Tag Archives: weather

Doctor Shares How The Endless UK Rain Is Impacting Mental Health

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Not to be the most typical Brit possible but, can you believe the weather we’ve been having? Even by British weather standards, it is absolutely bloody miserable out there and I don’t think I can possibly stomach another day of rain.

Cold weather is my favourite, but rain? All the time? Come on, man. I miss having nice hair outdoors.

I know I’m not alone in this despair. In fact, depression-related searches in the UK have risen by 24% in the past month, with rainfall hitting the nation every day this year.

The Met Office says the bad weather is being caused by a “blocking pattern”, which is when high pressure sits over Scandinavia and stops normal weather systems from moving through the UK, leaving us stuck with ongoing unsettled conditions.

Give me strength.

Now, Dr Babak Ashrafi, from Superdrug Online Doctor, says this same blocking pattern may be having a psychological effect too, calling it the “Blocking Pattern Burnout”, highlighting why rain can have more detrimental impacts on our physical and mental health than any winter weather.

Dr Ashrafi says: “Cold weather doesn’t always mean a lower mood. Bright, crisp winter days are some of the loveliest, still providing lots of natural light which helps regulate our serotonin; the neurotransmitter closely linked to our mood.

“And even when temperatures are low, this natural light exposure supports the body’s circadian rhythm, helping to balance melatonin production and maintain energy levels.

“Rain is different mainly because it significantly reduces light intensity, sometimes by up to 80–90%! That drop in light exposure suppresses serotonin and will disrupt your body clock, leading to increased fatigue and lower mood.”

Over days and weeks, this results in what he has dubbed “Blocked Pattern Burnout”. The brain receives fewer environmental cues for alertness, reward and social engagement. People may begin to feel mentally flat, unmotivated and more socially withdrawn.

Sounds about right.

How to cope when it won’t stop raining

Thankfully, while we can’t control the weather, Dr Ashrafi assures that there are still some coping mechanisms we can make the most of.

Create a “Light Trigger Window” early in the day

Aim to get outside within the first hour of waking, even if it’s overcast. Cloudy daylight can still be up to 10 times brighter than indoor lighting. Morning light helps regulate serotonin, suppresses melatonin and stabilises your circadian rhythm, which supports mood and energy levels,

Replace lost movement with “Micro-Activation”

Persistent rain reduces quick activity like walking to lunch or running an errand. Instead of waiting for motivation or a reason, schedule small bursts of movement throughout the day, a 5-minute walk with your rain jacket on, standing during calls, or a short stretch break.

Increase brightness and contrast indoors

Overcast skies reduce overall light intensity and visual stimulation. Counter this by maximising indoor lighting, opening blinds fully, and working near windows where possible. Brighter environments help support alertness and regulate the body’s internal clock.

Protect small, consistent social contact

Rain often equals cancelled plans. Even brief interactions, a short coffee or a quick call are super important. Regular social contact remains one of the strongest protective factors for mental wellbeing.

Support mood biologically

Reduced sunlight can impact vitamin D levels, which are linked to mood regulation. Ensuring adequate vitamin D intake during darker months, alongside a balanced diet and regular sleep routine, can help buffer against weather-related dips in mood.

Remember, this is just a season and we’ll be complaining about the heat before you know it.

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Why Did Storm Goretti Turn Birmingham’s Sky Bright Pink?

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Storm Goretti has hit the UK, bringing with it heavy snowfall and incredibly strong winds.

The harsh weather conditions, which have risen from the south to meet the UK’s existing cold front, led to multiple weather warnings.

But it’s unlikely that even the most diligent forecast-checker would have expected the luminous pink sky seen by some in Birmingham during the storm.

So why did the highlighter-bright shade, described by the BBC as “Stranger Things pink,” take over?

Why was the sky pink in Birmingham?

It’s a combination of the weather conditions and the neon pink lights of Birmingham City Football Club.

The presence of falling snow and large, reflective clouds amplified the hue across the city, the BBC explained.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge added, “The blue wavelengths of light are more easily scattered by snow or water droplets, allowing the longer wavelengths – such as red and orange – to get through.

