American Reacts to Why is UK Weather so Unpredictable?

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Reacting To My Roots
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In this video I react to why UK weather is so unpredictable. Join me as we learn about the unpredictability of British weather and explore why it holds such a prominent place in everyday conversations. As we all know, Brits have a reputation for talking about the weather-a lot. But when you consider the ever-changing nature of the UK's climate, it starts to make perfect sense. From sudden rain showers to unexpected bursts of sunshine, the weather in the UK can be a rollercoaster ride to say the least.
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this reaction please give this video a thumbs up, share your thoughts in the comments and click the subscribe button to follow my journey to learn about my British and Irish ancestry.
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[@Van1lla19]

As my grandad used to say, 'If you don't like the weather, wait a minute'.

[@koipebbles4904]

I had three separate heavy rain showers within 10 minutes the other day in Wales. Literally the heaviest downpour for 30 seconds then it just stops. Totally unpredictable this time of year

[@Will-nn6ux]

Mark Twain is supposed to have said that about New England weather.

[@johnt8998]

Or another well known one is "There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing".

[@mickkelly6389]

It'll rain or go dark, before morning.

[@johnt8998]

yeah, have you noticed it's never sunny at night ?@@mickkelly6389

[@ianroper2812]

I’ve known it to be raining on one side of road, whilst others were sitting out in the sun in the garden on the other side.

[@reactingtomyroots]

😂

[@MsPaulathomas]

I can confirm that froom personal experience!

[@muchsake]

@@MsPaulathomas I live just off the end of the M4, a lot of the time driving to or from Swansea I can enter the roundabout at the end of the M4 in driving rain and exit onto a bone dry road.

[@brackalack1]

Haha yeah I've seen that too.

[@faithpearlgenied-a5517]

I once walked over a bridge, one side was dry and the other side it was raining 😅 my grandad told me about a similar thing happening to him too.

[@anthonyberent4611]

British weather talk sometimes combines with British sarcasm. Yesterday i was walking my dog in rain and strong winds, only for someone to say to me "Isn't the weather great?". I, of course, agreed.

[@shelleyjackson8793]

Me and my son do this. When it's torrential rain and windy we say 'it's lovely out again,' Or 'nice weather'.

[@reactingtomyroots]

hahah Yeah, we do that here sometimes as well with the sarcasm.

[@RWH_Stu.]

​@@reactingtomyrootsas a brit I can confirm we're really sarcastic, if we're in a hurricane we would just say "bit windy innit."

[@dasy2k1]

​@@shelleyjackson8793to which the correct reply is normally "if you are duck that is!"

[@niallcurran7894]

Being an Irish man, we shield the UK most of the time. We get all the Atlantic boombast first before it hits the UK. An Irish comedian once said, "Ireland would be a lovely country, if you could only roof it". 😂

[@chucky2316]

It's lovely in the rain. Kieran from south west England

[@stuartthomson1863]

I visit Donegal in the summer most years. I’ve yet to have a day that didn’t rain 😂 I thought here in central Scotland was unpredictable but west coast of Ireland is ridiculous.

[@suzielees5227]

Thank you!

[@ORDEROFTHEKNIGHTSTEMPLAR13]

I've not been to Ireland but it's always been on my bucket list being half Irish with my father coming from there.He hasn't been back for 60 years but it would probably be Alien place to him now because it will be changed so much from when him and his 4 brothers leftt.But I need to bring him home before he kicks the bucket because he's really getting old now and in his late seventies..

[@TheBritishMidwife]

Thank-you Ireland.🇮🇪 We appreciate it.🇬🇧

[@PLuMUK54]

It certainly does change a lot here. As an example, this was yesterday for me in Central England: I woke to torrential rain. By the time I got downstairs, it had stopped but remained cloudy. By nine, it was sunny and mild enough to have the garden door open. For a short time, the sky was blue and cloudless. By the time I'd finished chores, it was cold and cloudy. At lunchtime, the sun came out again, with rain and cold. During the afternoon, it clouded over and became mild. By six, it was raining hard again. By the time I went back upstairs, it was cloud free, and the moon was lighting up the garden. It was a mild night. This is a fairly typical day at the moment. Thankfully, we have largely avoided Storm Ciarán. When I go out for a day trip in the summer, I always have certain things in the car, even if it is a warm and sunny day - umbrella, sweater, light weight coat, hat. That way, I can be sure that I've got every possible weather covered for a summer day.

[@nightowl5395]

Yes, a good example...I was just thinking "well, he has picked the right week to do a video on this" 😅 (and so true about taking things to cover all eventualities on a summer day out)

[@littlewoodimp]

I wonder if part of the tourist information for visiting the UK is "Do pack a warm, waterproof coat!"

[@reactingtomyroots]

Wow! Yeah, definitely sounds like you'd have to be prepared for any situation.

[@AlexaFaie]

Yeah you have to have the "elephant repellent" as my Mum calls it. If you don't have a brolly/coat with you it will rain. If you carry a particularly heavy one its almost guaranteed to be schorching & making you regret bringing it.

[@johnt8998]

Some one once said, "The British summer is made up of three sunny days and a thunder storm". To say that the British weather is unpredictable, is a bit of an understatement. 🙂

[@Gambit771]

Expect that statement is just false.

[@Spr1ggan87]

In Scotland we say 4 seasons in 1 day

[@Greenwood4727]

same in the north west of england @@Spr1ggan87

[@white-dragon4424]

We've just had a summer that was almost totally unbroken hot weather, with temps reaching 33C! Even in October I was still wearing shorts and a t-shirt!

[@Gambit771]

@@white-dragon4424 and yet I still heard the same whines when it rained for an hour once that how typical it was it always rains and we never get any sun.

[@stevewallace1387]

If you are sitting anywhere here in the uk a stranger will start talking too you about the weather it's totally true lol

[@keefsmiff]

I love British weather.. I love the 4 seasons ,I love the long days , I look forward to the long dark nights , and then I moan about them when they come , but it makes the coming spring and summer time change all the better ...

