Climate in the UK, Student Life in the UK - English Language Courses UK

CLIMATE IN THE UK

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Climate in the UK

Most people think that UK is a very cold country. On the contrary the climate in the UK is moderate: Summers generally tend to be fairly cool and winters are quite mild. And No - British weather is not all rain and fog! You can see the sunshine, rain, temperature and daylight, a lot depends on the area where you will be living.

Average Daily temperatures and rainfall vary from one area to another.

Average Temperature and Rainfall in London, UK

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg Temperature
�C	3.8	4.0	5.8	7.9	11.3	14.4	16.5	16.1	13.8	10.8	6.6	4.7	9.6
�F	38.8	39.2	42.4	46.2	52.3	57.9	61.7	61.0	56.8	51.4	43.9	40.5	49.3
Avg Rainfall
mm	77.7	51.1	60.2	54.1	55.3	56.6	44.8	55.6	67.7	73.2	77.6	78.9	752.1
inches	3.1	2.0	2.4	2.1	2.2	2.2	1.8	2.2	2.7	2.9	3.1	3.1	29.6

In general, the west is wetter and milder than the east, and northern areas are noticeably cooler that southern ones. You can compare the following temperatures with the London figures in the table above

Average summer temperatures - 2003

Scotland, North 11.6
England, Midlands 14.4
England, South East 15.3

Average Winter temperatures - 2003

Scotland, North 4.5
England, Midlands 5.8
England, South East 6.5

Source : Met Office - UK

Parts of Scotland often get snow in the winter, whereas you might live in London for long time without any snowfall at all.

International students who are used to tropical and equatorial climates are often intrigued by the sheer variety of the weather in the UK. On an average the weather tends to be very changeable. Where else would be lucky enough to see rain, snow, thunder and lightning, hail and warm sunshine - all in one day!

To avoid been taken by surprise, it is best to be prepared for these unannounced changes in the weather:

	Always carry a small foldable umbrella.
	Choose a good footwear, there is a culture of walking a lot in UK as all the facilities you will find are within walking distance, so a good footwear is strongly advised. Wear sturdy, well-made shoes with rubber soles and a good tread - to stop you from slipping on wet roads.
	Gear up and stay warm. Always carry warm clothing over a summer wear and a weather proof jacket, which you can layer in and out of as the weather changes.

Daylight in the south of England lasts for about 16 hours in June and July, but only 8 hours in December and January. The difference between summer and winter daylight is even greater in Scotland because it's further from the equator.

To make the most of the long hours of daylight during the summer, the UK switches from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST): all clocks are moved ahead one hour. BST applies from the end of March to the end of October.