“This can have the effect of turning colours more pink or orange.”

Basically, Storm Goretti reflected a lot more of the bright pink lights from Birmingham City Football Club than is usual because of the amount of reflective precipitation and clouds it brought to the atmosphere.

And the way that snow and water reflect light amplifies red and orange shades more than others, making the pink extra-pink.

Why are there pink lights in Birmingham City Football Club to begin with?

OK, so that’s why the pink light was amplified.

But why are their fuchsia bulbs in the stadium to begin with?

Well, according to ITVX’s sports correspondent, Dan Salisbury-Jones, these are from heat lamps used by the stadium.

“They are using LED lighting rigs to help the grass recover as quickly as possible between matches,” he explained.

“Birmingham’s are provided by a Dutch company called SGL Systems in case you’d like one for your lawn!”

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Met Office Shares 5 ‘Essentials’ For Snow-Related Power Cuts

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Hundreds of schools have been forced to close on the first Monday of the new year as snow covers parts of the UK.

This follows temperatures as low as -10.9°C recorded on 4 January, in Cumbria and 52cm of snowfall recorded at Tomintoul in Banffshire this morning (Monday, 5 January).

Yellow snow and ice alerts are in place across Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North of England, Devon, Cornwall, the East of England, and the West of Wales.

These warnings mean “possible power cuts and an increased risk of other services, like phone signal, becoming impaired,” the Met Office’s site reads.

That’s why experts recommend getting some “essentials” together in advance in case you’re affected by a power cut, as driving in the snow is best avoided when at all possible.

Which essentials do you need in a power cut?

Per the Met Office, you should ensure you have:

  1. Torches
  2. Batteries
  3. Candles
  4. Matches or lighters
  5. A mobile phone power pack.

The office added that if you’ve been affected by a power cut, you should unplug all electronics that need to be attended at the wall. That way, when the power comes back on, you won’t accidentally restart them and forget, eg, a pair of hair straighteners that you were using when the power cut began.

Leave at least one light on so you can figure out when the power is back, and check to see if your neighbour has the same problem (if they don’t, the problem could be a tripped switch).

Wrap up warm, keep internal doors shut to trap in heat, and use a portable heater if you have one.

Additionally, you can call 105 – it’s a free service for those in Scotland, England, and Wales which allows you to report the power cut to your electricity network operator, and receive more information if you need any.

Why do snow and ice cause power cuts to begin with?

Snow and ice can build up on branches and power lines in a way that water, which drips off, can’t.

That can make branches fall onto power lines or weigh the lines themselves down, Interesting Engineering shared.

Then, there’s the simple fact of the temperature. The many component parts of a power system each have ideal running temperatures; very cold and very hot weather can throw them off, forcing the network to work harder.

Even in the absence of snowfall, tree roots can sometimes provide a pathway for ice on the ground to make its way to underground power lines.

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Sorry, What – We Only Just Found Out Why Ice Is Slippery

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During the UK’s recent snowy and icy spell, you might have tried salting your driveway to prevent, or “melt”, ice.

That likely works because of an ongoing battle between water and ice on the top layer of a slippery sheet. Sodium’s structure means its ions break apart in water, making it harder for H2O molecules to stick together – thus lowering the melting point of ice.

Until recently, most scientists thought that a thin layer of water on ice was to blame for its slipperiness, too. The idea was that pressure or friction applied to ice led its top layer to melt, leaving a slick film of liquid.

But recent research, published in Physical Review Letters, has blown that theory apart.

Why is ice really slippery?

The water theory might not explain why ice stays slippery in temperatures well below freezing, The Conversation previously noted.

Scientists at Saarland University in Germany wanted to explore why that might be. So, they ran molecular simulations of ice interfaces through advanced computer systems to see if they could work out what was really going on.

In a press statement, study author Professor Martin Müser said: “It turns out that neither pressure nor friction plays a particularly significant part in forming the thin liquid layer on ice”.