[@CarolWoosey-ck2rg]

Couldn't agree more 😊

[@contessa.adella]

Fair appraisal I’d say…

[@beccabbea2511]

When we get to the longer nights the day I love the most is the 21 December. I thought I was being daft and then someone else said the same. That's the shortest day of the year and the nights start getting just a bit shorter everyday. Like you I love the seasons, the gradual changes each year brings, I never tire of them. I remember someone saying they would love to live where there is wall to wall sunshine. I remember saying 'no you wouldn't.' I have lived with wall to wall sunshine and it was so tiring. When it rains I remember when I was wishing it would rain and water our parched garden. No give me Britain and our very unpredictable weather and four seasons, even when I do grumble about the cold. 😄

[@reactingtomyroots]

I hear you! I'm the same way.

[@kougerat5388]

100% @@beccabbea2511

[@justme1111]

We don't tend to get extreme weather because the weather here never fully commits to any one state. It kind of just dabbles with each in turn, like dipping a toe in the water before deciding it's to cold and trying the next, never able to make its mind up and commit.

[@99fruitbat94]

That is poetry. What a lovely way to describe our weather ❤ Excellent 👍

[@gifttanz]

The tapas bar of weather.

[@Jawa1604]

Last week I walked to the village shop and it was glorious sunshine. I was in there about 5 minutes buying what I wanted and chatting. I went to leave and it was heavy rain! As i had no coat I, and others waited a little bit until it eased up before walking home. 20 minutes later it was glorious sunshine again!

[@DougBrown-h1n]

And what did you talk about when you were waiting?.........

[@batman51]

That's called a shower.

[@Ruthy-F]

I always assumed this was normal in a lot of places around the world 😅

[@Dave-wm2xg]

Because we are an island the wind is also a factor, its so annoying like a nice sunny autumn day will feel pleasantly warm, but the the wind turns up and spoils it 😂

[@Jawa1604]

@@DougBrown-h1n Surprisingly rain (Shocking I know) but also Pumpkins!

[@Padraigofloinn]

I've just moved to Australia from Ireland and I always start a conversation with "aw it's hot today isn't it" and the aussies disagree with me and culturally I don't know how to navigate the conversation after that. This video just taught me about why it makes me awkward when they disagree.

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha yeah, I'm sure they're pretty used to it. :)

[@majorclanger8857]

As a full time gardener in the UK I can tell you I deal with the unpredictable weather everyday - i look at the weather forecast and radar every few hours to see how its changed and can never assume i wont rain. Just yesterday had a cool but sunny morning, had lunch came back outside to torrential rain and high winds from storm ciaran resulting in a temp drop of about 7 degrees, so yes i would say its accurate and ive worked in gardens all over the country and had the same experience theoughout the Uk

[@wullaballoo2642]

I always check the forecast but never trust it. It can say it's going to be dry all day with just 5% chance of rain then it pisses it down for 24 hours

[@reactingtomyroots]

Oh wow!

[@majorclanger8857]

@@wullaballoo2642 true, but its the best chance ive got xD

[@tonys1636]

Here in County Cork, Ireland we missed the worst of Storm Ciarán, just got the rain unlike Babette, she vented her full fury coinciding with a spring tide. We are both lucky with Domingos unlike mainland southern/central Europe.

[@colinmorrison5119]

The difference in seasons could be measured by the weight of jacket you put on. In Ireland, we know it's winter when we have to dig out The Big Coat. The only time an umbrella is not useful is in rare periods of blazing sun, or when the wind would destroy it. It's normal to check the weather forecast to plan your daily wardrobe, and include contingencies for those times it's not accurate.

[@christycullen2355]

Umbrellas are useless because of the wind

[@RoseRodent]

It's a very Scottish moment to realise you own an item of clothing called a "summer jumper"

[@colinmorrison5119]

@@RoseRodent Also duvets.

[@Youssii]

It went from sunny to pouring with rain while I watched this video. Had a young Nigerian guy stay at my place last year and he told me he’d thought that it was just a stereotype that we always talk about the weather, but that since he’d got here he understood exactly why we did it. He said that at home every conversation about the weather would be the same for weeks on end, but that he’d never been so cold, so wet or so hailed on in a single day as he had been here in the UK - and that was just “dry”, “sunny” London. 😂😅

[@BlameThande]

Ian Mcmillan and the late Martyn Wiley had a great poem/song about us talking about the weather.

[@31Blaize]

Had that same conversation with an Aussie good few years ago!

[@ellesee7079]

Sunny doesn't necessarily mean warm or hot, only in summer. We have sunny days in winter, but it can be quite chilly. Also we got all the moisture thats built up from the Atlantic that likes to fall once it gets here. We don't have the same land mass as the US for real extremes of weather.

[@sharronlewis3429]

🇬🇧 Hiya Steve, I'm a Northerner , we can get all 4 Seasons in an hour up North, 💨💦❄️⚡🌀🌝🌞, Love it. 😉

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah, that makes sense!

[@Oakey22]

@@sharronlewis3429 Wouldnt want to live anywhere else other than a hot country lol

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@sharronlewis3429 Also for Steve. A Northerner is still a southerner to us Scottish people, as 'Northerner's refers only in context to England.

[@stevenmutumbu2860]

UMBRELLAS in even London don't helf not unless you need a free Parachutes never Gainge that Sunshine outside ypur door even summer time don't forget your Jacket pr court if you going far if you have have a car 2 and a Dovelt plus a shovel 😂😂 anything can Happen at the end of the Day its a very Small Island which conquered 1/3 of the World Including USA😊😂😂😂🎉❤❤

[@BlameThande]

Brandon Sanderson wrote a fantasy novel titled "The Way of Kings", and part of the gimmick of the setting is that the seasons come in random orders for a few weeks at a time, you get a month of Spring then a week of Winter then two weeks of Summer, etc... I honestly got halfway through it before I realised that was meant to be a 'weird fantasy world thing' because the UK is like that anyway :p

[@reactingtomyroots]

hahah! That's insane. And funny that it seemed normal to you 😂

[@hollywaller1265]

Haha, I've read those books and I hadn't even realised how odd it was until you pointed it out. Like obviously the time scales of months were clearly off but apart from that....

[@chrissaltmarsh6777]

From Mancester: 'If you can see the Pennines, it is going to rain. If you can't it is' I did get well lost on Bidean name Bian (Glencoe) when the weather changed from a pleasant clear day to socked-in mist in five minutes. It were grand.

