Living in a warm climate - how important is the weather to your quality of life?

[realhousewife23]

We're living abroad at the moment in a place with warm summers and mild winters. In the next few months we have to make the decision whether we want to stay longer term or return to the UK. One of the things we keep coming back to is the weather, specifically how the nicer climate really does enhance our quality of life, it's just so nice being able to enjoy outdoor living and it definitely makes me feel better. It's hard to imagine going back to UK weather where 20 degrees is considered a heatwave!! On the other hand however, it's just weather and one aspect of life and we'd probably get used to the UK again. I guess my question is, how much importance do you (or would you) place on a nice climate in determining whether to stay or return to the UK, given the impact it has on your overall quality of life?

I'm an Aussie living in the north of the UK and cannot wait for the day I return home - purely for the weather! I love the UK and my experience here, but there is nothing like going for a run without a beanie and gloves and layers, or sitting in the garden in summer without a coat on.

I've always been sensitive to cold though and suffer from SAD, so for me weather is a huge factor.

Winters in Melbourne last 3 months. Winters in the UK feel like they last for 8!

This doesn't make any sense at all to me . I'm from the south west of England and spring has arrived by March at the latest (leaves coming on the trees, flowers coming out), plus the winters are so, so mild that most of the time they hardly count as winters at all. It's green all year round where I'm from and snow is not even a guaranteed annual occurrence. The last Christmas I spent with my parents it was basically t-shirt temperatures, albeit a little rainy.

I know it's a matter of what you're used to and I know there's a difference between the south and north of the UK, but really it's a temperate climate. In Iceland you have to wait until May to see green grass, leaves and flowers - then it's usually snowing again by November. So we really do have what I'd call 6 months of winter. The UK just doesn't by any stretch of the imagination.

UK weather is the no 1 reason for me living overseas. I can't hack the low grey skies, dark mornings, cold, rain. I need sunshine. Fundamental to my well being.

I've not even been back in the UK a week and an already fed up with the rubbish weather. Still only 10 weeks to go and I'll be back in the sun or will I give in before then?

realhousewife what part of the world do you live in ?
It sounds idyllic.
I am fed up of grey skies and rain here in Dublin though last week was lovely.

Like Hillary, I live in the US midwest. Really, really cold winters and fabulous summers. I love it so much that this summer we are staying in state for our vacation. We also have beaches and countryside.

Other reasons I really like it: hardly any crowding compared to the UK (I'm currently staying with my parents in Tunbridge Wells. Although I grew up here I'm stunned by just how crowded and dirty everything is), much cheaper to live, and a far more cheerful, pro-active attitude. It's also pretty left wing and liberal where I live.

I LOVE sunshine - I happily spend our vacations in desert areas of 100+ degrees, F just basking in the sun. Although I would be happy to avoid the extreme cold of winter, we get significantly more sunlight hours each year. With each year that passes, I find it harder to think about ever moving back to the UK.

I lived in Mexico for a good chunk of my life. Yeah the weather is amazing there but other things are amazing here as well. Although when asked if would move anywhere, I usually say California (partly because of the weather!)

revolution99, I live in Perth, Australia, where I have heard it said we have the weather that California thinks it has. . We apparently get an average of nine hours sunshine a day. Mind you we're getting none today, its bloody cold out there (Real feel temp of 12.8. I am putting the log burner on!)

I grew up in the south west of England and now live on the east coast of the US. I love having all the seasons, but it's so horribly hot right now (mid 30s) I'd kill for a dreary rainy day. I think I've got the opposite of SAD...living in Southern California actually made me quite miserable. The sunshine was relentless and on the odd day it rained the news became Stormwatch 2017!!

I live in a semi desert area in Canada, and am just hitting my least favorite time of year, with two weeks of 30+ predicted it's like living in an oven sometimes. It is very beautiful and we get lots of clear skies and sunshine year round too, so I am very appreciative of that. We're just about to move to Vancouver where it rains lots and lots and I'm almost looking forward to it :)

We're just about to move back to the UK from Australia, and one of the (many) reasons we have decided to move back after almost nine years here is the weather. I love the winter and spring here, it isn't too hot so we can go cycling and walking and outdoor things like that. Autumn can be wet, but we don't mind that either - it's easy enough to put on a waterproof jacket. However, we find the summer heat and humidity limits what we can do far more. The UV levels are also very high here, so you are constantly applying sunscreen, covering up, or heading for the shade. We didn't really mind the weather in the UK, and used to go out rain or shine, so I'm hoping it'll be the same when we return.

We live in Southern California and while we didn't move for the weather we have acclimatised to it very quickly and I hate having to put on another layer or plan for a day of changing weather (which actually this last year we've had a lot more of). We normally visit the UK in the summer when it's gorgeous or if it rains it's different enough for us that DH says I have totally rose tinted specs on about moving back.

I'm total nesh though - I lived in Sri Lanka and Nigeria as a child so didn't even experience non hot weather until I was 8, then apart from a 4 year stint in shropshire we've always lived in London so never had to contend with very cold for very long. Although we did just get on with it - I still cycled 45mins through London to work in the rain and snow, still wrapped up DS to go to the park every day and at that time we lived in a v small flat with no garden.

It's not like we're outside all the time in CA either but yes the predictability is great and I really hate drizzle and temps under 16dg spoilt

Having said that I still really want to return home when the DC reached secondary school age and think the pros for moving home vastly outweighs the cons of the weather compared to what we're used to now.

I live in the ME and am currently back for summer. It was beautiful weather yesterday evening, and I was thinking how lovely it would be to spend tomorrow evening in a country pub garden with a glass of wine, and of course I've woken up today and it is pissing down and the grey 'monocloud' is back. I find miserable grey weather saps my soul. So for me the ridiulously hot few months in the ME are worth it for the light levels as my mood is just much better (probably helped by being five minutes from the beach too )

I lived in Canada for years , was brought up there and moved to UK when I was 20. Love the UK climate much more than Canada.
I revel in the fact that actually I don't need a winter coat or boots in the winter ..our winters are mild usually..bar the odd really cold day. And spring and summer are lovely and temperate .

I live on south-coast of UK -hardly any midges so sitting outside at night I don't need mosquito repellant . Humid days are rare ..bloody hate humidity .

My family who all still live in Canada are jealous of the weather here. Where they live the summers are stifling hot and humid ,can rain quite a bit too. Winters are freezing and long .

I hate really hot weather so it wouldn't be an attraction for me.