christmasoompa

Berkshire. It's been really warm and sunny here! I've had my washing outside for the past couple of weeks since it warmed up. We live in one of the driest and warmest parts of the UK though. I'm guessing from what you said about constant rain that you're in Scotland? We're lucky enough to not have that kind of rain, we can go weeks without it, but it doesn't really bother me anyway. We're an outdoorsy kind of family and the rain doesn't stop us, we'll still go for a bike ride or long walk in the rain at weekends - as long as there is a pub for lunch at the end of it.

Tanja87

We're on the south coast actually, Sussex... Not quite Scotland lol but feels like we're getting there weather wise.... We've had such bad storms and it's been so cold since what feels like forever! Even when the sun does come out it's still been freezing cold, especially with the wind! Our kids are still small as well so any outdoor activities feel like forever with their little legs and even a pub lunch at the end of it isn't exactly relaxing with them in tow xx

quoll

Sure was! It did rain a bit on Sunday soI guess it must be a totally wet week! Cambs is the place to be!

Beoz

Lets remember the poster is moving to Sydney and not Tasmania or Perth - being a large continent Australia has lots of varying weather. The UK pretty much as the North and West really wet areas, and the South East not so wet that are just always grey. Except for a few weeks in summer - then its party time.

Sydney actually has a higher annual rainfall than London. The thing with Sydney is, when it rains, it pours. It gets it out of its system in a few days. Then the sun is back

Typically in Dec / Jan / Feb its hot for a few days, then gets cooled down by a southerly change. The heat then rises again over a few days, then the change occurs. Its pattern that is pretty common.

The worst you get over winter is those east coast low pressure systems that can roll in. It will rain non stop for 3 or 4 days before the pressure system buggers off down the coast or off in to the ocean. Then the sun returns.

My favourite weather system in the UK is the ones that come in from the east from over Russia way. Cool, crisp, sunny conditions. Unfortunately they are rare and the UK has to put up with the prevailing winds from the west, dragging constant moisture in off the Atlantic.

Dorothy

Must be Tasmania since it's not the Canada I lived in for 43 years.

Pollyana

Tassie doesn't have 9 months of winter any more than the Uk does

spouse of scouse

Probably Not sure where Wildcats comes from though.

NickyC

Here in Sydney, the average daily maximum temperature in each of the three winter months (June, July, August) is less than 20 degrees. In the remaining nine months of the year the average daily max is greater than 20 degrees.

In London, the reverse is true. The average daily max temperature in June, July and August is greater than 20 degrees. Whereas in the remaining nine months of the year it is less than 20 degrees.

So it is perfectly true to state that - by Sydney standards - London has nine months of winter temperatures ;-)

Weather Averages for London, United Kingdom

xizzles

Horses for courses. Different people will react differently to different weather. When we were in the UK, the wife was absolutely miserable - be it while we were in Camden (OK, it's miserable regardless of the weather there) or Ruislip or even when we lived in Albert Docks up in Liverpool - and this was with a ceiling to floor view of the incoming cruise ships and their assorted fireworks!

Wife, of course, was from Singapore - hence the misery. So, when we moved back to Singapore, the weather mode was made simpler, as it only came in 3 flavours: hot, wet or hot & wet. She was back to her bouncy happy self, and I was the miserable one. 25 years later, I've adapted to the tropics, and I can't imagine myself peeing ice-cubes in the middle of winter back in Blighty. Damn it, when I visited my niece and we took a side trip to CenterParcs at Nottinghamshire last autumn, I nearly died of frost bite - and this despite the pool being constantly heated to a comfy 26°C or 28°C!

The human body will adjust and adapt. Weather is but one of many valid excuses to move - there are far better ones, as many as there are way flimsier ones. It makes for great party filler conversations, and it's great to play the blame game with.

Sadly, with the way we are destroying the environment (and mind you, I'm no tree-hugging environmental terrorist), we can only expect more shyte weather to be on the horizon, no matter where we are - Sydney, Texas or Blighty.

quoll

Precisely!

christmasoompa

Ah, how odd. It's been so warm today I've had the French doors open and been sat working without a jumper on. Strange that it's such a difference when you're not actually that far from me, I'd assumed you were in the frigid North!

Your previous comments about counting the number of days on one hand that it's not rained since October prove that it's all about perception though - unless Sussex has had some very odd weather, that would be highly unlikely! Less than 50% of days rain are normal in Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb according to rain stats. So almost 100% would be a huge weather anomaly.

I'm beginning to think it's all about whether you're a glass half full or a glass half empty kind of person. I know when we renovated our house we were watching the weather like a hawk for 5 months (each rainy day noted because we had to pay the roofer even though he couldn't work in the rain because it was too slippy!), but you'd be amazed at how many people moaned about the weather despite it having been lovely. I tend to not notice the rain because it doesn't impact me so I'm probably guilty of thinking it's been nicer than it has, I think others must just not notice when it doesn't rain!

Tanja87

I admit I may have exaggerated the number of rainy days and it may be my perception, but either way the weather we've been experiencing here for the past however many years has not lent itself very well to the outdoorsy kind of lifestyle we'd like (and that I'm used to from my childhood growing up outside the UK...) Too cold, rainy, windy... It's just not what we want from life down here. And I'm not just talking about the weather... Somehow we just seem to have gotten stuck on that subject here lol xx

moneypenny20

I don't even think it's that, although it probably plays a part with some people. I just know as soon as it starts being grey, heavy sky, my health suffers massively. I used to spend hours in a hot bath just to get the chill out of my bones when everyone else was quite happy in jeans, jumpers etc. I'm definitely a glass more than half full person but October through April/May, in the UK, if it wasn't sunny, I struggled to cope.

Tanja87

Yes, moneypenny! That's it!! October -April, the relentless cold, damp, grey... It's not good for your physical or mental health and I find myself struggling with it more and more every year!
Rickets is on the rise again, as kids are not getting enough sun exposure and so are lacking in Vitamin D! I mean seriously?! Could anyone blame us for wanting to leave this place?! xx

Grayling

....and it is a growing problem in Australia because everyone keeps their chilfdren out of the sun.

You have a lot to learn.