A downpour of pleasantries | Maciej Kościanek

Maciej Kościanek

It’s always raining. It’s cloudy. And if you go out, an umbrella is mandatory. People who have never experienced life in Great Britain may think that the weather there is terrible. Is it true, however? Not necessarily. The weather is as diverse as the country’s culture and dialects. Hence, if you are planning to visit Great Britain, you need not worry about the weather so much.

Looking at the map of the UK, we may deduce that the weather is generally wetter on the west than on the east coast. The Gulf Stream brings warm water from the Caribbean to North West Europe. Many mountains on the west coast of Britain cause westerly winds to rise, which cools the air and consequently contributes to the formation of clouds. Thus, the west of Britain is more likely to receive rainfall as opposed to the east.

When moving to Britain, or simply coming there on holiday, you should indeed prepare yourself for a slightly different aura. The English climate is quite temperate, much more so than, for example, that in Poland. This means that winter in Britain is relatively warm, thanks to the Gulf Stream. During winter the average temperature is a little over 0oC, whilst it hovers around 18oC in summer, making it not as rainy as many people would think. You may expect to experience “four seasons in one day” but of course it may be grey and gloomy, plus it rains at times, just as in any other European country.

Similar to how local weather clichés are not totally accurate, neither is the assumption that the ordinary Englishmen only talk about the weather. It is a question of culture. When it comes to icebreakers in Europe, usually the only form of fulfilling this courteous duty is through shaking hands and introducing oneself. The Englishman, however, will also ask the other person how they are and soon after receive a wellworn answer: “I’m OK.” The next step is making small talk. At this point, the weather comes to the rescue as simply another exchange of courtesies.

Some people love this weather, others hate it. The Met Office, which monitors and forecasts the weather for the UK, suggests that there are eleven distinct weather regions in Britain. This makes the UK an exciting and fascinating place to explore. It may be unpredictable, but at least it is never boring!