August Bank Holiday

~ beetleypete

Today has been a public holiday in England. The shops have been open of course, albeit with reduced trading hours.

This is the last of the big holidays until Christmas, and is traditionally very warm, often humid. But we have seen a very different August in England. Wet, chilly, and nothing at all like we have come to expect. Today struggled to get to 16 C in the daytime, and now that the sun has set, it is decidedly cold for the time of year.

This is a significant, and notable, change. It wasn’t more than a few years ago when we had temperatures exceeding 30 C, on the same day.

Usually, we smell barbecues, and hear music coming from the surrounding houses. Children are out late, still playing, the week before they have to go back to school.

But not this year, when it feels almost like the start of winter. It is like we have missed a season completely. We have gone from a briefly too hot summer, straight into an unusual start to winter.

If anyone was ever wondering about climate change, and that included me, I admit.

Wonder no longer.

49 thoughts on “August Bank Holiday”

  1. Yes the climate change is true, but will our community do any changes in the behaviour? Here around 600 individuals with their own cars outside to work. Approximately the same amount of workers drive into our village to do the same work here, the others are doing outside. What are the benefits of this? A part of here income results in payback of tax for the droven distance. Michael

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  2. Here it’s turned cooler too, from Saturday. I was covering a piece of news and it started raining as I was supposed to be recording a speech outside. Talk of inconvenient! Although it’s been sunny and cloudy at times, the temperatures have remained much cooler, although I’m not complaining. It was too to sleep even. The weather is quite mad, like everything else these days. Thanks Pete, and take care.

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  3. Pete when MoMo and I walked this morning it was 94 degrees…..even she wanted to go home half way through the stroll……it is not getting any cooler…..damn…I look forward to cooler weather….chuq

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  6. Hi Pete, I hope you don’t mind me asking a question. From the sound of it you have a paid platform on wordpress. Have you found it useful? I’m thinking of upgrading but only if it’s worth the money

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    1. I have the cheapest one, called the Personal Plan. I mainly upgraded to get the extra space for my photos, so if you don’t need the space, it’s not really worth the money. (That said, it is only £3 a month, so hardly expensive) You do get removal of the adverts that others see on your blog, as well as a dotcom name for one year, then you have to pay to keep it. There is also access to ‘Live Chat’ support for problems. I used it once, and it worked okay. I would only go up to the Premium Plan if and when my space allowance is eventually used up.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  7. Luckily, we had wall-tp-wall sunshine, and pleasant temperature, which was very fortuitous as I had to start a small joinery job that necessitates my working outside; today looks as good, so far, so fingers crossed, as I have at least 2 more days’ work in prospect. Cheers, Jon.

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  13. After days of rain and clouds, it actually been sunny and pleasant (not hot) here, but no signs of the usual bar b q fest that usually goes on on the neighbourhood. It must have taken everyone else by surprise too!

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  14. Pete, I’ve stated this before, but it still saddens me that some people fight about the concept of climate change…they’ve politicized it and as a result, we don’t look at changes – especially those with a hugely negative impact – and work together to see what we can to do mitigate them…It’s a fact that a century ago the North Pole was solid ice and now….NOT.

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    1. I used to be in two minds about the issue, John. But the acceleration has made it obvious now. It looks as if the really scary effects are going to show themselves much sooner than predicted.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Pete, I’m open to the idea that there are non-human factors at play…but people get so caught up in that issue when it’s really about using science to determine what we CAN do to have a positive impact…as you say, the acceleration is speeding up to be sure in the wrong direction

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  19. I have long believed in global warming. Here in Minnesota all our seasons have been getting warmer and warmer for the last decade.
    Actually I believe something I read years, that the CIVID virus may have come from Siberia were the thermofrost is melting and is releasing things like this virus which have been frozen for eons. If that is true we might be in for more bad little bugs.

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  20. It really is strange isn’t it? About a few weeks ago we were complaining how incredibly hot it was, and how we all wished it would end. Now it’s the complete opposite. It’s definitely baffling and very annoying to say the least. I hope you still enjoyed your public holiday though😊

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