4 ms·

Yeah, as a Brit in the USA, I've pointed out on a couple of times to friends/colleagues that literally everywhere in the UK is north of literally everywhere in

Yeah, as a Brit in the USA, I've pointed out on a couple of times to friends/colleagues that literally everywhere in the UK is north of literally everywhere in the contiguous 48 states - Alaska is a cheat-code! This usually comes up when the conversation turns to why no-one in Europe (mainly the UK, since they know I'm a Brit) has air-conditioning... That's right; we don't have it because it's bloody cold there, a lot of the time. In fact our Summers are only temperate because of the Gulf Stream (Atlantic Conveyor, if you prefer). If that "turns off", the UK (and a fair amount of Europe) is in dire straits.

Mordisquitos 4y ago
I wouldn't say that the reason people in the UK haven't got air conditioning is because it's "bloody cold". Rather, it's because it's simply never bloody hot. I would even argue that the UK in general is less cold than most of the US, for example the North East and Midwest. However, I would go even further. The reason why no-one in Europe (for a loose definition of "no-one") has air conditioning is not so much the climate, but more heavily influenced by historical, cultural, and architectural reasons. I'll bet that most current American homes were built after air conditioning was invented, their usual construction materials mean they are rarely well insulated, and single family homes are generally fully exposed to the Sun. Compare that for instance with Spain, which one may assume would be hot enough to need air conditioning, with a climate comparable to that of California. Some homes do have it of course, but it is never assumed by default. Firstly, most of the population lives in flats, which mean their homes are less exposed to the Sun (except attics), and construction materials are generally sturdier and better insulators by default. Secondly, old homes in villages have been there long before air conditioning was a glint in the ice cream man's eye, and thus have been designed over time to be better protected from the heat. Modern houses, even if they may be designed to accomodate potential air conditioning, are still more or less influenced by these ideas to an extent. On the cultural aspect, as air conditioning has never been a given, people have learnt to adapt their lifestyles and expectations to living with the heat, and don't instinctively feel the need to have air conditioning blasting all the time. Of course people do like it and appreciate it when available, but it simply doesn't have the cultural expectation that it has in the US.
- JimDabell 4y ago
  > I wouldn't say that the reason people in the UK haven't got air conditioning is because it's "bloody cold". Rather, it's because it's simply never bloody hot. That used to be the case, but it went over 40°C this summer and four out of the top five hottest days on record happened in the last three years. A lot of the people I know in the UK wished their had air con this year.
  - denton-scratch 4y ago
    This has been the hottest UK summer since 1976; but there have only been about three days on which I wished I had aircon. The rest of the time I didn't even bother with a fan.
  - Mordisquitos 4y ago
    Yes, I did consider adding a parenthetical disclaimer regarding this year's heatwave. In any case, I would say that the fact that as you say many people in the UK wished they had air conditioning makes in the exception that proves the rule. Those temperatures that the UK suffered are within the range reached in areas of Spain during many summers, and yet they don't make people desperate for air conditioning as the Brits became. That's due to the factors I mentioned previously: the architecture is better suited for heat, people are better experienced at handling it, and cultural and social features have evolved for dealing with it (public & private swimming pools, open air terraces, more evening and night life, escaping the city in August, etc.). I do insist though, I'm not trying to say Spaniards don't want or enjoy air conditioning, they just aren't desperate for it.
walnutclosefarm 4y ago
> That's right; we don't have it because it's bloody cold there, a lot of the time. In fact our Summers are only temperate because of the Gulf Stream I don't know where you've landed in the United States, but the notion that Europe is "bloody cold a lot of the time" suggests you don't actually know much about either cold, or continental interior temperatures. There isn't a single month of the year in which the average Low temperature is below freezing in most of Western Europe, outside of the Nordic countries. Contrast that to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the average daytime High temperature is below freezing for a quarter of the year. You have to go way East into the continental interior - Moscow or further - to find temperatures that are comparably cold. The interior cities in North America that are at comparable latitudes to Europe - Winnipeg, and Edmonton, e.g., - now there you get some actual "bloody cold." The air at -40C (or F) has a special quality to it. Europe does indeed have generally milder summers, due to its maritime exposure and the Gulf Stream, but also due to it's more Northern latitude, but "bloody cold" it is not.
- spacedcowboy 4y ago
  I lived in Ochils in Scotland up by Stirling way, and we had 2 larders. One full of tins for when we were snowed in, and one for normal use. We used the snowed-in one most years. It's hard to say it wasn't bloody cold when the snow is 8' up the walls and you can't get out the door.
  - protomikron 4y ago
    I wouldn't say Scotland's climate is representative. European countries can have vastly different local weather conditions and just because there's so much rain in the north western part (Great Britain, Netherlands, ...) it's mostly because of their more oceanic climate, which isn't comparable to e.g. central europe (Germany, Austria, ...).
  - walnutclosefarm 4y ago
    I won't argue with your experience at that location, but even in Scotland, for most of the population there is no month when the average low temperature is below freezing. Edinburgh, e.g., is barely colder in January than Memphis Tennessee, in the US. To the point about air conditioning, however, Summer is a whole different matter. Memphis in July is easily 15C, and maybe more, warmer than Edinburgh.

