well now. Happened pretty quickly with a noticeable drop in temperature, much cooler now. Must've been a cold front.

 

Supposed to be cooler and cloudier next couple of days before turning warmer later next week.

[Rush2019]

2 hours ago, SNOW_JOKE said:

A interesting day weather wise with wall-to-wall blue skies in the morning, followed by a little convection over the hills at lunch time and now clouding over completely as isolated patches of drizzle begin moving their way eastwards from Cheshire. I made the best of the day by heading out around the usual Bleaklow and Higher Shelf Moor area along with the crowds having the same idea, it still boggles my mind how so many people were going up and clueless as to where they were going and to just how far the B29 wreck-site is from the road especially when they have little kids and carrying no map or water at all.

 

I just hope that they are not clueless about discarded cigarette ends, glass bottles and barbecue picnics.  Ground looking a bit on the dry side on your pics, which are beautiful by the way.

[PennineMark]

Lovely rainbow as this light rain passes by.

[East Lancs Rain]

2 hours ago, PennineMark said:

Lovely rainbow as this light rain passes by.

Excellent picture. Should upload it to BBC Weather watchers. It would probably get shown on TV!

[East Lancs Rain]

Cracking start to June here, current avg max/min 21.4/9.2, just 0.2 mm of rain so far and a whopping 43 hours of sun! Long may it continue. 

 

Note - Stats come from higham-weather.com and weather underground as I do not have a weather station.

[damianslaw]

On 04/06/2021 at 23:58, East Lancs Rain said:

I’ve always thought of July as being the best summer month. Statistically it is, temperature wise anyway. Not sure about sunshine and rainfall. In the south July tends to be sunnier than May whereas in the north it’s usually the opposite.
 

late July/early August (i.e. the first couple of weeks of the school summer holidays) are traditionally known as the period of “high summer” and where often see our highest temperatures and when we are most likely to get a Spanish plume.
 

However I think you might be right that for this region May and June is usually the best time of year for dry and clear weather (of course it varies from year to year as May has been diabolical this year but it’s normally a good month in this region). July and August is better temperature wise though, and between mid July and mid August we are most likely to see those balmy summer nights where it’s still 18°C at 11 pm.
 

For North Sea Coasts late summer is much better than early summer as the sea has had chance to warm up. At the moment the North Sea Coast is getting a lot of cool and misty weather as the warm air drifts over the cold North Sea causing mist and low temperatures. Very common at this time of year for them with an easterly flow. September is actually warmer than June on the east coast, for that reason.

 

As for the daylight, yes I love the really long days short nights at this time of year. On clear nights at this time of year the sky normally remains a very deep blue all night rather than turning inky black. If I happen to be awake at 3 am and look out the window towards the north I can already see a bright glow in the sky. It’s midnight right now and it’s still not quite completely pitch black yet, I can still just about make out the silhouette of Pendle hill and the sky looks brighter looking towards the north. Probably a bit brighter up in the Lake District as you’re further north than me.

 

I’d love to experience the “white nights“ up in the Shetland Islands at this time of year. Apparently its still light enough to read a book at midnight up there in June.

Sunshine levels reach their peak in June, May on average is statistically a bit sunnier here than July. Rainfall wise, April is our direst month, followed by May, sometimes February!, then June, July is on a par with September. August is one our wettest months!

Temperature wise July is our warmest month, followed closely by August, then June, but on occasion September can be warmer than June. Nightime minima remain high through September, indeed June nights can still have a bit of a chill.

Whilst I would describe July as the peak summer month, it is often less settled than June, and we begin to see a slide in light levels, but only towards the end. However, this time of the year has all the promise of summer still to come, by late July there is a slight shift in the feel of things, its subtle but its there. From a personal perspective I much prefer late spring/early summer for outdoor activities and walking here in the Lake District, less humidity, less chance of heavy downpours spoling the day after decent starts. Fresh green growth and clearer skies as well, and the long evenings. I do like July though, that's the month for kicking back.. August far overrated!

[East Lancs Rain]

After a cloudy morning the cloud is starting to break up now. Looks like today is going to be better than forecast, sunny intervals forecast for the rest of the day according to weather apps. Feeling pleasantly warm, currently 18°C.

[A Face like Thunder]

On 05/06/2021 at 09:49, matty40s said:

Couldnt beat it yesterday, stunning.

 

Just a short way along the Fylde coast towards Cleveleys and a very different day weather-wise. Burns Day 1990.

[Frost HoIIow]

Cloud finally burning away here now but too late to save the day after being mostly cloudy.

[Shaun L]

9 minutes ago, Frost HoIIow said:

Cloud finally burning away here now but too late to save the day after being mostly cloudy.

It has been stunning all day here on the North Wirral. You could see the cloud a few miles inland.