Climate and weather

Weather is not the same than climate. The weather at a place is the state of the atmosphere there at a given time or over a short period. The weather of the British Isles is variable. The climate of a place or region, on the other hand, represents the average weather conditions through the year. In every part of the British Isles obvious changes are taking place as winter passes into spring, spring into summer, and through autumn to winter.

As a rule the climate of the country depends on its geographical position. Britain has a generally mild and temperate climate. It is much milder than that of the continental country: it is warmer in winter and colder in summer.

But what influences the climate in Britain most of all, is the Gulf Stream, a warm oceanic current flowing in the northwest of the Island. Due to the Gulf Stream and the form of the surface, the climate is not the same in different parts of the Island. The western part is warmer and is has more rains. The eastern part is cooler and drier due to the nearness to the continent and due to the fact that the western hills and mountains shut out the mild winds flowing from the Atlantic Ocean. It is never too cold or too hot in Britain except in the extreme north in Scotland where it is sometimes freezes and snows and the temperature falls below zero.

In the south of England snow falls only a few times during the winter and never lies long. But it often rains and there are few sunny days in winter. The average temperature is between mines three degrees and minus seven degrees.

No doubt that the Gulf Stream bringing warm waters to British shores and making the climate mild causes it to be damp too. The weather in Great Britain is very changeable, people often say that Britain has no climate but only weather. That’s why perhaps the English people speak so much about weather and making plans for holidays and trips they usually begin “if the weather”…

There are a lot of rainy and dull days in every season. Spring is normally Britain’s driest season. Cold weather usually lasts no later than mid-April, and there are frequently some very warm days during the second half of the month. By late spring daytime temperature may even reach 21-24 degrees over a wide area.

June is the brightest month of the year for Britain in general. Rainfalls tends to increase during July and August, partly because Atlantic depressions come nearer to the coast during these months and partly also because air, as it becomes warm warmed, is capable of holding more moisture. Late summer is often warm and this may continue till September.

North and north-west winds often bring heavy falls of snow to north Britain during late October and November, but they are usually short-lived.

In fine, still weather there is occasionally haze in summer and mist and fog in winter.

Though there are a lot of rainy and dull days in every season, English people spend a lot of time out-of-doors and the children like outdoor games and sports. Although British mild winters are not suitable for such kinds of sport as skiing and skating, they are suitable for racing, football, tennis, cricket and golf which are very popular in England.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1412