Their research suggested that instead, something happens to the strict molecular structure needed to keep ice solid when we step on it, thanks to molecular dipoles.

What are molecular dipoles, and why might they make ice slippery?

Molecular dipoles happen, Saarland University explained, when “a molecule has regions of partial positive and partial negative charge, giving the molecule an overall polarity that points in a specific direction”.

Ice relies on a very neat and exact crystalline formation of molecules in order to stay solid.

But when we, for instance, step on ice, the direction of the dipoles in our shoe sole interacts with those in the ice, this study suggested.

That means the previously-perfect structure of ice crystals falls apart.

“In three dimensions, these dipole-dipole interactions become ‘frustrated,’” Professor Müser explained.

This, Saarland University said, refers to “a concept in physics where competing forces prevent a system from achieving a fully ordered stable configuration”.

What does this mean?

Well, for one thing, it could mean that skiing at very cold temperatures is more possible than we previously thought.

“Until now, it was assumed that skiing below -40°C is impossible because it’s simply too cold for a thin lubricating liquid film to form beneath the skis. That too, it turns out, is incorrect,’ said Professor Müser.

“Dipole interactions persist at extremely low temperatures. Remarkably, a liquid film still forms at the interface between ice and ski – even near absolute zero,” he added, though at this temperature the liquid may be too viscous to actually facilitate much movement.

Saarland University noted that the implications of this discovery are yet to be fully seen, though the “scientific community is taking notice”.

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You Might Catch A Breathtaking Glimpse Of The Northern Lights Tonight

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Stargazers could get more than they bargained for while looking up at the night’s sky tonight.

Thanks to a huge solar storm, the Met Office’s Space Weather forecast suggests the northern lights (aurora borealis) will be visible tonight.

The lights were on full display last night too, with people in America sharing stunning images of a range of colours lighting up the sky.

Where will the northern lights be visible tonight?

The Met Office said parts of northern UK (and similar geomagnetic latitudes) will get the best view. There’s also a chance of sightings for those further south across England and Wales.

That said, cloud cover might make it tricky to see the phenomenon in some parts. You can check your forecast here.

The BBC reported it’s looking like the strongest aurora will happen before midnight, so at least you won’t have too long to wait.

Why will the auroras be visible?

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – eruptions of plasma and magnetic field structures from the sun’s atmosphere – are currently reaching earth.

When this happens, it can result in a geomagnetic storm, which can cause disruptions to satellite navigation and even power grids.

But a pleasant effect of such a storm is that it can also cause auroras to show up vividly in the sky.

What causes auroras?

Per Nasa, auroras are natural light shows caused by magnetic storms that have been triggered by solar activity. Due to the coronal mass ejections, “energetic charged particles from these events are carried from the Sun by the solar wind”.

“When these particles seep through Earth’s magnetosphere, they cause substorms. Then fast moving particles slam into our thin, high atmosphere, colliding with Earth’s oxygen and nitrogen particles.

“As these air particles shed the energy they picked up from the collision, each atom starts to glow in a different colour.”

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This Phone Charger Mistake Can Ruin Your Sleep In A Heatwave

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As the third heatwave of the year begins in earnest, I’ve started to dread the night.

Like most of us, I find that boiling temperatures ruin my sleep.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Seeta Shah from PANDA London previously said that going to bed half an hour later might help you get some shut-eye (a 2012 paper found that heat affects slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep, meaning the natural cycles you’re meant to go through when asleep are interrupted).

But the British Red Cross advised doing something a little simpler to control the temperature in your room at night.

Unplugging your electronics might reduce heat

The organisation suggested sleeping on the lower floors in your home, as heat rises, as well as staying hydrated and using some thin, breathable bedding.

So far, so predictable.

But I was surprised to read that “even when in standby mode, electrical items can generate heat”.

The British Red Cross therefore suggested switching them off entirely at night.

“Make sure any in the bedroom are turned off and unplugged,” the site said.

Speaking to Ideal Home, David Rees, an appliances expert from HomeSupply, explained that phone and headphone chargers might pose a particularly toasty risk.

