Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

How bad is the weather in the UK? I hear the weather in certain regions is so bad that the conditions can affect a person's mood and physical health. Most of us have seen or heard of the physical beauty of the UK and how amazingly green the place is, and how the culture has many attractive aspects.

But I'm curious to know if the weather is a deal breaker for many of you? I've heard it said, that the rainy weather in Seattle(a place in America known for a long wet season) is very mild in comparison, and the rainy and cold season last a lot longer in many regions of the UK. I've been told the weather in places like Scotland has rain so intense that it often rain side ways because of all the wind.

For those of you who are thinking about returning to the UK, does the weather give you pause after having lived in sunnier places like Australia,Spain,USA? A British buddy tells me that most Brits just use the weather as a reason to complain and that they just try their best to block out how the weather makes them feel. That they just try to deny it's existence. His opinion made me wonder,if the weather in the UK was a deal breaker?

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

Personally it's the opposite for me. I get SAD in the relentless heat and boring blue sky days that seem to go on forever here.

On a different note, as I have said to you before, some reserach is great, but IMO you're close to option paralysis. There are only so many things you can plan for and research and if you know all the answers to every single aspect of your future life then where is the adventure? :huh: The weather is the weather, it won't change for anyone no matter how it makes you feel. But give me 4 real seasons with the chance of some nice days and I'll take the good with the bad, any day over relentless sameness.

Plus all that lush green countryside is lush and green for a reason, and that is the good amount of rainful and season renewal we get. You can't have that and guaranteed nice weather for most of the year.

I wouldn't say people deny its existence, it's more like people just get on with it. If you cancelled all your outdoor plans because of weather then you wouldn't do anything. It's not denial, we're just made of sterner stuff and don't disolve in the wet.:D

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

I would say that after 8 months of heat/rain I am bored with it. I long for seasons that offer something different to the previous one. While living in Queensland it is either hot and humid or raining. I think the weather can effect your mood what ever country you live in. Between November - February the weather really brought me down. Far to hot to do anything and then far to wet to do anything.

UK:-

Spring time - seeing the blossoms on the trees and the flowers coming into bloom. Colour everywhere. Such a wonderful sight.

Summer - Longer Sunny days, BBQ's without being bitten to s**t. Lovely days out without having to drive for hours to reach a deserted beach. Everyone out and about in the parks and at the beaches.

Autumn - Warm days mixed in with falling leaves and a brisker wind. Nights drawing in. Warm glowing feeling.

Winter - Frost, sleet, rain and snow feeling cold but nice to snuggle up with a blanket and fire roaring.

Obviously these are how the seasons are meant to be but rain can be quite frequently in all these seasons and so sometimes it does feel like it rains alot. But it makes you appreciate the dry days. Living all my life (until now) down in the south, we do get the best of the weather. The countryside is stunning. So much to do and see.

When I return at the weekend I can't wait to see what the weather will have in store for me. I hear we are going to have a dry summer with prolonged days of sunshine. The reason people talk about the weather is so they can plan different things to do instead of just going to the beach. There is so much to do and see in the UK. It's never boring. OZ is just bland!

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

Admittedly, I've only been back 9 months, and living in Oxfordshire, but I think the weather has been just gorgeous the entire time! There has been a variety -- rain, cold, snow, sunny, warm -- but nothing enduring for weeks on end. There are plenty of places that have worse climates than here, including in the US.

I'm like Triboy. When I lived in SE Texas, I used to LONG for dreary days to replace the relentless sun and heat. I think people just don't realize what it's like to live in those conditions. It's one thing to go for a two-week holiday, but another to LIVE there.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

For me, the English weather is part of what makes living in the UK so nice. The Australian heat is crippling, mind numbing and often you just can't breathe. This year it's been worse than ever so I guess too much of anything gets overbearing sometimes.
I love the seasons in England, the colours and the anticipation that comes when seasons change such as when we know Winter is coming, we get that cosy feeling and image of Christmas, log fires, snow on fir trees and red berries. Then when we're all fed up of the cold, we get the build up to the excitement of Spring, blossom, lambs, daffodils, and a general feel of rebirth and renewal everywhere. I love it. I've missed it for 51/2 years and I'm looking forward to going home.