[@gerardflynn3899]

At least here in Ireland we only have 3 types of weather. 1. Normal= Rain. 2. Unusual = Sunshine. 3. Rare = Snow.

[@smiley9872]

That’s the truth☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️

[@philiprowney]

80th Birthday tour of Ireland for my Dad [ from near Tullamore OG ] he said... "It's always fuken raining!"

[@reactingtomyroots]

😂

[@jonntischnabel]

Despite the temperature rarely going below zero. It feels much colder due to the winds, and very moist atmosphere. It is much more pleasant in the Alps, even well below zero, with dry, still air, and sunshine.

[@gruffrc]

People always think this is nonsense until they come here and experience it. The moist air chills to the bone.

[@ilalang514]

Growing up in a tropical country on the equator, I was used to all year long sun. When I was a little kid, I watched a movie setting in UK, and I decided that UK was the last country I'd like to visit because it looked wet, cloudy, and gloomy. But fate had it that I went to England to pursue my study. And was it gloomy? It was an understatement of the year. It rains all year round, even in the summer. Last month, I went back to my homeland, and my God ... I just couldn't stand the heat ... and it never crossed my mind that I'd be looking forward to going back to UK, but I did 😂.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

What? Nonsense. We get EVERY type of weather. Sun, gloom, rain, buckets, Storm, snow, blizzard, crystal cold, EVERYTHING. The temperatures swing from -10 to +35. I went sailing in may in the Solent one year. 2 meter swells and -30 with the wind chill.

[@MRAPEXPREDATOR1]

Doesn’t rain all year around where I live? Regularly gets to 30’s in the summer and lately high 30’s. Doesn’t really drop below 0c even in January. Not too bad to be honest compared to some other European countries that have feet or snow. May snow a hand full of times and nothing that doesn’t clear after a few hours.

[@Bannedchan]

Summer isnt as hot here as many places but its a horrible humid heat, which makes it feel 10 times worse that hotter dry weather Rest time its dull, cloudy or wet.

[@darrenj.griffiths9507]

Hi Steve. A typical example is now. 5 minutes ago the sun was out, it's cold as we're coming into winter, but it's bright with warm patches. Now, it's raining. Here, it's like the weather itself doesn't know what to do. Frustrating because you'll find us taking an umbrella when it's dry and the sun's out, in case it rains.

[@reactingtomyroots]

I don't blame you! I would too.

[@Ayns.L14A]

Hi Steve, the coldest temperatures ever recorded in the UK was -27.2 C or -16.97 freedom units that was in Scotland 1895,1982 and 1995 while the hottest was 43.3C or 109.94 freedom units 2022..

[@josiecoote8975]

What's Freedom units? Are they the same as Fahrenheit?

[@Ayns.L14A]

@@josiecoote8975 lol yes

[@JakeMcb]

@@Ayns.L14A ahaa Freedom units thats a good one gotta start using that.

[@raystewart3648]

That 2022 heatwave was hotter than Greece. I was there and had 2 days left. Getting the plane at Heathrow it was like going in to a jungle. Wish u stayed in cool Greece.

[@littleannie390]

We do have a hot summers or colder winters but they are they don’t happen often. We had a heatwave last year and a few days where the temperatures reached high 30s to 40 degrees (100 Fahrenheit). This is very unusual as our summer temps are normally more around the 65 to 75 Fahrenheit level. We get the occasional very dry spell and then everyone worries about water shortages. I still remember the drought of 1976 when it didn’t rain for 3 months. We have frost in winter and sometimes snow but it doesn’t usually last very long, unless you live in the north of England or Scottish highlands. In autumn and winter we do sometimes get storms coming in from the Atlantic with high winds and heavy rain. The west of the country is wetter than the east.

[@dernwine]

Yes. You have to agree even if you disagree. Eg "Nice weather isn't it?" "Yes, bit nippy though." Or "Isn't it nice and warm today?" "Yes, but you know, I kind of like it when it's cold."

[@philipc2025]

Hi Steve. I used to live in a West London suburb. Thankfully being in the Thames Valley we had a micro climate, so when there was any rubbish weather going around it wasn't so intense for us. Now I am in Bournemouth in Dorset on the south coast. Here we have a great micro climate. A few winters ago the forcast was for snow to come up from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and across to Hampshire overnight. In the morning there was no snow, not even a light dusting. When I watched the weather forcast that morning they showed what happened overnight. The snow did exactly what was forcast, however, the map showed a dome over Poole and Bournemouth where no snow fell. It avoided us and carried on into Hampshire. So I was able to go to work. The only problem was that the chefs in the work's canteen lived in Hampshire and were snowed in. So no hot food for lunch.

[@jaqkhan113]

I've lived in Bournemouth since I was three and this is very true. Snow is a lot rarer here than 10 miles in any other direction and I've often driven to work in rain and ended up dealing with snow. Then I drive back into the rain at the end of the day.

[@alexreichert6752]

My grandfather used to say of Scotland, "If you can see the hills, it's gonna rain. If you can't, it's raining already"

[@JackieOckwell-oc4ho]

Most weather forecasting services in the UK update their predictions very frequently - every 2 hours or less. You can check the forecast for the day when you get up - and an hour later, it could be very different. The key is to always be prepared!

[@reactingtomyroots]

That's pretty crazy!

[@rogu3rooster]

Yesterday storm Ciaran was blowing over and today it's nice and sunny, typical British weather

[@grendel1960a]

typical example, yesterday storm with 60mph winds, today calm and sunny

[@ChrisCooper312]

The biggest influence on the UK weather is the Jet Steam. This not only can whip storms over from the Caribbean (in winter we get a regular steam of former hurricanes coming across), but it tends to act as a divider between the warmer tropical weather and the colder arctic weather. If it sits over us, we get unpredictable and often stormy weather. We had that most of the summer. If it sits above us, we often get settled dry weather (heatwaves in the summer, mild weather in winter). If it sits south we get more arctic weather, settled but freezing in winter, cool in summer. Another issue with British weather is that it's quite benign, but that means it doesn't take a big shift to change it. Take temperature. If its 25deg C, a 5 degree drop is still warm, a 5 Deg rise is still hot. If it's -5C, 0 or -10 is still freezing. The UK is often 15-20C, comfortable. It only takes a 5 degree change though and it's cold, or hot. Also, because our weather is quite benign, we we're not adapted to the extremes. We don't get enough snow to make investing in snow clearance machines or winter tyres worthwhile, and most people don't even have clothes suited to proper winter weather. On the other hand it's not hot enough most of the year to make air-conditioning viable, both for homes and a lot of businesses. We also don't have the siesta culture that a lot of warmer countries have.

