The Weather

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, nnfox said:

I feel like this is a point that isn't stressed enough.  I think I'm right in saying that winters here are now milder by a greater margin than our summers.  In summer it's easy to know that it's really hot because the sun is baking and everything is parched, but if the winter is a couple of degrees warmer, people still put a coat on and don't give it a second thought.

 

More rain, less snow and ice, longer autumns, earlier springs.  Our climate is changing quicker than most folk realise.

It’s felt like  ‘all or nothing’ weather for a number of years now as we lurch from long periods of wet to dry and vice versa.  The next twelve months are possibly different as we see a super strong Nino which should in theory shake things about a bit. and not necessarily for the better with potentially wider extremes around the globe as that additional ocean heat is distributed around the lower atmosphere.

 

tomorrow likely to be the last attempt of summer 2026 to break the uk temp record and it should fail by a degree or so. and next week might actually see some proper rainfall across the barren south of the uk. 

[filbertway]

Been reading into the cause of this warmer weather, sounds like we've experienced bad luck with high pressure sat over us for an extended period of time that has been diverting the jet stream north of the UK, similar to what happened in 1976?

 

The warmer climate baseline caused by global warming, combined with this has led to much more extreme results than we'd perhaps have have seen 30+ years ago?

 

You'd like to think that the heat experienced by the UK and Europe this summer would act as a bit of a warning shot and recalibrate focus on dealing with the climate. Hopefully it's convinced more people that the threat is very real and summers like this are potentially the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Bellend Sebastian]

12 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Been reading into the cause of this warmer weather, sounds like we've experienced bad luck with high pressure sat over us for an extended period of time that has been diverting the jet stream north of the UK, similar to what happened in 1976?

 

The warmer climate baseline caused by global warming, combined with this has led to much more extreme results than we'd perhaps have have seen 30+ years ago?

 

You'd like to think that the heat experienced by the UK and Europe this summer would act as a bit of a warning shot and recalibrate focus on dealing with the climate. Hopefully it's convinced more people that the threat is very real and summers like this are potentially the tip of the iceberg.

 

I'm not sure what the current thinking is but I've read before that one of the risk factors of climate change for NW Europe in particular is the Jetstream shifting permanently, as in general terms it stops us from getting too hot in summer but also too cold in the winter (bearing in mind there are much colder places at the same latitude as us elsewhere).

 

So we could potentially face a scenario where conditions are terrible all year round. Presumably we'll all have a lab grown fungus based diet by then so it'll be fine

[Free Falling Foxes]

8 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Been reading into the cause of this warmer weather, sounds like we've experienced bad luck with high pressure sat over us for an extended period of time that has been diverting the jet stream north of the UK, similar to what happened in 1976?

 

The warmer climate baseline caused by global warming, combined with this has led to much more extreme results than we'd perhaps have have seen 30+ years ago?

 

You'd like to think that the heat experienced by the UK and Europe this summer would act as a bit of a warning shot and recalibrate focus on dealing with the climate. Hopefully it's convinced more people that the threat is very real and summers like this are potentially the tip of the iceberg.

 

I Hope so, but worry there are too many inconvenient truths that'll get ignored by those with interests in the here and now and not so much the future.

I've even seen it in my own family. An older member dismisses climate change but adds the caveat, if it is real, I'll be long gone by the time it gets really bad.

I reminded him that he has grandchildren and they'll have children......

I despair.

[Foxdiamond]

44 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I Hope so, but worry there are too many inconvenient truths that'll get ignored by those with interests in the here and now and not so much the future.

I've even seen it in my own family. An older member dismisses climate change but adds the caveat, if it is real, I'll be long gone by the time it gets really bad.

I reminded him that he has grandchildren and they'll have children......

I despair.

As an older bloke with grandchildren mind boggles that anyone would dismiss concerns. Anyway I hope to be around for a good number of summers touch wood and don't fancy the prospect of getting worse next year

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I Hope so, but worry there are too many inconvenient truths that'll get ignored by those with interests in the here and now and not so much the future.

I've even seen it in my own family. An older member dismisses climate change but adds the caveat, if it is real, I'll be long gone by the time it gets really bad.

I reminded him that he has grandchildren and they'll have children......

I despair.

Really annoying.

 

You just know as well, the same people who mock climate change will be the ones having a meltdown about the boats and ‘Muslims will take over the country’. 
 

And yet, any percentage shift in demographics in this country is as much driven by lower birth rates. 
 

So full circle, do these people ask themselves why the birth rates are down? Obviously affordability. But the other reasons people give are political instability (invariably caused by right wing/authoritarian leaders who have no regard for the planet) and climate change itself. 
 

So kind of ironic they can’t see the link.

[st albans fox]

33 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Really annoying.

 

You just know as well, the same people who mock climate change will be the ones having a meltdown about the boats and ‘Muslims will take over the country’. 
 

And yet, any percentage shift in demographics in this country is as much driven by lower birth rates. 
 

So full circle, do these people ask themselves why the birth rates are down? Obviously affordability. But the other reasons people give are political instability (invariably caused by right wing/authoritarian leaders who have no regard for the planet) and climate change itself. 
 

So kind of ironic they can’t see the link.

It might be a good thing that ‘these people’  aren’t breeding as much as they might do ……

(Throwaway comment with nothing to do re weather ) 

 

 

 

Edited 12 August by st albans fox

[Libertine]

Thoroughly enjoying my air con I got installed a couple of weeks ago.