These can “seriously overheat and use a lot of excess energy in the summer if not unplugged,” he warned, suggesting we power our devices “throughout the day, so that they can be unplugged as soon as they are fully charged… this will help to save money and prevent overheating in summer”.

Are there any other ways to keep cool?

Wearing cool socks, donning loose-fitting pyjamas, and maintaining a wind-down bedtime routine can all help, the Red Cross said.

“Many take a cold shower before bed in hot weather, but a shockingly cold shower can actually raise core body temperature as your body works to counteract the sudden cold,” Dr Shah warned.
Closing your windows and curtains or blinds at the hottest parts of the day, and opening them in the evening or early morning can help to keep your home cooler, too.
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Here’s Why You Should Place A Torch In Your Fridge This Week

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Bad news for fellow heatwave haters, especially in the south and east of the UK – “hot spells remain possible” this month, the Met Office says.

The BBC has predicted temperatures as high as 31C in parts of the country this Sunday, July 13.

And according to appliance repair company Atomic Tech, that can spell bad news for your fridge (and the food in it).

“Refrigerators are sensitive to heat and may struggle to cool if they are in an environment too hot (or too cold),” they wrote.

That’s why it’s important, they shared, to “keep the doors closed and ensure the gaskets seal completely… to maintain a consistent temperature inside.”

But gasket issues (problems with the accordion-like rubber seal that closes your fridge door) can be hard to spot – unless, of course, you own a torch.

How can a torch help me to spot issues with my fridge door’s seal?

According to House Digest, placing a lit torch (or your phone’s flashlight) in the fridge and then closing the door can reveal any seal issues.

Place the light facing out.

If any light seeps through the gasket, the seal isn’t as tight as it needs to be.

That means air is escaping your fridge, making it harder to keep your food cool.

It could even raise your electricity bill as your appliance struggles to circulate cooling air around your food, the publication says.

It helps if you do this earlier or later in the day, when it’s darker in your kitchen.

Keep other lights off to make the beams easier to spot.

You can also use a sheet of paper or a pound note

Per appliance services company Bodewell, another way to test your fridge’s seal is with a pound note or a sheet of paper.

Shut your fridge’s door on the sheet or note.

Then, try to pull it out.

“You should feel some tension as you do so; if not, the gasket may be weak or broken at this point,” the experts advised.

“Repeat this test around the whole of the gasket’s length.”

If you suspect you’ve got issues with your fridge’s seal, it may be time to buy a new gasket.

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9 Cheap Ways To Keep Cool Without Air Conditioning This Summer

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Tough news for fellow heatwave haters – this weekend is set to be yet another scorcher.

Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, Richard Millard, senior sustainability consultant at Building Energy Experts, explained that buildings in the UK provide uniquely uncomfortable conditions in hot weather.

Not only are they designed to hold onto heat for longer, have smaller windows, and offer less ventilation, but – crucially – “Unlike many hotter climates (and increasingly, northern European countries), air conditioning is not standard in most UK homes, workplaces, or public buildings.”

Many houses, especially older ones, in the UK are unsuitable for air conditioning (and that’s not considering the eye-watering cost).

So it’s a good thing members of r/Frugal have shared their “frugal ways to stay cool without an air conditioner.”

Here are some of the most upvoted comments:

1) “As soon as it gets cooler outside than inside the house (8-9pm), we open the windows on both sides and keep room doors open to allow for airflow.”

“In the morning, we close the windows AND curtains when it gets warmer outside than inside (9-10am).

“When it gets hotter, we will use box fans (one side of the house blowing in and one side blowing out) to encourage air to flow through.”

Credit: [deleted]

Credit: u/Particular-Ad-4772

3) “Sleep in your coolest room.”

“That may be north-facing since the north avoids any direct sunlight.”

Credit: u/Goge97

4) “Freeze several bags of water in freezer-safe bags (lay them flat in the freezer).”

“Once frozen, sandwich it between some towels. Rotate the block of frozen sheets when no longer cold.

“I lay on the cold towels, and my dogs lay in their dog bed with theirs too.”