[@SlackHoffman]

I’m an American 🇺🇸 who grew up on the south coast of the Dorset/Hampshire (UK 🇬🇧)border and the climate there was really incredibly mild with much warmer winters than any of the midwestern USA 🇺🇸 . The south coast winters were very much like SW Coastal Oregon ….Great video Steve 🙌

[@leskeen4104]

We live on an island, we have the Atlantic on one side and the North Sea on the other, surrounded by water we are subject to so many things which impact our weather and that's what makes it so interesting.

[@philipc2025]

Hi Steve. The Gulf Stream means that even when you have a heavy covering of snow we don't despite being on the same latitudes, giving us milder winters than yours. Northern England and Scotland get more snow than the southern parts of England. The Jet Stream also plays a major part in deciding what our weather will be. The trouble is that it moves around a lot. If we end up north of it cold air is dragged down from the North Pole., If we are lucky enough to be south of it warm air is drawn up from the south. As mentioned in the video, we also get the tail end of your storms. Many years ago I drove down to Gatwick Airport to see a Spanish friend before she hired a car to go up north on business. It was a beautiful sunny day with a clear blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. After catching up for a few hours we went out separate ways. I was stunned to find that it had started snowing, so I could only do no more than 40 MPH as the visibility was so bad. With snow settling it was hard to keep in lane. The only good thing about that day, apart from catching up with a friend, was that we only had two seasons in a day instead of four. Another time my work mates and I decided that we would plan a day out in a few months time, we even arranged a back up day in case the first one was rained off. Both days were rained off and we never did have our day out. This was in the summer.

[@davidranger4468]

Interesting that you mentioned the jet stream and the video didn't. You're absolutely right on the money, the jet stream is the force behind so much of our weather's unpredictability

[@samc8721]

My favourite is walking into the cinema when it’s a sunny clear blue sky - not a cloud to be seen. You come out two hours later and the sky is still completely clear and yet everything is wet so it clearly filled with clouds, rained, and they disappeared during that time.

[@EtherealSunset]

Then you see the people wandering around looking like drowned rats who were clearly out in it, but now look odd as it's a lovely day and they're soaking.

[@stuartfitch7093]

The weather in the UK is very changeable. It can be bright sunshine, blue sky and yet it's raining. It can start raining then stop after five minutes, then you get bright sunshine for ten minutes then it rains again. You can have bright sunshine, particularly this time of year, but it's deceptive because it's warm behind glass but once you get outside you find out it's a winter sun with no warmth to it and so it's actually cold outside. Then you might get wind come into the mix. This can be a warm breeze or a freezing cold gust depending on if it's summer or winter and if it's come from the west on the gulf stream or if it's come from the east from Russia and Scandanavia. We even gave a saying "It's too cold to snow". This is because the UK is so damp at times that when it is cold, it's a seeping, penetrating cold that makes it feel colder than it really is. An example of this is when you look at the weather on your phone and it says it's 15c but the real feel temperature reading when wind and rain is taken into account might be 10c. Though we can get periods of a week or two where the weather matches the season such as dry and warm in the summer, it's never too long before it becomes unpredictable again and we get a sudden downpour.

[@leewillshire5763]

In England and Wales we get 'Cold Snaps' where it dips down to -6 but not every year. In Scotland it is a different picture with the Highlands having much lower temperatures for prolonged periods.

[@Rachel_M_]

He says we don't have tornados. We get around 30 small tornados a year and rarely need a warning. There was a tornado in Birmingham in 2005 which left some properties damaged.

[@rogoth01themasterwizard11]

something to mention specifically about this video, the vast majority of the time he's talking in generalities, and rarely talks about specifics, when he mentioned that the temperature 'rarely drops below freezing', that's talking about cities and well built up areas of the country which tend to see much milder low temperatures than out in the middle of nowhere, furthermore, the more north you go the colder things get, even in cities and built up areas, especially in the more mountainous and hilly regions, as an example over the winter period it's very normal for London and the south east to get 8-10 degrees at the height of winter, whereas up north it's hovering at freezing more often than not just below freezing, and at night can and does drop to -5 or -6 when it gets really cold, whereas in London at night on the same day, you would be looking at 2-4 degrees above freezing. there's also regions that see disproportionate amounts of rainfall/sunshine etc relative to the average again due partially to geography as well as other factors in play also.

[@mamabearandcubs7701]

😂 We love it, it keeps us guessing and we go out prepared for anything! Umbrella, sun cream, t-shirt, jumper (in the car along with the blanket we always keep in the car), fold up rain Mac in your bag..... who'd live anywhere else!!!!! 🤣😂😱😲☔

[@stephwaite]

Not me. Although I don't care for the short days/long nights of winter, I do love being wrapped up warm in bed listening to the rain on the windows, and I really love the long days/short nights of summer. Most summer evenings we go for a walk, even if it rains and it will still be really Iight, and how fantastic is the midsummer solstice with 17 hours of sunlight. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

[@Jenel_79]

During the winter it can regularly drop to -1 maybe -3 celcius through the night if it's been a clear sky, especially in the north. But to be honest, the temperature is always wrong because of the "wind-chill factor" what that basically means is that the weather forcast will say it's 3 degrees but will feel like -1. Our weather is not unpredictable, it's an anomoly. I live in the North East of England, and have worked with many Canadians, and they've all complained that it's too cold. Even though it's reaching temperatures that they're used to, that wind-chill will just cut right through you and chill you to the bone no matter what you're wearing.

[@barrywood7322]

The cold in the UK seems worse than other countries is because it’s damp and chills you the the bone, I’ve lived in Canada where the temperature drops a lot lower than here but it’s a dry cold and doesn’t feel as bad. Saying that as a ex postie i still wear shorts and tee shirts all year.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah, I could see that. The dampness would definitely make it worse!

