One thing Brits love to talk about is weather, which is in abundance in Great Britain. Discussing weather has even been called “a national obsession” (O’Meara 2019, 11). It’s a common perception that Brits frequently discuss weather, and research by Kate Fox, a social anthropologist supports it: “94% of British respondents admit to having conversed about the weather in the past six hours, while 38% say they have in the past 60 minutes” (Geddes 2015). Fox put this in to perspective: “This means at almost any moment in this country, at least a third of the population is either talking about the weather, has already done so or is about to do so.” Weather is an easy ice-breaker to start or maintain a conversation with anyone. Weather is a common experience that everyone shares, regardless of their background. I have found it quite useful as an ice breaker to chat with locals.
Because of the geography of this island nation, the climate is mild, fickle, and reliably unpredictable. I am located in Exeter in South West England, which has one of the mildest climates in the UK; so mild, that palm trees grow here. The way that the gulf stream rises north to the latitude of Great Britain means that it has an unusually mild climate compared to places at the same latitude. The Gulf Stream brings warm air all the way from the Caribbean. Maxima temperatures in the summer range from 64°F to 72°F and minima winter temperatures range from 34°F to 39°F.
There is also plenty of water in the atmosphere of Great Britain. Since my arrival in December, nearly every day has featured rain to some degree, from a mist to a downpour. I was fortunate enough, however, to enjoy unusually dry, warm weather when I was in Exeter in 2018. At the time, nearly every local happily told me how odd that sunny summer was. I know can understand their overwhelming joy. This part of England does not experience much snowfall. When it does snow, nearly everything shuts down because locals are not well-equipped, so I’ve been told. I love the snow, so I am missing that about Boston. I do not miss the freezing cold, though. What I have found in this climate dominated by rain is that I am nearly always in a state of “wetness,” whereas snow doesn’t seem as wet. Snow also looks nicer, at least when it first settles.
If you plan to be in England for a semester, it is wise to invest in a durable rain jacket and a pair of rain boots. Be sure that it is waterproof, because a rain jacket that is soaked all the way through is not a fun experience and is pointless. It should also be warm. You may want to carry an umbrella, too, but I find that it is too windy for umbrellas. Just as in Boston, whenever I use an umbrella, it immediately flips inside out because of the strong winds. It does not always rain though, so having layers of clothing is a good idea. In one day, the weather can change from cold and rainy to warm and sunny. In this way, the climate of New England is very similar (huh, New England).
In the past two weekends, Great Britain has been battered by rainstorms, Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis. These storms brought heavy rain, strong winds, and severe flooding to many parts of Great Britain. It has captured national attention and dominated news headlines. These were powerful and dangerous storms, but it is important to remember how unusual they are. Storm Dennis brought a record number of flood warnings. The severity of these storms are an effect of climate change. I appreciate that I can experience how climate change is affecting other parts of the world, and it only compels me more to push for more action on climate change.
The British government has an office of scientists that forecast the weather and conduct other research–the Met Office. I had the privilege of visiting the Met Office headquarters, which is Exeter, in 2018. It was amazing to see the advanced technology and rudimentary technology used to collect data. The Met Office issues weather warnings across the UK.
Although the British weather is not terribly dissimilar from the weather of New England, I have had to adjust to it. My best shoes are worn out, so I need to buy a good pair of waterproof shoes or boots. The weather also limits what activities I can do for fun, because I often like to spend my free time outdoors. For this reason, when we have clear, dry days, I try to take advantage of them and go out exploring. The dreariness can be frustrating and saddening, but I am happy to report that it is increasingly feeling like spring. I have even seen some trees and plants begin to bud.
I just wrote an entire blog post about weather. I guess the Britishness is rubbing off on me.
References
O’Meara, Tom. 2019. A Miscellany of Britain: People, Places, History, Culture, Customs, Sport. London: Aura.
