*** Welcome to piglix ***

Climate of the British Isles


The British Isles are an archipelago off the northwest coast of Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland along with smaller surrounding ones. Its position allows dry continental air from Eurasia to meet wetter air from the Atlantic Ocean, which causes the weather to be highly variable, often changing many times during the day. It is defined as a temperate oceanic climate, or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification system. It is significantly warmer than other regions on the same latitude, due to the warmth provided by the Gulf Stream. Temperatures do not often switch between great extremes, with warm summers and mild winters.

The British Isles undergo very small temperature variations. This is due to its proximity to the Atlantic, which acts as a temperature buffer, warming the Isles in winter and cooling them in summer. Coastal areas tend to be more temperate than inland areas, as the influence of the ocean is less acute. Valleys can be especially cold, as cool air collects in them during the winter. July is usually the warmest month, with the highest temperatures being found closest to Continental Europe, in south-east England. Temperatures usually do not reach freezing points, especially in coastal areas. However, the temperature is mainly warm to mediate temperatures.

The sunniest times are the months of May and June, whereas December has the least sunshine. The clearest skies in the British Isles occur over the south of England, due to the winds from the continent. Equally, mountainous areas, especially in the North-west receive barely any sunshine, sometimes less than 1000 hours a year. In winter on north-south valleys there are sometimes only a few hours of sunshine in a day.

Radiation fog may develop over inland areas of Great Britain and can persist for hours or even days in the winter and can pose a major hazard for drivers and aircraft. Fog is more common inland and on higher altitudes; mainly during winter and during the morning at times of high pressure.

On occasions blocking anticyclones (high pressure systems) may move over the British Isles, which can persist for weeks or even months. The subsided, dry air often results in clear skies and few clouds, bringing frosty nights in winter and hot days in the summer, when some coastal areas can achieve almost maximum possible sunshine for periods of weeks.


...
Wikipedia

...