[@trevorgoddard2278]

Truly crazy weather is rare, I still remember the 10 minute walk I took nearly 30 years ago that started in the sun, but had rain, sleat, hail, snow, some more sleat and then rain before the sun came out again. But uncertainty about whether it will rain in the next half hour is quite common here in the southeast of England, indeed I am sitting here writing this comment trying to decide when and even if I will walk down to Aldi to do some grocery shopping today, or if I will leave it until tomorrow. For those of us who have decided for one reason or another to rely on public transport, the bicycle, and shanks' pony (walking), the most important app on our phones is the Met Office app, specifically the rainfall/precipitation map functions which makes such decisions more reliable (but not 100% certain), having finished this comment I will now check the app and make up my mind.

[@99fruitbat94]

It rained so heavily here in Kent the other night it woke me up . Absolutely pounding down. About an hour later I walked into work in a light drizzle . Seven hours later I walked home wearing my sunglasses because it was so sunny.

[@justme1111]

A couple of weeks ago I remember having rain,snow,sleet,hail and beautiful sunshine all in about an hour!

[@ltrtg13]

I actually looked at the Latitude of the UK. As the Earth is round his zones didn't reflect that. The UK is actually at the same Latitude as Alaska.

[@heidimarie1198]

Yep. I live in a Microcosm - My area is surrounded by hills. So surrounding areas have huge storms - im basking in sun in my pop up pool watching it with a drink in my hand !!!

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

In my area , Northamptonshire, the weather men get it spot on, even down to the exact time it will start raining. Like the song goes "4 seasons in one day". The windier it is, the more changeable weather we get.

[@enemde3025]

Hello from Corby

[@samstevens7888]

Hi from Northampton Town lol

[@AngelaH2222]

We're fortunate that the storms run out of puff after they get past Derby or Brum, , I admit I check the forecast several times a day to be sure of keeping up with changes in the predictions, , I'm glad to live on a bit of a hill in town, and don't have to worry about mopping out like in Jimmy's end or Cotton

[@samstevens7888]

@@AngelaH2222 I'm just down the road from Jimmy's end. But I back on to the river and pocket park so need extreme rain for me to flood. Even the floods nearly 30 years ago in Jimmy's end only just touched the back of my garden. But I do check the weather. I'm British so it's allowed lol

[@Andy-xt3mh]

Ahh the great floods of 98 I remember it well. Then they built on the flood plans at Upton and decided anyone living at Billing caravan park were sacrificial.

[@grahamsibbert2412]

Nialcurran. Being an Englishman, I am eternally grateful for you shielding us from a lot of the bad weather.

[@shaunwild8797]

In the summer it's normally predictable apart from an odd rain showers. Although unpredictable the rest of the year It's not as bad as this video makes out.

[@QPRTokyo]

Really. I saw an American study a few years ago that would disagree. I have lived in the UK and Japan . Tokyo weather is so much more predictable. We are talking about predicting the weather. Unless you have lived outside of the British Isles for many years you don’t get it. You can have one August in the UK and can be cool and wet next year could be mixed or a sunny couple of weeks. In Tokyo you know what you are getting. Typhoons are the only thing that disturbs things but you get plenty of warning.

[@SteeJansify]

Central England here - I remember standing in a queue waiting to get in to a gig, all lined up along the pavement. It was hammering it down with rain. The pavement on the other side of the road was dry and in bright sunshine. The whole queue just migrated across the road for 10 minutes, maintaining perfect order, and came back when the random patch of torrential rain moved on.

[@AlwaysRightAllNight]

We are starting to get hot in summer. Like it was either this year or last year that we went up to 40C' (104F'). Which might not be too hot for those who are used to the heat. But considering we live in brick houses with most of them not having an AC, it was like torture.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah that does sound pretty awful!

[@AlwaysRightAllNight]

@@reactingtomyroots it was to be honest. Very humid.

[@stevekenilworth]

in 1808 UK got to 38C, guess what 50 million people less and a lot less concrete jungles / back tar roads a lot more forest and farmland. very normal to see 40c due to how built up we are also that year was the year of airport records, weather stations next to miles concrete. that day the first record to be broken London Gatwick Airport, wind direction from South / s west so the weather station south airport 36c but the one just after the airport to the west 39c they 2.2 miles from each other that is huge difference airports make 3c difference in few miles. if in 1808 if uk was as built up as now high chance it would seen 40 plus C, we get hot years we always have but not so often through history, temperatures were five to seven degrees [Celsius] [9-13 °F] above the normal values for the 20th century, in many places summer temperatures must have exceeded 40 °C (104 °F). Many forests in Europe went up in flames, choking smoke darkened the sun, not a single thunderstorm was reported in the summer of 1540. Water was already scarce in May, wells and springs dried up, mills stood still, people starved, livestock was slaughtered. Estimates are that in 1540 half a million people died. all we need is a locking jet that it we get heat or crazy cold just need low or high pressure locked in the wrong place we will see these events

[@AlwaysRightAllNight]

@@stevekenilworth I never said we were the hottest or anything but the difference between us and mainland Europe is most of the mainland is built for warm temperatures such as Italy, Greece and Spain. We are not. We have thick walls made from brick and concrete, most places also have triple-glazing so that also keeps the heat in and no Air Conditioning. Also plenty of people have said the heatwaves abroad feel different to the ones over here. Not arguing just stating facts

[@ORDEROFTHEKNIGHTSTEMPLAR13]

I'm ENGLISH and I'm just learning about our weather here with you steven 😁👍

[@killakanzgaming]

Yeah, this year we went right from summer to winter and skipped autumn. The temps went from high 20s to single figures (Celsius) in about 3 days a few weeks back, and it's been chilly and damp ever since... Imagine a place where everybody's nursing sunburn while complaining about the cold and constant rain, yeah that's where we're at! Edit= oh yeah, and we've had 2 named storms in the last 2 weeks, with calm but cold sunny periods in between... The weather is just all over the place. It looks sunny and calm outside my window right now, but I've no idea how the weekend is going to be...