Mordisquitos 4y ago

I wouldn't say that the reason people in the UK haven't got air conditioning is because it's "bloody cold". Rather, it's because it's simply never bloody hot. I would even argue that the UK in general is less cold than most of the US, for example the North East and Midwest. However, I would go even further. The reason why no-one in Europe (for a loose definition of "no-one") has air conditioning is not so much the climate, but more heavily influenced by historical, cultural, and architectural reasons. I'll bet that most current American homes were built after air conditioning was invented, their usual construction materials mean they are rarely well insulated, and single family homes are generally fully exposed to the Sun. Compare that for instance with Spain, which one may assume would be hot enough to need air conditioning, with a climate comparable to that of California. Some homes do have it of course, but it is never assumed by default. Firstly, most of the population lives in flats, which mean their homes are less exposed to the Sun (except attics), and construction materials are generally sturdier and better insulators by default. Secondly, old homes in villages have been there long before air conditioning was a glint in the ice cream man's eye, and thus have been designed over time to be better protected from the heat. Modern houses, even if they may be designed to accomodate potential air conditioning, are still more or less influenced by these ideas to an extent. On the cultural aspect, as air conditioning has never been a given, people have learnt to adapt their lifestyles and expectations to living with the heat, and don't instinctively feel the need to have air conditioning blasting all the time. Of course people do like it and appreciate it when available, but it simply doesn't have the cultural expectation that it has in the US.

JimDabell 4y ago
> I wouldn't say that the reason people in the UK haven't got air conditioning is because it's "bloody cold". Rather, it's because it's simply never bloody hot. That used to be the case, but it went over 40°C this summer and four out of the top five hottest days on record happened in the last three years. A lot of the people I know in the UK wished their had air con this year.
- denton-scratch 4y ago
  This has been the hottest UK summer since 1976; but there have only been about three days on which I wished I had aircon. The rest of the time I didn't even bother with a fan.
- Mordisquitos 4y ago
  Yes, I did consider adding a parenthetical disclaimer regarding this year's heatwave. In any case, I would say that the fact that as you say many people in the UK wished they had air conditioning makes in the exception that proves the rule. Those temperatures that the UK suffered are within the range reached in areas of Spain during many summers, and yet they don't make people desperate for air conditioning as the Brits became. That's due to the factors I mentioned previously: the architecture is better suited for heat, people are better experienced at handling it, and cultural and social features have evolved for dealing with it (public & private swimming pools, open air terraces, more evening and night life, escaping the city in August, etc.). I do insist though, I'm not trying to say Spaniards don't want or enjoy air conditioning, they just aren't desperate for it.

walnutclosefarm 4y ago

> That's right; we don't have it because it's bloody cold there, a lot of the time. In fact our Summers are only temperate because of the Gulf Stream I don't know where you've landed in the United States, but the notion that Europe is "bloody cold a lot of the time" suggests you don't actually know much about either cold, or continental interior temperatures. There isn't a single month of the year in which the average Low temperature is below freezing in most of Western Europe, outside of the Nordic countries. Contrast that to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the average daytime High temperature is below freezing for a quarter of the year. You have to go way East into the continental interior - Moscow or further - to find temperatures that are comparably cold. The interior cities in North America that are at comparable latitudes to Europe - Winnipeg, and Edmonton, e.g., - now there you get some actual "bloody cold." The air at -40C (or F) has a special quality to it. Europe does indeed have generally milder summers, due to its maritime exposure and the Gulf Stream, but also due to it's more Northern latitude, but "bloody cold" it is not.

spacedcowboy 4y ago
I lived in Ochils in Scotland up by Stirling way, and we had 2 larders. One full of tins for when we were snowed in, and one for normal use. We used the snowed-in one most years. It's hard to say it wasn't bloody cold when the snow is 8' up the walls and you can't get out the door.
- protomikron 4y ago
  I wouldn't say Scotland's climate is representative. European countries can have vastly different local weather conditions and just because there's so much rain in the north western part (Great Britain, Netherlands, ...) it's mostly because of their more oceanic climate, which isn't comparable to e.g. central europe (Germany, Austria, ...).
- walnutclosefarm 4y ago
  I won't argue with your experience at that location, but even in Scotland, for most of the population there is no month when the average low temperature is below freezing. Edinburgh, e.g., is barely colder in January than Memphis Tennessee, in the US. To the point about air conditioning, however, Summer is a whole different matter. Memphis in July is easily 15C, and maybe more, warmer than Edinburgh.