Priceless Paintings from W7

Just look outside. Really. It’s been nice weather London for the last few weeks. Hot on many days, warm on most, and warmer than in many previous summers on almost all days. Sunshine, mostly blue skies, silken air (or as silken as it ever gets in the big city).

Ahh. I wish it would stay like this until the end of September, then turn into a golden Indian Summer for six weeks, into a dry and crisp winter (but not crisp enough to hurt the Banana Grove), then approach a balmy spring again.

When the BBC weather man (my special friend Rob McElwee) talks about how we in England’s South-East must envy the Scots and Welsh for their cooler weather and abundant rain, all I want to do is shout Noooo at him.

Actually, it’s not worth my breath. I just go outside, light the BBQ and enjoy the warmth. That’s what I shall do now.

Thoughts Britain, Weather

He wasn’t quite sure whether it meant good news or bad news. Given the the BBC’s current main weather presenter, Rob McElwee, presents himself as quite a fool, a certain level of uncertainty fits the image well. So anyway, it would be getting colder, and foggier, he tells us.

And it does. As I wake up in dense fog, I check my alarm twice. No, all is as it should be; 5:45am. What’s wrong?

Nothing is wrong. The whole town is wrapped in thick fog, and muffled better than any earplug could do.

They say the city never sleeps. It sure sounds like it does now. Lovely.

Thoughts Weather

I explained a friend that our Velux roof windows, which come with a self-cleaning coating, only really clean themselves in a proper downpour. Due to low tilt of our windows (17 degrees), and maybe just as a general attribute of this coating, you really need a good rainfall to wash off the bird droppings and general Greater London dust and soot. A drizzle or mild rain won’t do the job.

When I explained all that, I just casually commented on this aspect. I did not mean to ask for such rain. Yet, it has arrived.

I am sure the MET office will be happy about this turn of the weather. All over the last few weeks, when our weather was really nice and warm, they told us in the evening’s weather forecast not to worry, promising that it would be cooler soon.

Did you know that the MET office issues the third of four heat wave alerts when the night temperature doesn’t drop below 18 Celsius? You’d think they’ve never seen a decent summer.

I shall be happy to see my roof windows getting dirty, and shall be happy to enjoy seasonally high temperatures. Please bring the summer back. Now.

Thoughts Britain, Weather

Who would have thought that we’d ever see 4 inches of snow (that’s 10cm, or 100mm, for the metrically inclined) right in the middle of West London, and with the prognosis to last for another three days.

So, all of London writes and talks about the exceptional weather. Busses were suspended, airports shut down or many flights severely delayed, schools closed, bones broken and bumpers bent.

Here’s our very own palm tree, just so that you believe it.

The best thing about heavy snow in London is that they whole place changes tack. Busses were suspended and most people left their cars at home, or even stayed at home themselves. Children played in the street and countless people of all ages were throwing snowballs or building snow men. In that sense, I happily look forward to another few days of snow.

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Thoughts london, snow, Weather