On a slightly different note, I am amused when people try to cross examine my reasons for returning to the UK. They tell me it's full of miserable people. This does not affect Englands stunning beauty and it's this that I'm going back for, not the people. I do smile though when it's suggested that miserable people are unique to the UK.;)

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

I do feel that southern Britain gets a better deal with the weather. We have had some glorious sunshine since coming back 4 weeks ago.

We are staying at a holiday caravan park temporarily. Over this bank holiday weekend its been that nice that loads of kids have been enjoying the outdoor swimming pool!! Admittedly, i'm not sure its warm enough for me to take a dip, but kids are kids! :lol:

Personally, I dont believe it is as bad as made out by some. If weather really is important to you, then as i said before you might be better off further south.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

Add me to the list who find the blue skies of Australia infinitely boring. It's a sad old life when you pore over the bom (weather) site hoping for a glimple of a blue lump which signifies rain. SAD just about describes it.

I just had a month in UK and the weather was cold when we arrived but after the first weekend it turned absolutely glorious and the countryside came alive.

I really dont mind the cold either - at least you can rug up nice and warm and nothing beats being snuggled up in front of a roaring fire when it is p*ssing down outside. OTOH there is no escape from the relentless heat except very expensive air conditioning.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

The weather for about 5 months of the year (April to September) is great and it largely consists of a combination of sunny and rainy days etc with moderate temperatures. Despite this though, the weather can change very quickly eg. you can have the 4 seasons all in one day!!! Outside of this though is the problem, as the UK is famous for some 6 or 7 months of grey skies, wind, dampness and rain especially drizzle that can go on for days...........and you have to be careful of this, as it can make your hair go fizzy:lol:

Its really just a case of personal tastes, as some people prefer the 6 months of UK winter misery to that of the misery of sun and heat in other countries.

Personally, I prefer the really cold and damp period of Dec-Feb in the UK to that of the blistering summer here in Spain between July and August.

I never believed that sideways rain existed until I visited Snowdonia:eek:

There is definately a correlation between peoples moods and the weather its been a proven fact for many years. Read the other day, that one of the highest suicide rates in the USA is in Portland which is near to Seattle. One of the highest here in europe is in Finland several months of almost darkness etc.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

Yes, and Yes.

Generally, the west side of the UK is wetter, and the north is colder. The Glasgow area (where I live currently) can be dreich (miserable) for weeks on end during the winter. One practicality for me is the fact that the dog drags in all the mud and rain and shakes it all over the walls as soon as she comes in (yes, I do towel her off, but a Lab's coat can hold a gallon of mud and you can only wipe up so much of it).

I have all the wet weather gear, boots, Gore-Tex, etc., but personally this weather gets to me much more than the heat and humidity of the Southeast USA ever did. There were definitely times in the States I would long for the cooler fall weather to arrive, but that's nothing compared to how I feel in the depths of a rainy, cold Glasgow winter and summer seems like a lifetime away.

It is quite amusing here, though, when the first sunny days appear. The temperature may still be 40 degrees F, but all of a sudden people are out in their shorts, T-shirts, and sunglasses, covered in goosepimples! :rofl:

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

I'm from Up North. Wales that is. We did get a lot of rain. But from what I remember reading Washington state gets MORE per year than UK does.
We also had some lovely sunny weather, that why we had so many gorgeous flower gardens to visit.
We also get the bitter cold winter wind that cuts right through your coat, it comes off the north sea Brrrrr.
But you get used to it.
The endless heat here in summer gets me depressed now, and hearing Dh say, but it's a dry heat just makes me worse.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

Having lived most of my life in Atlanta (aka Hotlanta) I can tell you that after nearly 4 years of living in the misty valley's of SE Wales...........I'm still loving it and not missing the annual 6 months of unbearable Georgia summer heat, humidity and pollution.

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

You do know this topic will now turn into a bazzillion page thread. You asked BRITISH PEOPLE ABOUT WEATHER. Are you crazy? It's all we talk about :rofl:

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

How many more of these threads do we have to contend with until you move? Do you ever intend to move? :lol:

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

He's still dipping his toe in the pond. ;)

Re: Does the weather in the UK suck eggs & makes you yearn for sunny weather?
 

I would agree with that. The South East definitely gets better weather. When I watch the forecast I see rain over most of the rest of the country but it tends to leave the South East alone. Had a glorious Easter in Kent recently - a bit chilly as it is early Spring, but lovely sunny days. Yes, winter does feel a bit dreary sometimes. I find generally it is temperate, not too hot or too cold. Fine with me.