Climate in Great Britain

Climate in Great Britain 

The position of Great Britain gives it a temperate climate. Britain lies in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is surrounded by the sea which makes the climate warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The Gulf Stream influences the English climate greatly. The climate is not the same in all parts of England. The western part is warmer than the eastern one and it also has more rains. The western hills and mountains shut out some of the mild wind from the Atlantic. On Western coast gales are always strong. The south-western winds are the most frequent.

 They usually bring mild weather. There is much humidity in the air. Britain is well known as a foggy country. The annual temperature in London is about 8 degrees C.

Scotland is a part of Britain and Wales. Scotland is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the North Sea, on the southeast by England, southwest by the Irish Sea and on the west by the Western Isles. Like the climate of the rest of Great Britain, that of Scotland is subject to the moderating influences of the surrounding seas. As a result of these influences, extreme seasonal variations are rare, and temperate winters and cool summers are the outstanding climatic features. Low temperatures, however, are common during the winter season in the mountainous districts of the interior. In the western coastal region, which is subject to the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream, conditions are somewhat milder than is the east. The average temperature in January is 4 degrees C and in July is about 15 degrees C. Scotland’s weather is similar to Wales and England.

Wales is a part of the United Kingdom. It also includes the mall island off Wales called Anglesey. Wales is bounded on the North by the Irish Sea, on the east by the English counties, on the South by the Bristol Channel, and the west by Saint George. Wales is almost all mountains. The tops of the mountains are covered with the snow. The climate in Wales is very moist and mild like in the United Kingdom. The average temperature in January is about 6 degrees C and in July is about 16 degrees C.

Ireland’s climate is mainly determined by its position in the north temperate zone and the effect of the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The climate is relatively uniform throughout. The prevailing west winds carry rain from the Atlantic, resulting in heavier rainfall in the western and southern parts of the country. Summers are relatively cool, with July and August being the warmest months, whilst winters are relatively mild with January and February being the coldest months. Snow falls occasionally in winter months but it is rarely prolonged and usually only lasts for a few days.
Climate and Nature of Great Britain

The climate in Great Britain is generally mild and temperate due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. The south-western winds carry the warmth and moisture into Britain. The climate in Britain is usually described as cool, temperate and humid.

British people say: "Other countries have a climate, in England we have weather."

The weather in Britain changes very quickly. One day may be fine and the next day may be wet. The morning may be warm and the evening may be cool. Therefore it is natural for the people to use the comparison "as changeable as the weather" of a person who often changes his mood or opinion about something. The weather is the favourite topic of conversation in Britain. When two Englishmen are introduced to each other, if they can't think of any thing else to talk about, they talk about weather. When two people meet in the street they will often say something about weather as they pass, just to show their friendliness.

Every daily paper publishes a weather forecast. Both the radio and television give the weather forecast several times each day.

The English also say that they have three variants of weather: when it rains in the morning, when it rains in the afternoon or when in rains all day long. Sometimes it rains so heavily that they say "It's raining cats and dogs".

Rainfall is more or less even throughout the year. In the mountains there is heavier rainfall then in the plains of the south and east. The driest period is from March to June and the wettest months are from October to January. The average range of temperature (from winter to summer) is from 15 to 23 degrees above zero. During a normal summer the temperature sometimes rises above 30 degrees in the south. Winter temperatures below 10 degrees are rare. It seldom snows heavily in winter, the frost is rare. January and February are usually the coldest months, July and August the warmest. Still the wind may bring winter cold in spring or summer days. Sometimes it brings the whirlwinds or hurricanes. Droughts are rare.

So, we may say that the British climate has three main features: it is mild, humid and changeable. That means that it is never too hot or too cold. Winters are extremely mild. Snow may come but it melts quickly. In winter the cold is humid cold, not the dry one.

This humid and mild climate is good for plants. The trees and flowers begin to blossom early in spring.

In the British homes there has been no central heating up till recently. The fireplaces are often used. but the coal is not used as it's very expensive. Britain has no good coal now and imports it itself. Many schools and universities have no central heating either, and the floors there are made of stone. The British bedroom is especially cold, sometimes electric blankets or hotwater bottles are used.