[@AlexaFaie]

And its the scale of it too. With the storm here it got a bit windy, but not as bad as its been here in previous years without a named storm. But about 30mins drive away a friend of mine was without running water as the storm had flooded the system & several thousand homes were without water for several days whilst they fixed the damage. 15mins the other direction it took the power out over a large area including where my partner works. Luckily they have a big generator for backup but it only powers the computers & lights so the place was without heat.

[@teresanew9247]

Packing for a weeks holiday away is a nightmare because we have to have clothes for hot ,cold, wet or dry. Even if the forecast is for a dry week you always expect it to rain anytime as it usually does!!!

[@harrywhiteley89]

Yeah the weather apps and stuff are like 60-75% effective, I think the UK invented most of the weather prediction technology but is in one of the hardest places to tell what the weather is gonna be like based on that data

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha that's pretty ironic!

[@leonbrooks2107]

I’m an engineer on the Water Network in Wales. Yesterday I started off with my Polo, sweatshirt, hoodie and fleece on as it was so cold, then it started to rain, then it was hailstones, then the sun came out, then it was 70+ mile winds, then the sun came back out before the rain came back extremely heavy as I was driving home.

[@russelltaylor7779]

It's not just because it's the UK, it all depends where you live within the UK. I live within what's called a rain shadow of some hills, this means any cloud has to climb over the rise of the hills with the prevailing wind. This means any moisture will condense and fall as rain within this shadow. I have left my house in torrential rain and driven 3 miles to glorious sunshine.

[@alexmckee4683]

Rain shadow means the opposite. It's an area that is drier than the surrounding region because the mountains/hills receive the moisture instead. Oxfordshire is in the rain shadow of the Cotswolds, most rain from the south-west falls on the scarp side of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. This makes Gloucestershire wetter on average than Oxfordshire, to such a degree that there are serious proposals for a water transfer scheme between the Severn and the Thames to redress the imbalance.

[@MrBulky992]

There's a difference between the actual temperature and how hot it feels. The dampness in the UK climate (humidity) makes it feel much colder in the winter (the chill factor) and, in heat waves, much hotter than the thermometer might lead you to believe.

[@duncanmacphee200]

We're a small, exposed island in the northern hemisphere, sat perfectly beneath the Gulf Stream. Yes, the weather is unpredictable for a good chunk of the year, but there's a great joy in having four seasons. If we have a good summer, it's nice to welcome the cooler Autumnal months (so many visitors can't bear the UK summers without AC - even Spanish, Italian and Americans struggle!) and, by the middle of February, the knowledge that Spring is just around the corner is a blessed relief from the utterly miserable January and February months. I would much rather have the UK weather than live in somewhere like Phoenix, where it rarely dips below 40 degrees for six months straight. It must be a living hell.

[@angeladormer6659]

Hi Steve, grumpy old lady here in England. I live in a small town in Middle England and I am one side of the town in cloudy, but dry weather and my son can be sat the other in rain and I never see the rain. Of course, we talk about the weather because we never can rely on our Meteorologists can't get it right. Not one TV channel will spout the same weather report. I have walked around in summer weight clothes in February and worn winter weight ones in July. I don't know what you are watching, but although we don't get snow any more regularly, although it's been predicted for this winter, it does get below freezing in winter. When I was a child we always got some snow in winter, but it didn't matter how cold it got, how foggy, how deep the snow was, we went to school. If the boiler broke down we kept our coats on in the classrooms. Yes we've had hot unbearably hot and humid summers, but this past summer has been a normal British summer. We talk about the weather as an icebreaker, because we are more reserved, we need a general subject to talk about with strangers before moving onto other topics. It's safe, non controversial. 👵🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌹🌹

[@frankgunner8967]

We're only a small country but at the moment there's storms and floods in large parts of England but where i am in London we had a bit of rain yesterday but it's been mostly dry it's nuts.

[@EtherealSunset]

We have a few old sayings here about the weather. "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight. Red sky at morning, shepherd's warning." and "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out." Both tend to actually hold some truth. The latter meaning not to put your winter layers away until May is out (even if you've had a nice start to May, the weather might still turn). Clout is cloak. The Red sky one tends to be true. We don't have red skies all the time, but when we do, if it's on a night, the next day is usually lovely, at least for the most part, itlf not all day. If it's red sky on a morning, even if the forecast claims it will be nice, pack your waterproofs, you'll need them.

[@FullwellMill-w4k]

May is out refers to the May flowers, i.e. Hawthorn, which is usually around May but varies each year - actually giving a better indication of how the weather is that oarticular year.

[@mysticpizza02]

We are a damp little island at the mercy of the Atlantic weather systems.

[@Herbie-Went-Bananas-Then-Split]

The guy in that video clip was talking out his backside when he said we tend not to get violent thunderstorms or dropping below zero.. he's obviously never checked the weather in the north of the UK.. I'm in the NW (Blackpool) and we are frequently battered throughout the year by storm after storm after storm, ie persistent heavy rain, high winds/gales, thunder & lightning. B/c we are by the sea, when it does it doesn't tend to lay due to the high salt air. This year, we have had just one month of sunshine, the rest of the months have been as I've described above. It's the only place on earth where we can have all four seasons in the one day ;-)

[@EtherealSunset]

He's clearly only talking about London and the South East.

[@carolnoble4615]

At one time the gulf stream used to go over the top Scotland but now it goes across the south of England.this changes the weather straight away. The more north you go the weather changes. One part can be sunny whilst another part just a few miles away it will be pouring down with rain. I remember once there was a snow storm went across North to South. Strong enough to halt two major football matches. I went to another part of this area and they admitted there had been no snow there.

[@mikekellow7777]

Living in Cornwall (UK) I can remember fishing on the south coast in November for 6 hours. In that time we had sunshine, then strong winds, then thunderstorms, then heavy snow, finishing off with a clear star lite night 🇬🇧

[@rupertharrison4977]

Probably the most important thing about the weather of these islands is that you are gifted with viewing the same amazing scenery, but in ever-changing light. This really makes you notice and appreciate living here!

[@lottieew135]

Yep! Yesterday (16/06/2024) was a really strange day for weather. Nice and warm in the morning, then a couple of hours where it was bucketing it down but mainly just over my hometown. My father in law was on his plot at the same time, called my husband up wanting to come round to work on our backyard, and was shocked with what my husband told him! His dad's plot is about a 30min drive away, and he was perfectly fine!

