To think this is a stonkingly good summer?!

[Someiremember]

Admittedly I’m in the (lovely)) south east and we are blessed with pretty decent summers generally but so far this summer has been amazing!

9am, and I’m out in the garden, having my coffee and planning trip to beach with my teens for the day. And the sunny warm weather stretches in to the future forecast for days.

Bliss

I feel we've missed out because this is the first summer in years,we've not camped at all and now run out of time! Had a lovely foreign holiday but feel like we could have made the most of the seaside where we live instead given the weather.

Yes. We’ve had quite a lot of rain here.(Just outside of Glasgow)

Yeah, love it.

Have you had enough rain for the farmers to be able to get a decent crop of silage? There was a segment on the news last night about farmers who have had so little rain that they have no grass, can’t produce silage, and are having to dip into their winter food stores to feed their cattle. Some sounded very worried.

Waking up to blue skies is wonderful. We have had such rubbish summers for the past few years.
In past years crops have been badly affected by cool wet weather. Last year potato crops suffered because of a wet March, April and May. I think problems with crops are a constant issue for farmers.

Thanks for replying. Same here, barely any rain and when it has it’s just been a light shower that did no good at all. I love summer but have never known so little rain for months, that’s my only concern.

Yanbu OP! It's so lovely after the truly dreadful, awful weather in 2024 and 2023.

I'm not even near the sea (London) and I tend to stay inside on hot days as I burn easily and hate sweating, but I'm absolutely appreciating this fabulous sunshine and the general uplift in mood in most people.

I'll be sad when it's over.

It’s wild - we live by a beach and the kids have been out almost daily playing. Such an amazing summer!!!

No....
Hosepipe bans and wildlife are suffering through lack of water.
Plus,I'm a menopausal redhead who is also allergic to the sun! And our bedroom is in the lift....
Roll on autumn!

It’s been amazing. Worn sandals every day since May. Hope it lasts through the bank holiday weekend. A bit worried it might ruin me for a normal British summer though - last year was a washout!

This summer has been far too hot at times. Last summer felt like winter. I would prefer something in the middle.

It's not just about the hot weather though. March and April was record breakingly wet and just as problematic.

No one enjoys weeks of rain.

But I do think we're allowed to like sunshine. Yes it's been very dry for a long time, but temperature wise it is not that bad in the UK.

Yes southern Europe are struggling.

@heldinadream I don't think it's distasteful to say you're enjoying a bit of nice weather
More people than ever are really bloody struggling, the long summer holidays are here and yeah, I'm pleased that we can spend hours in the park, woods, sand pit and all other host of local places that are free. The kids are getting some vitamin D, the car has hardly moved because we've walked everywhere, all the washing on the line, no need for the dryer
It doesn't mean we're sticking our fingers up at the farmers or wildlife caught up in the wild fires
It's possible to have balance. God, if you can't find tiny little bits of joy in life, what's the bloody point?

It is lovely.
Other than the drought, scorched earth, water restrictions...

It's nice-looking when it's sunny but the overwhelming feeling here has been muggy, humid and heavy-feeling air throughout each heat-wave. As someone who suffers in the heat this year has been one of the worst, mostly because of that humidity and how it hit around June with the really long days. I'm hoping this heat-wave is the last hurrah of the really hot, muggy days and we can get some more pleasant, temperate weather so I can actually enjoy getting out of the house!

I miss the feeling of a nice breeze on a warm day, not this weather where the air feels like it just hangs there unmoving.

I'm in Surrey, and whilst we've had several periods without rain, we've also had several massive heavy downpours of rain (enough to make all the manhole covers pop up and all the gullies flood) plus several grey, drizzly weeks, in between the moderately hot periods. On average, the sunny days have been a fairly pleasant 23-25 degrees - only one or two days where it's been more than 30 degrees. I don't think it's been a particularly abnormal summer and I'm certainly not seeing the "heatwave" that everyone is on about. I think maybe the difference is that the good weather is across more of the UK rather than the SE being significantly different to usual. Mostly warm weather, some dry spells, some heavy rain, some drizzle seems pretty much like a normal summer to me.

Yes, I'm enjoying it too. A little too hot now it's in the 30s, but I quite like the way you get to suspend some of normal life on the grounds of it being too hot to cook/clean/not eat magnums for dinner.

Oh yes I love sitting in the arrid wasteland that is my garden staring at all the lovely flowers that either didnt come up or died too quickly.

Tbh I spend most of my time worrying about the crops DH is not harvesting or harvesting with very little yield. This means little money for next year.

We need rain for a reason.

Thanks for that. That’s what I’ve been missing, some really good downpours (and thunderstorms).

I was talking to a local dairy farmer at the weekend, and he said (excuse me if I get any of the terminology wrong) that he is having to feed his herd some of the 1st silage cut as the grass in his fields is almost non-existent and poor quality, and isn't expecting much of a 2nd cut. Also mentioned that he'll have to buy in winter feed at great expense.

Yep. We've only got 1 cut of hay this year instead of 2, the bale numbers are down 30% and we are already having to use winter's hay + straw.
What people fail to understand is that has a knock on effect on ALL food prices because try to find something that doesn't contain a crop/milk etc. Soya, rapeseed, wheat etc .....all prices will be rising.

I don’t love temps over 30C but otherwise the sunshine and eating in the garden or reading on a sun lounger with a chilled glass of something listening to the swifts at dusk has been glorious.

We’ve had rain overnight a bit, but mostly sun.
I don’t like having to take the dogs out early for walks that are in the shade as much as possible as it restricts the rest of the day. Gorgeous dewy walks that are 16C at 9.30am more my thing.

For perfection 23-25c max temp. We installed AC upstairs in the bedrooms so no longer dread hot nights - hot weather AND having to do things is much easier when you’ve slept like a log and are well rested.

It’s definitely been a good summer. Finally. I’m glad all on here agree that the last 2 years were rubbish (had an argument on another thread where posters were arguing last year was hot and sunny! Only very briefly!
People have bad memories…

It’s great for all the outdoor events and those on UK holidays.

I appreciate that farmers are struggling and we could have done with some more rain (especially overnight!).

I would be happier with air con and a pool! But you can’t have everything. I struggle to sleep when it’s over 30 but I’m happy when it drops back down to mid-high 20s. That feels bearable.

I will definitely not feel short changed going in to autumn like I used to! I’m actually looking forward to September- if we have a good one. There’s something beautiful about a Sept morning - where the sun is a bit less intense and you appreciate it as autumn is round the corner.

It will be interesting to see the stats on this summer. We normally have lots of cooler spells but this year temperatures have stayed pleasant.

The only thing I haven’t enjoyed is getting up early for the dog walk! Trying to appreciate the early mornings though (not a morning person!!).