Credit: u/RiverBlitz

Writer’s note: Other commenters have suggested freezing a water bottle instead, while some experts say freezing a hot water bottle filled with water works great too.

“Keep [your home] dark.”

Credit: u/slowsnale

6) “The best I could do [without air conditioning] was put a cold, damp (NOT DRIPPING WET) towel on the fan.”

“Worked for me.”

Credit: u/Uberchelle

7) “Don’t cook anything on the stove or oven on the worst days (lots of salads, sandwiches, and slow cooker meals like pulled pork on those days).”

“These have helped us tremendously.”

Credit: u/TotallyNotABot_Shhhh

Credit: u/Iuvdab3achx0x0

9) “It’s messy, but putting a source of ice in front of a fan and having a fan blow over it is also very helpful.”

Credit: u/wridergal

Do you have other tips? Let us know!

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The Most Accurate Weather App Has Finally Been Identified

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If you’ve ever stepped out in what you thought were weather-appropriate clothes, only to find yourself soaked to the skin or sweating buckets, you’re likely very familiar with the feeling of being betrayed by weather apps.

It’s frustrating, especially when your friends tell you that the app that they rely on gave an entirely different forecast for the day. The absurdity! The outrage!

Thankfully, a team of researchers decided to set the record straight on exactly which app we should be using ahead of stepping outside, so that we can be more suitably prepared.

New research reveals the best weather app

In a move that adds another layer to the treasured British tradition of complaining about the weather, iNews commissioned University of Reading’s Department of Meteorology to identify which were the best sources to check, and the results actually revealed that it can differ, depending on the outlook you’re hoping for.

iNews asked Rosie Mammatt, a weather scientist at the University of Reading, to compare the performance of some of the country’s most popular weather apps.

Over a period of two weeks, Mammatt looked at BBC Weather, the Met Office, Apple Weather, the Weather Channel and AccuWeather over a two-week period.

Her research found that, as many of us know, forecasts are often wrong and surprisingly, it’s the BBC that often gives the least accurate forecasts on their app.

Mammatt reveaed that BBC Weather is often “too pessimistic” and repeatedly overestimated the amount of rainfall ahead.

So, who can we really rely on, then?

Well, if you’re heading out in the morning, you’re best to check Accuweather. If you’re going out in the afternoon, the Met Office is best.

The best overall forecaster, though, was Weather Channel, which can be relied on for any and all forecasts.

Weather apps ranked by accuracy:

  1. Weather Channel
  2. AccuWeather
  3. Met Office
  4. Apple Weather
  5. BBC Weather
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‘Pure Comedy, Chaos And Shambles’: The Best Jokes About Sunak’s Damp Start To The General Election

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Rishi Sunak’s bold decision to call a general election in the middle of yesterday’s downpour has opened the floodgates on social media.

The prime minister stood outside No.10 Downing Street, in the pouring rain, and declared a general election would be held on July 4.

He then immediately tried to rally voters with a few digs at Labour over the party’s campaigns and policies.

But, no one really focused on that. Most of the attention was on Sunak’s suit, which became completely sodden within minutes.

While all the journalists there to capture the historic moment were sensibly wearing coats or carrying umbrellas, the PM’s bizarre decision to go without for such a pivotal moment, has been demolished by everyone, including today’s newspapers.

Protesters also blared Labour’s 1997 election theme tune – D:Ream’s Things Will Only Get Better – throughout the PM’s speech.

And so critics were quick to coin the phrase “Things Will Only Get Wetter” in a scathing take on Sunak’s announcement.

Considering the Conservatives are around 20 points behind Labour in the opinion polls right now, the image of a downtrodden Sunak standing in the rain was seen as an apt metaphor by many people on social media.

Others pointed out that the Conservatives actually set up an expensive press conference room within No.10, which is warm, dry and available to use.

Either way, the impact that image of a soaked Sunak has had among his online critics – and the newspapers – is clearly significant.

Here’s a round-up of social media’s best jokes about the embarrassing PR gaffe…

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