South of England, whats with the weather winter 17/18?

[Ocean Spirit]

The south of England is really not known for extreme weather and fair enough what we are having this winter is still not what you would call extreme but is it me or are you finding it seemingly relentless this winter??
Is there no let up between cold wet and windy conditions? I moved home in December and it was setting in back then. Everyone else in the isles seems to have had it too but mixed in with some proper winter weather (i.e. snow) and drier spells.
It's snowed to the north, its snowed to the east and west and today in france so south of us as well.
Meanwhile this crap is just persistently lingering on and on.
Drives me mad, I'd rather get snowed in or be able to go about business outside without sinking into flooded ground with a bitter chill up your shirt. Not to mention getting out there for a pleasant excursion to kick off the 2018 California experience.

Rant over

 

[BerndRos]

I was just 3 months in the South West of UK and it was horrid. Now been 2 weeks on the Algarve and similar. Mostly sunny but cold, about 15c during the day but very cold morning & night. Looking forward to gas central heating next week in Wales.

 

[Jay586]

Been shite here in North Wales.

 

[Sad]

I'd say West Dorset has been very mild... Mostly sunshiny days, no snow, often at least dry and then just the typical dreary rain/fog...

 

[Hotel California]

.....simply the season called "winter"

 

[BerndRos]

.....simply the season called "winter"

Lol....maybe we are all becoming ‘wimps’

 

[Ocean Spirit]

or more simply "unusual for this duration"
When I was a Kid we had iciles from window sills, puddles frozen for weeks, snow,freeze,snow freeze, thaw. I loved it.
What we have now is crap

 

[briwy]

or more simply "unusual for this duration"
When I was a Kid we had iciles from window sills, puddles frozen for weeks, snow,freeze,snow freeze, thaw. I loved it.
What we have now is crap

You were lucky. We had the same but indoors in Buxton

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Maybe what you need is a versatile comfortable cozy practical efficient stylish cool looking gizmo that lets you explore our wonderful country in all weathers while helping you to relax, eat well and sleep well at any time anywhere. Now if only such a thing existed.

DOOOH you have one, me too!!!

Our strategy for beating the weather:
Bodmin Moor + mid winter = toasty inside + fresh outside + some snow
New Forest + mid winter = toasty inside + fresh + bright outside + Super Moon
Forest of Dean + late winter/early spring = will be toasty inside + brighter outside + Spring Equinox
Gower + spring = will be toasty inside + lush outside + longer daylight
Etc
Etc

 

[Borris]

There's always plenty of weather about this time of year and not usually the stuff we'd all like. Quite normal I'm afraid.

 

[briwy]

Never mind, we'll be moaning it's too hot in a few months.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Maybe what you need is a versatile comfortable cozy practical efficient stylish cool looking gizmo that lets you explore our wonderful country in all weathers while helping you to relax, eat well and sleep well at any time anywhere. Now if only such a thing existed.

DOOOH you have one, me too!!!

Our strategy for beating the weather:
Bodmin Moor + mid winter = toasty inside + fresh outside + some snow
New Forest + mid winter = toasty inside + fresh + bright outside + Super Moon
Forest of Dean + late winter/early spring = will be toasty inside + brighter outside + Spring Equinox
Gower + spring = will be toasty inside + lush outside + longer daylight
Etc
Etc

Just as soon as work, school, after school commitments and house modifications are done in reasonable proportion I'll start chasing the weather. Damn why the hell did I buy it?

But work and post house moving jobs will get on a lot quicker to completion in better weather and I can't pick them up and move them. If it were as simple as all that I'd drag everything to the south of Spain perhaps (but then that could be too warm @briwy).
Roll on retirement I'll be a lot better placed to minimise my S.A.D

 

[GrannyJen]

The south of England is really not known for extreme weather and fair enough what we are having this winter is still not what you would call extreme but is it me or are you finding it seemingly relentless this winter??
Is there no let up between cold wet and windy conditions? I moved home in December and it was setting in back then. Everyone else in the isles seems to have had it too but mixed in with some proper winter weather (i.e. snow) and drier spells.
It's snowed to the north, its snowed to the east and west and today in france so south of us as well.
Meanwhile this crap is just persistently lingering on and on.
Drives me mad, I'd rather get snowed in or be able to go about business outside without sinking into flooded ground with a bitter chill up your shirt. Not to mention getting out there for a pleasant excursion to kick off the 2018 California experience.

Rant over

It has been a long winter by South of England standards.

Last year December was fantastic, sunshine and temps in the low 50's most days, January a bit wet and February averaging mid-40's.

This year it has been incessantly windy and quite wet, with, for the coastal areas,almost unknown night frosts on occasion

It's the wind that gets me. I look for sub 10mph days for my long distance training runs and they have been as rare as an honest politician this winter.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

I'll start chasing the weather.