[@pipercharms7374]

It’s not THAT unpredictable but it can be unpredictable

[@KenFullman]

Depends on your criteria. What will the wether be next February? It may be a pleasant, warm sunny time of year or it could be 4 foot of snow. That's quite a bit more variable than most places in the world.

[@pipercharms7374]

@@KenFullman I was mean the snow thing, like it doesn’t just be sunny and clear day then start randomly snowing like they seemed to imply but that’s mainly what I was talking about 😅

[@hanzieslouise]

I remember april one year, I was at college outside in the smoking area, bright sunshine wearing a t-shirt, then all of a sudden heavy snow for 10 minutes. 5 minutes later it was bright sunshine again, like nothing had ever happened. If you're leaving the house in the uk, make sure to bring a coat because if you don't have one it will rain. It will probably rain if you do have one, but at least you're prepared

[@J75Pootle]

My favourite way I've heard UK weather described, was saying that we have 6 months of Spring and then 6 months of Autumn, we don't get any real summer or winter, but you can get weather typical of each of the 4 seasons in one day

[@reactingtomyroots]

That doesn't sound too bad actually! Summer and winter are the worst seasons anyway. :)

[@HaydnRees]

I remember being asked by an American tourist whether he should be dressing for Sun or Rain. I answered "Yes." If you don;t like the weather, just gie it 20 minutes.

[@FamusJamus]

If you prepare for rain, it probably won't rain.

[@Obi-J]

Yeah but if you forget your coat, the chance is you'll end up getting soaked.

[@richt71]

Hi Steve. Living in London it can be milder and drier than many Northern parts. London generally only sees snow once every 4/5 years. Day time temperatures remain in the 40's in winter as a rule. We also (apart from last year) see highs in the 80's and never hotter. Today in outer London the high is a cool 54f.

[@lucylane7397]

It’s warmer in the west of Scotland than London in winter

[@reactingtomyroots]

Wow, I didn't realize snow was that rare there.

[@richt71]

@@reactingtomyroots It is in many places in the South including London. Parts of Scotland have a ski season!

[@frankmitchell3594]

There is an folk saying; "Rain before seven, fine before eleven". Rain bands are about 40 miles wide and cross the country at about 10 miles per hour on average. So rain generally lasts about four hours.

[@martchristy9981]

This was not an atypical day. We were not prepared [In U.K it seems no one is ever prepared] for the sudden changes. We had a short walk ahead, about two miles. The day had been fine so far - Bright sunshine, 70 F. Good walking weather. We had only T shirt and jeans on. There was no cover, no buildings. On this walk it became cloudy, then windy, then hailing, then a full storm with thunder, lightning and all. As we reached our destination the clouds cleared, rain and hail stopped, the wind dropped and it became bright and warm again! Of course we were drenched to the skin. And all this was in just a few minutes. UNPREDICTABLE??? Not quite the word I used!!! But then again, it was just a typical British summer.

[@davidwalker1652]

One thing worth noting: although temperatures stay relatively moderate in the UK, we have high humidity pretty much all the time. This constant moisture makes cold temperatures feel colder, and hot temperatures feel more sweltering. I have a Swedish friend who, despite being used to winter snow and below-freezing temperatures in Sweden, says UK winters feel colder because of the humidity! I've found hot temperatures in dry parts of Africa much easier to bear than some hot sweaty English summer days, despite it being much cooler here. This makes things feel more extreme than they are, and causes even more conversations and complaints about the weather!

[@carllawrenczuk9173]

You're never more than 70 miles from the sea in the UK that is the reason the weather can turn so quickly. Not complicated really 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@nolimittolearning4414]

Lot more to it than that. Look at coastal France, Spain, Portugal. It’s more predictable. Look at the Channel Islands, you’re never more than a few miles from the sea and yet their weather is noticeably more stable than the UK. You have to take the polar vortices, Gulf Stream, that pass by us into consideration. Warm moist air and cold dry air don’t play nice together (same effect when warm air is push up hills/mountains toward cold). But yes, being a lump of rock in the ocean does contribute a considerable amount to our climate.

[@shelleyjackson8793]

I don't wish to seem pedantic but the nearest beach to me is 89 miles.

[@nolimittolearning4414]

As the crow flies, the furthest you can be from the nearest coastline(beaches don’t cover all coastline) is 70 miles. It’s some village in Derbyshire.

[@ladydrackoni8160]

I have seen it a few times when it is sunny and blue skies outside the front door, and dull skies and rain out back in the garden. Used to fascinate me as a kid lol

[@christineharding4190]

I remember on a beautiful day in July several years ago, I was walking along Whitehall; the sky was a brilliant blue, the sun was bright but it was absolutely freezing! Many tourists were caught out by the sunshine and assumed it would be warm. Poor souls, there they were in summer clothes - shorts and T shirts and there was me, a local, wearing a coat. We just go prepared.

[@1nikg]

There's people in the comments saying its not that unpredictable or extreme.... Theyve never been to Scotland then. It's not all the time but it does happen

[@vespasian266]

Our rain starts its life in the Caribbean, it drifts up north wetting the east coast then flicks across the Atlantic smashing into Ireland then dissipating over Britain. what causes the confusion is the jet steam, it whips the rain anywhere it wants in hrs.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Ah yeah, that makes sense.

[@jackiejamieson3835]

It's why it is such a stunning Island and the folk from Scotland are stunning too.......xx😊

[@carlchapman4053]

England is one of only two countries in the world on the cross section of four different weather fronts (The second is New Zealand) and so our weather can change drastically over a few hours if they are fighting above us. Depending on the time of year one is usually dominant but that only means that is it the most likely weather we get but we have had snow in summer during Wimbledon (Tennis) and a heat wave during Christmas (winter) but normally we have whatever the sky thinks is funny at the time! Edit - This is why we talk about the weather a lot, every day is different and almost always annoying in some manner. Edit 2 - The agreement is social convention but opinions can be added afterwards, i.e. "It's really hot today? Yes, but not that bad I prefer it hotter myself"

[@elemar5]

So Scotland Wales and Ireland don't come in to it?

