What the weather!

September has quickly become my favourite month here in the UK.

The sunshine takes on a rather pretty light as it shines through leaves that are slowly becoming translucent, ahead of the fall.  The humidity drops so quickly it’s almost like someone flipped a switch. The days are warm enough for a t-shirt and to keep the office windows open but the nights are chilly and you definitely need more than a lightweight parka.  You can feel the season changing, every day it gets a little bit cooler as we inch towards winter.

Which made me think, how my perception of British weather was so massively warped before we moved over. So what is the weather like anyway?  The Brits are quite obsessed with it, talking about it all the time.  When I first arrived, I remember that one of my colleagues used to open the door (as a temp I didn't have a key fob and had to buzz for someone to open) and immediately ask "is it raining out?" before he even greeted.  I used to puzzle over this quite a bit actually.  Surely he could just look out the window?

So here’s my take on the weather in the your first year of life in the UK…

Your first winter:

Frosty sunrise

This one is a bitch to get through, you are so terrified of getting cold you wear everything possible.  And then you learn that the Brits overheat EVERYTHING so you spend most of your time either sweating or panting from being overdressed, or you grab a trolley wherever you go to strip off the bulky winter clothing.  The bottom line is, yes its cold, and yes you will struggle through that first winter, but the houses, the clothing, the shops, even the cars, are properly geared for it, so you won’t find yourself slumbering with the angels with frosty eyebrows and stiffly frozen fingers curled around a piece of paper which would have had an SOS message if the ink hadn’t frozen in the pen.

The point is, it’s not nearly as bad as you think. It is storm season so be prepared for that (don’t waste your money on an umbrella, we threw away so many that just couldn’t survive the winter storms), you want to invest in a decent coat that is weather proof, decent boots and thick socks.  Gloves, beanies, scarves and whatnot are all easy to pick up so don’t worry about it.  Don’t waste your money on the South African version of a winter coat.  Just don’t do it.

Winter sunshine hours on an upward trend

The sun shines way more than you think!  According to the Met office, sunshine hours are actually on the rise for us lucky enough to live in this gorgeous country.  This graph shows you just how much sunshine the country got each winter season…not bad for a country that is supposed to always be grey and miserable.  We found the sunshine our best ally for coping with the winter cabin fever.  That and the dogs.  As soon as the weather was good and stable, we got outside and went for a hike, visited a National Trust property, did pretty much anything we could outdoors to make sure we got our fix of fresh air and gorgeous sights.

My top tip: get yourself a buff and wear it around your neck.  Because it fits snugly, you will block out those icy fingers that creep down your neck an eventually ruin your whole day.

Your first Spring:

Well the kids had fun at least...

This one is a doozy.  What passes for Spring around here is actually just an extension of Winter.  It’s supposed to be warming up but trust me you’re still getting cold and wet when you go outside, and sometimes you get snow.  Occasionally you see a bluebell or a daffodil and that’s immensely exciting but doesn’t necessarily mean that summer is right around the corner.  Spring, in my opinion, is like Tant Stienie, with her barbed, snide comments and icy stare.  That one, you what I mean. 

My top tip: don’t pack away your winter woollies too quickly. Spring has a bite and you need to be prepared for it.

Your first summer:

Oh the beautiful summer really surprises you that first year.  Mostly because of the bloody awful humidity and inherent stickiness in the air.  And it only gets to 25C, which messes with your head because that kind of temp is a beautiful, mild day, not a bloody sauna.  But sauna it is, and occasionally you have warm rain to go with it.  But it’s absolutely gorgeous, everything is green with the English summer flowers and wildflowers out in their full glory.  The sun shining from before 5am to after 10pm at night.

Summer is amazing but somewhat unpredictable, so you’ll find the Brits doing really odd things the second the sun shines.  Like wear the tiniest little shorts and plimsoles.  I’m talking about the men here.  And eat ALL the ice cream in the country.  I mean ALL OF IT!  I’ve never seen a country so obsessed with ice cream, and my first summer was quite an education when I went into the supermarket and noticed the frozen dessert freezers were completely empty.  That included the ice (where you can get it because not every store has ice, unlike SA).  I joked with my mother about this and she didn’t believe me until they moved over and also experience the frenzy to buy ice cream.  The country goes into panic mode when bad snowfall comes and bulk buy food, it’s almost like the same thing happens when the temperature goes over 20C and the country panics about overheating and bulk buy ice-creams to help them cope.  Seriously, weirdest thing ever.

My top tip: Please, whatever you do, don’t be African cocky about the summer sunshine, sunburn in the UK hurts just as bad as anywhere else in the world.  And yes, you will get sunburnt after months of being holed up inside.  So don’t be a wiseass, take proper precautions.

Your first Autumn:

As you now know, Autumn is my favourite.  The temperature cools slowly so you get used to the idea of winter.  The days start to shorten.  Your layers start to increase and get warmer, eventually you look for a coat.  The clocks go back and really mess with your head the first time around.  The leaves turn pretty colours and fall with every strong breeze.  Those same leaves lie all over the country roads so you can zoom along and see a pretty swirl of leaves in the rear-view mirror.  The weather is pretty stable with more sunshine than rain.  It’s still warm enough to enjoy a BBQ in the day time, and cool enough to snuggle under a blanket at night with a hot drink and comfort food. 

My top tip: start preparing for Halloween, it’s a big deal over here.  And soooooooo much fun!  If that’s not your thing, look for other fall activities like apple stomping or pumpkin carving.  There’s loads to do!

Halloween outfits for pets - it's a thing!

Whatever type weather you enjoy, clear your mind of any preconceived ideas of what the weather in the UK is like. It’s nothing like we know, so you can’t fairly compare. It’s also not as bad as we’ve been brainwashed to believe.   

Just come over here and appreciate each season for what it is, and look for something to enjoy about each one…they pass so quickly after all.

Bright Autumn sunshine from my kitchen window