5....4....3....2....1....GO! - Glad you are chomping at the bit. Does half-term present an opportunity?

Roll on retirement

You will love it - it is highly recommended. Seven day weekends as I call it.

Hope the new house is looking swish.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

5....4....3....2....1....GO! - Glad you are chomping at the bit. Does half-term present an opportunity?


You will love it - it is highly recommended. Seven day weekends as I call it.

Hope the new house is looking swish.

Maybe a very spontaneous chance (probably the best kind if you manage to take all the right stuff). Nothing yet though.
House is almost free of boxes now and 2 rooms given a lick of paint, hot tub up and running, multiple dump runs completed, minor plumbing works done. New electric consumer unit fitted, furniture sold, furniture bought, furniture returned for being damaged on arrival, internet up and running, STILL RAINING.
Swish? It yet Pete, glad you have become a seasoned owner very quickly and enjoying all the benefits, I’m currently at Breeze having the dash cam done and clonk from the front investigated

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Wow - you have been extra busy. The hot tub does sound rather swish!

if you manage to take all the right stuff

We are getting used to keeping the van partly kitted out and nearly ready to go so that it just needs topping up with fresh food, clothes and bedding. Not forgetting our 'Proper Job' box that acts as our in-between the front seat library of books, maps and travel guides - oh and some puzzle books too! I keep another box in the utility room as the van larder that I top up with non perishables in readiness for the next trip. Recycled 1 litre ice cream tubs are proving to be useful as under the cooker shelf organisers.

I have been outside in the van this morning putting a small handy marker on the front seats to aid positioning them into the right position before swiveling them around. I did notice that coincidentally, or maybe not, there is a small notch in the seat sliding track that seems to line up with the ideal swiveling position. VW ingenuity?

STILL RAINING

PS I don't think we ordered the front clonk - did it come as standard on the DSG version?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I did notice that coincidentally, or maybe not, there is a small notch in the seat sliding track that seems to line up with the ideal swiveling position. VW ingenuity?

STILL RAINING

Thats interesting (not the rain bit). Sounds like you are enjoying the experimenting.

STILL RAINING

PS I don't think we ordered the front clonk - did it come as standard on the DSG version?

It seems that some dealers have been over generous and others not so...

Oddly enough it has disappeared for the moment so unable to replicate for the dealer (although I was able to replicate the rain bit).

 

[Pete_Hampton]

When it stops raining I shall take picture of the seat rail and post it to illustrate what I mean. Might be helpful to you and to others setting up their new vans.

 

[kave]

Winter is coming
We have had a cold winter in southern sweden as well.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Just about stopped raining in time for the Rugby, proper Six Nations weather! Come on Eng-Ger-Land.

Front seat alignment marks applied as seen on the drivers seat.


1. Shows seat too far forward. Lower mark is on the fixed track, upper mark is on sliding track of the seat.


2. Seat aligned ready for swiveling. [Assumes that steering wheel is pushed in towards the dash, hand brake is off, arm rests are fully down and seat back fully forward].


3. Pointing to the notch* on the lower edge of the sliding track that seems to coincide nicely with the front of my upper marker.

^ Notch mentioned in post #16. It might be easier to feel the notch with your finger tip than to see it in the winter gloom.

 

[Lewis]

The rain is a nightmare this winter. We made a up a photo book of our adventures in the Cali last year and we did so much in Jan/Feb with very little rain. What’s bothering me this year is all the sunny days seem to be weekdays. I’ve got retirement envy too!

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I do suffer S.A.D a little (I know people worse than me) but this year with so much to look forward to it's B.A.D so its comforting to realise others have had enough too. Of course in my house hold everyone is feeling a bit like me but not a good test as I give them no choice do I !

 

[GrannyJen]

A consoling thought:

The winter of 2013/14 was as wet as this one with some huge storms. I remember being on East Preston beach with waves crashing on to the storm beach with terrifying ferocity.

About mid-April I had my first BBQ. It was a little cold but bright and dry. By October it had not stopped, just got a lot warmer. Almost wall to wall sunshine. We seemed to be the only place in the UK to have it like that. Bognor Regis, the sunniest place in mainland UK, was approaching it's record year for sunshine hours.15 miles East and the greensward along the coast between Littlehampton and Goring, that had been a quagmire in February, was like a dust bowl.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Bring it on...
I do remember long spells of drizzle back then actually though the storms I don't recall as well.

 

[bigmac77]

We may be about to experience a sudden stratospheric warming event, which contrary to the name can bring bitter cold easterlies to the UK so the rain may stop but only to be replaced by cold weather.