[@lornabinnions6850]

Yup, our weather is definitely changeable. I once drove through sun, driving rain and snow on a twenty minute journey! 😊

[@greenmoose_]

I think in my experience within a day or two the weather is FAIRLY predictable... but for instance recently the longer terms forecasts said a huge storm was coming to the UK and sure enough, the south of the country has had horrendous weather, rain, wind, flooding, trees down, property damage... but I live further north and the day before it hit the forecast changed and to be honest, its been quite nice the past few days. Maybe I'm lucky - but these snap changes of weather people complain about are kind've unusual and people just like to complain very loudly about events that aren't the norm. This is my experience in the part of the country where I live. Generally the weather really isn't that bad.

[@Cunning.Stunt7]

Ditto!!! I'm quite confused by comments too... im nr Stonehenge (South Wiltshire) 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@steveclarke6257]

The one thing that was not included in the video was the "Jet Stream" and this effects the boundaries between "Warmer air from the South" and the cooler "Polar Air to the North". The jet stream does not stay at a single constant latitude it moves both slightly North and South and the British isles sits right in the middle of that range; add that to the "wetter maritime climate" and we sit in the "big zone of uncertainty" of the variable of how much moisture the air will hold and the fact that there is a big lines hills the middle of England at various points, it explains why we have certain "microclimates" in various spots.

[@GoldenKaos]

British weather can be so mild that I could literally wear the same getup in the middle of winter as I could in the middle of summer - yes, one would be colder than the other, and I would need to keep the rain in mind, but jeans, t-shirt, hoodie and some flip flops or trainers/sneakers will do me fine all year round.

[@EtherealSunset]

Lucky you. I need layers in North East England to keep the damp out of my joints. With the extra humidity from the sea and the not uncommon Scandinavian and Siberian blasts hitting us, layers are definitely needed if you're not moving around too much. That said, I was doing manual work outside last winter and I'd start with loads of layers on after sitting around waiting for the bus to get there and end up in a short sleeved t-shirt as the day went on and I was working hard. They were very exposed sites too. It keeps you warm moving around a lot and doing something strenuous. I always have warm sock on and waterproof/warmer footwear in the snow.

[@GoldenKaos]

@@EtherealSunset Sounds like a skill issue, shoulda been born 200 miles to the South

[@jonjakb5193]

I like the sunny frosty mornings

[@phoenixheart79]

The weather can be unpredictable, but not usually as rapidly as the video implies. I remember visiting Robin Hoods Bay (near Whitby) and remember it being a pleasant March evening, t-shirt weather. We went to bed and in the morning we were snowed in lol Edit: Also, be aware of sarcastic weather questions, eg its raining heavily during the summer someone might open with "Lovely weather we're having, eh?"

[@EtherealSunset]

Very true. There's also the reply to "How are you?" that's only said when it's miserable "Better than the weather."

[@mattlm64]

The guy said there are no tornados, but actually there are more tornados per area in England than any other country. However, these tornados are usually too mild to even notice with a few exceptions.

[@oufc90]

This is hugely dramatised. It’s relatively unpredictable, sure. But it’s really not that extreme

[@cliffbetton8893]

When I was at school, on my Birthday (19th June) I was doing athletics on the playing field and standing in the high jump area in spikes and shorts (no vest) because it was so hot. I was then standing there all of a sudden with SNOW swirling all around me! Yes it does change in the space of a minute.

[@rogerbarrett8744]

It is not unpredictable, we have probably one of the finest weather prediction services in the world in the Met Office. We happen to have our island at the crossroads of weather systems which create distinct but varied weather patterns. We were able to predict to 24hrs what the weather would be doing on D-Day, allowing it to go ahead, taking the Nazis partially by surprise.

[@hollibobs6428]

Two words for you Michael Fish.

[@trevorgoddard2278]

True but the reason for having the finest weather prediction service in the world, is the apparently unpredictable weather. There is a very large percentage of Brits who use the Met Office website and/or app to make day-to-day and even hour-to-hour decisions, because looking out the window is a useless method of guageing today's or even the next five minute's weather.

[@rogerbarrett8744]

@@hollibobs6428 one instance, is that all you've got?

[@grokitall]

This was because we needed a three day period that was good enough. What was good enough was set by needing weather which allowed air cover and didn't get all the troops sea sick, balanced by the fact that if we missed June, we would probably need to wait another year. This is a different standard to knowing if your school fair is going to get rained off.

[@HAYDNBBH]

Every winter we get below 0. For January February it's often below 0 when I wake up and gets to 3 or 4 in the day

[@sharonmartin4036]

As a child we often visited my Dad's sister who lived in a crofters cottage in the Hebrides. To warm our beds in winter she wrapped heated bricks in towels and placed them under the covers by our feet. (Hot water bottles got cold in a very short time and the bricks held the heat longer.) We would be cosy and warm under the feather quilts, but in the morning there would occasionally be small icicles hanging on the inside of the windows. That is COLD but it's also the extreme.

[@rosspearson2805]

the warm air from the gulf stream shifts and mixes with cold poler air and were an island. so it can be sunny and cold. or warm in the winter. our heat comes from the sun and also the gulf stream. but also we can get northern winds blasting cold air down in the summer. it also rains alot but its not heavy. multiple short 30 min light drizzle showers a day is normal. throw in a random 5 min hail storm

[@patricialewis1464]

In summer I wear three light layers which I can remove one by one if necessary - also a hoodie or cardigan which I can put on if it suddenly gets chilly- and I never go anywhere without a small fold up umbrella. We don’t mind it. It’s just a part of life!

[@kentvespa]

I’m a postal worker and I get weather comments all the time when I go to doors. When it’s hot the public will say ‘must be lovely doing your job in this’…me ‘no, I’m literally cooking from the outside in!’ or they come to the door when it’s lashing it down and comment ‘is it raining’ when your standing there looking like a human waterfall! Spring and Autumn are the best seasons, not too hot and not too cold 👍

[@candesta]

Scotland in winter is often below zero Celsius.

[@aimeedean1]

Think "Four Seasons in One Day" is our anthem. I know of days where you get rain, sun, snow, windy and that can be in the space of an hour. Today we've had rain, cold wind and sunshine here in Devon. That lot in the space of 5 minutes.