4 Seasons of the UK
As autumn is here and winter is on its way, I’d like to talk about the seasons today.
I’m going to be sharing my views on the seasons and what the seasons are like in the UK. I’ll also talk a bit about British customs and attitudes in each season as well as some useful phrases.
Why do British people always talk about the weather?
I have some ideas on this question. First, it’s always changing. There’s always something new to talk about. It’s also a great way to start a conversation because everyone has an opinion about it. It’s a non-offensive way to break the ice. Talking about the weather doesn’t risk offending anyone, so it’s a safe place to start.
Is English weather really that bad?
In my personal experience, no. Maybe British people just like to complain more? I’m really not too sure.
I actually like the weather here. We have four distinct seasons with a range of temperatures, but nothing too uncomfortable. It’s a temperate climate so we don’t have extremes of any temperature. I feel quite lucky really.
Let's Talk about the Seasons
Autumn
Autumn (or “Fall” in the US) is a great time of year. I start to get the feeling of hyyge, which is a Danish word referring to the feeling of cosiness in colder months.
It’s nice to snuggle up with a blanket with a hot drink and something to watch, read or listen to.
I get the sense that sometimes, Autumn will just forget to turn up in the UK and it will seem to go from summer to winter in a day. That’s always a bit annoying!
Winter
Winter can sometimes feel like it lasts for 8 months of the year. I love winter, but sometimes the cold drags on for too long. Here in the south, we may get a powdering of snow in late winter – like February or March.
Sometimes it will drop to below freezing, other years it will stay at 10 degrees for months.
One thing that’s interesting is days get very short! The 21st of December is the start of winter and the shortest day of the year. The sun rises at about 8am and sets before 4pm.
Spring
Things start to spring into life around this time (to appear suddenly). There are so many beautiful wildflowers and baby animals, like lambs. It’s a nice time to spend in the UK.
We don’t really have a rainy season here, but perhaps spring could be considered one. I think we get the most rain in the springtime, so keep that in mind if you think about travelling in the spring.
Summer
Summer can be quite mild here. 20 degrees celcius is quite normal and considered hot, but recently it’s been getting up to 30 more often. When it gets above 20 even for 1 day, everyone goes crazy! People drive to the beach and take their clothes off even when going shopping. I think the reason for this excitement is we don’t know when the sun will appear again
Days also get very long. June 21st is the longest day where the sun rises at quarter to 5 in the morning and gets at about half-past nine.
Vocabulary
- Chilly (3:46) – A little cold
- Temperate (8:51) Not too hot and not too cold
- To snuggle up (10:15) – To get warm and cosy with a blanket, person, or something else soft
- Nippy (11:31) – A bit cold
- Porch (13:12) – The part of your house you enter in and leave your shoes
- To carve (13:27) – to cut and shape something with a knife
- To spring (17:30) – To jump or bounce up suddenly
Join Level Up English
Sign up to Level Up English to access online courses and join our global learning community.
Sign Up
In Saudi Arabia in summer the temperature is reach to 50 degrees 🥲
I would melt! 😂