People in the UK love to talk about the weather and there are two main seasons they like to talk about the most; Summer and Winter. Right now it’s winter in the UK and we thought it would be useful for everyone working with people in the UK to know a little more about the British winter.
Winter in the UK is normally very wet. It rains….and rains….and rains. It certain parts of the country it is common for it to rain every day for a month. The word winter can often mean snow for many countries but this is not common in most of the UK. The rain causes a lot of mud and large puddles of water in the road and on pavements.
Winter also means lots of wind in the UK. Wind speeds of up to 80mph are common during storms at this time of year so fallen trees something you will see after a storm. The British Meteorological Office or Met Office now name storms. Each one gets a letter from the alphabet and the UK is already on Eleanor.
While the UK may not always see lots of snow in the winter ice is common. The term “frost” is used to describe ice covering plants, roads and windows and is usually seen in the morning. Frosts are common across the country and heavy frosts can lead to people falling over in the street and even car crashes.
Temperatures in the UK do not get as cold as many other countries but that does not stop the British people talking about how cold it is. Winter temperatures do not go much lower than 0 degrees Centigrade or 32 degrees Fahrenheit very often. They can actually stay a few degrees higher for most of the winter but with the wind and rain this can feel very cold.
This winter has been one the British people will enjoy talking about for a long time. A large part of the country was covered in snow which lead to transport problems and loss of power to many homes. On top of this certain parts of the UK have had large amounts of rain in a short time. The mud and water on the roads and in gardens is more than other years.
The word moaning is a common English term to describe saying how bad things are. British people enjoy moaning about the weather and the 2017-18 Winter has caused a lot of moaning. If you work with people who live in the UK asking them about the weather will be a great way to start a conversation.
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