 

LACS did it if anyone is thinking about it, very good job.

[Bellend Sebastian]

17 minutes ago, Libertine said:

Thoroughly enjoying my air con I got installed a couple of weeks ago.

 

LACS did it if anyone is thinking about it, very good job.

The League Against Cruel Sports? Good way of raising funds.

 

What's your set up? Sounds like it's working well

 

 

 

 

[Libertine]

1 minute ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

The League Against Cruel Sports? Good way of raising funds.

 

What's your set up? Sounds like it's working well

 

 

 

 

Yeh, personally I am pro cruelty but the deal was just too good to turn down.

 

One 5kw unit in our open plan kitchen/living room and one 2kw unit in the bedroom. £4.5k total. The downstairs one has a decent effect throughout the floor tbf.

[Bellend Sebastian]

41 minutes ago, Libertine said:

Yeh, personally I am pro cruelty but the deal was just too good to turn down.

 

One 5kw unit in our open plan kitchen/living room and one 2kw unit in the bedroom. £4.5k total. The downstairs one has a decent effect throughout the floor tbf.

Extreme temps make for strange bedfellows.

 

That's serious wedge but I suppose you can easily spend that on a boiler and it looks like the point where having air con is as important as having one of those isn't far off, and probably here already

[Libertine]

2 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Extreme temps make for strange bedfellows.

 

That's serious wedge but I suppose you can easily spend that on a boiler and it looks like the point where having air con is as important as having one of those isn't far off, and probably here already

That's what I thought, it's only gonna add value to the house IMO so worth it. 

[st albans fox]

2 hours ago, Libertine said:

Yeh, personally I am pro cruelty but the deal was just too good to turn down.

 

One 5kw unit in our open plan kitchen/living room and one 2kw unit in the bedroom. £4.5k total. The downstairs one has a decent effect throughout the floor tbf.

Do you have to keep the bedroom door closed to avoid the cooler air just cascading downstairs? 

[Libertine]

13 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Do you have to keep the bedroom door closed to avoid the cooler air just cascading downstairs? 

Not really had a truly horrid hot night since we got it put in (tonight probably the first), but whenever I've blasted it for a bit it with the door open it seems alright. 

[st albans fox]

14 minutes ago, Libertine said:

Not really had a truly horrid hot night since we got it put in (tonight probably the first), but whenever I've blasted it for a bit it with the door open it seems alright. 

That would be an issue for me. My missus won’t sleep with the door shut and I’m guessing that the cool air would head downwards as the warm air rises 

 

you’ll know by Friday after the next two nights !

Edited 12 August by st albans fox

[The Blur]

With all talk of getting air cons installed,  I fear this will be another class divider and create heat poverty as summers get hotter in the future.  

[kenny]

7 hours ago, The Blur said:

With all talk of getting air cons installed,  I fear this will be another class divider and create heat poverty as summers get hotter in the future.  

Nah, the true class divider is those of us that have insulated our houses and can do without it. In our house it has mostly been fine this year. I'm certainly not scrambling for it like lots are, ceiling fans have been really effective though.

[leicsmac]

7 hours ago, The Blur said:

With all talk of getting air cons installed,  I fear this will be another class divider and create heat poverty as summers get hotter in the future.  

 

10 minutes ago, kenny said:

Nah, the true class divider is those of us that have insulated our houses and can do without it. In our house it has mostly been fine this year. I'm certainly not scrambling for it like lots are, ceiling fans have been really effective though.

Don't worry guys, if things continue as they are, there will be quite a few other factors that will serve as true class equalisers. 

[Parafox]

Next door neighbour is out right now in a south facing garden mowing his "lawn"!

[ajthefox]

My office is hotter than outside and we have no aircon. It's been above 30 since half 9 and is currently just over 32.

It's so draining.

[Tommy G]

Doesn't seem as hot this time around compared to a few weeks ago, presume it's the humidity and the wind this time around?

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

Doesn't seem as hot this time around compared to a few weeks ago, presume it's the humidity and the wind this time around?

Lowish dew point helps the feel of the heat 

 

[SemperEadem]

1 hour ago, ajthefox said:

My office is hotter than outside and we have no aircon. It's been above 30 since half 9 and is currently just over 32.

It's so draining.

Yeah mine is similar, sweating cobs here with a hangover too.

[WigstonWanderer]

On 12/08/2026 at 21:05, Libertine said:

Yeh, personally I am pro cruelty but the deal was just too good to turn down.

 

One 5kw unit in our open plan kitchen/living room and one 2kw unit in the bedroom. £4.5k total. The downstairs one has a decent effect throughout the floor tbf.

Here in Australia most people have what we call “reverse cycle” air conditioners - basically an air source heat pump that pumps heat out in the summer and in during the winter. Is that what you have? Kills two birds with one stone, all electric, efficient, and cheap to run when paired with solar and battery.

Edited 13 August by WigstonWanderer

[Libertine]

20 minutes ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Here in Australia most people have what we call “reverse cycle” air conditioners - basically an air source heat pump that pumps heat out in the summer and in during the winter. Is that what you have? Kills two birds with one stone, all electric, efficient, and cheap when paired with solar and battery.

Not sure if it’s exactly the same but ours does heat as well, yes. Also has dehumidifier setting.