A Brit in Sweden

[Dreamwoven]

I have never believed in global warming, but this view is now changing.

[Dreamwoven]

The changes are experienced more acutely in the polar and sub-polar regions. Southern Norrland is an example of a sub-polar region, and although we do have milder weather in our winters (see earlier posts in this thread) the change is noticeable here, too. Mid-October and there are still fungi growing around our house, with diurnal minimum temperatures still above freezing.

[Dreamwoven]

The Moderates have elected a new leader, Ulf Kristersson. See The Local - https://www.thelocal.se/20171002/swe...tic-new-leader.

[kiz_paws]

Hello, are you expecting much colder temperatures to come soon? And do you get a lot of snow with high winds, and such? I am just trying to get a feel for someone else's perspective of winter.

[Dreamwoven]

We used to get cold winters but the last couple of years it has been milder, alternatively freezing, then melting. Makes the ice treacherously difficult to walk on. I guess we will see what it will be like this year, winter has not properly started yet. We do get cold northerly winds.

[Dreamwoven]

What about you? The Prairies are probably similar to Southern Norrland, on lat. 60 N approx. Never been to Canada, but we spent a year in Minnesota, which is a bit like Sweden, pine forests and lakes. Can see why so many Swedish immigrants settled there.

[Danik 2016]

I have never believed in global warming, but this view is now changing.

Global warming has become a palpable truth.

Some years ago the maximum of temperature in Summer here in my city used to be 30 º C. Now we easily reach 35 º in Winter. And I notice that high temperatures are present even in traditionally cold countries,

[Dreamwoven]

I would include where we live in Southern Norrland in this conclusion. But that is based on only a couple of years, is while I now do not reject global warming I have an open mind on it.

[kiz_paws]

What about you? The Prairies are probably similar to Southern Norrland, on lat. 60 N approx. Never been to Canada, but we spent a year in Minnesota, which is a bit like Sweden, pine forests and lakes. Can see why so many Swedish immigrants settled there.

I have a cousin who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By his description, and my experience visiting, their winters are much milder than where I live. They receive a LOT of snow, probably more than we get here, and it does get cold, but the description of winter for me is BITTER.

At present, we are enjoying the splendor and beauty of autumn ... leaves are still on the trees and are an array of yellows, golds, oranges, reds, spectacular! Our temperatures lately are between +8C to +20C. By the end of the month, the leaves will be gone and it will be bare trees bracing for the onslaught of snow. The temperatures will drop to +5C to maybe -10C by month's end.

November and December have their share of cold and some snow. By cold I mean about -15C to -25C. Come the New Year, the bitterness begins. Temperatures fall to the -30's C and then some. It doesn't snow all the time, but we get at least 6 ft. of the white stuff that stays the whole winter. We find that when it does snow in Jan. or Feb., the temps are milder. But then back to the bitter -30's. With the windchill as a factor, it can be up to -45 to -50C! Our furnaces never shut off then. All cars MUST have a block heater and be plugged in when not in use.

When it is bitter cold, the air has a magical quality. It smells fantastic -- cannot be described. And the world is absolutely beautiful. The days are blue blue skies against the backdrop of glistening snow. And sound travels in an amazing fashion; I sometimes joke that I can hear a person close their front door from a mile away! So that is the 'norm' for where I live.

OK enough said, I feel that I am 'hijacking' your thread, lol.

[tonywalt]

The Cayman Islands has remained the same. More development, mostly people from cold geographic areas moving to warmer climes: now that's a global trend to chat about. (northern US moving to southern in the last 50 years, influx of Northern Europeans to Spain etc)

[Dreamwoven]

It was while in Minnesota for a year that I learned the concept of "wind-chill". I think they even had a way of working it out, fairly roughly, I guess, i terms of the number of degrees celsius that the temperature would be reduced by a certain wind-strength. A useful thing to learn.

[Dreamwoven]

But "windchill" would be useful to know in Swedish winters, too. The concept just is not used here, which is a pity. Is it used in Canada, Kiz paws? Winnipeg is on lat 50 N. Mostly here it applies to wind in the east or north.

[Dreamwoven]

I have a cousin who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By his description, and my experience visiting, their winters are much milder than where I live. They receive a LOT of snow, probably more than we get here, and it does get cold, but the description of winter for me is BITTER.

At present, we are enjoying the splendor and beauty of autumn ... leaves are still on the trees and are an array of yellows, golds, oranges, reds, spectacular! Our temperatures lately are between +8C to +20C. By the end of the month, the leaves will be gone and it will be bare trees bracing for the onslaught of snow. The temperatures will drop to +5C to maybe -10C by month's end.

November and December have their share of cold and some snow. By cold I mean about -15C to -25C. Come the New Year, the bitterness begins. Temperatures fall to the -30's C and then some. It doesn't snow all the time, but we get at least 6 ft. of the white stuff that stays the whole winter. We find that when it does snow in Jan. or Feb., the temps are milder. But then back to the bitter -30's. With the windchill as a factor, it can be up to -45 to -50C! Our furnaces never shut off then. All cars MUST have a block heater and be plugged in when not in use.

When it is bitter cold, the air has a magical quality. It smells fantastic -- cannot be described. And the world is absolutely beautiful. The days are blue blue skies against the backdrop of glistening snow. And sound travels in an amazing fashion; I sometimes joke that I can hear a person close their front door from a mile away! So that is the 'norm' for where I live.

OK enough said, I feel that I am 'hijacking' your thread, lol.

I don't think you are hijacking my thread, much of it is about the climate and changing perceptions of it, including global warming. The older I get the more I am aware of it.

[Dreamwoven]

But "windchill" would be useful to know in Swedish winters, too. The concept just is not used here, which is a pity. Is it used in Canada, Kiz paws? Winnipeg is on lat 50 N, while southern Norrland is around 60 N. Mostly here it applies to wind in the east or north, which in winter can be bitterly cold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_chill

[kiz_paws]

Windchill is used all winter long here in the Prairies. A day may be -20C, but with a windchill factor, the cold is felt at whatever speed the wind is, so if high winds, for example, it would feel like -30C, etc.

I said that we have SIX FEET of snow... please, I need to correct this. *red face* We actually have drifts of 3-4 feet that last winter long. Can be more, can be less. But never six feet, forgive me. I was just picturing our driveway of last winter - where we had received more snow that ever. And after shoveling, on both sides of the driveway were very very high, but certainly not six feet... more like 4.5 feet.

But I will underline the fact that our January and February temperatures can be very bitter indeed... windchill or no!

We still go ice skating, though. Dress warm enough and you are ready for anything! (parka with three layers underneath, double mittens, you get the picture!)