How difficult did you find it to get used to the weather in Adelaide?

[Guest Rosie1979]

How do you find the heat? Do you get used to it? How do you cope with intense heat during the heat waves? Do you have to stay in alot? Or can you get out for some part of the day? How do children find the heat?

Over the winter does it rain alot? As much as a typical winter in the UK? Or, in general, less?

[ian mc]

You never get used to the heat when its a hot day you notice that the streets are empty and the place is dead all you hear is the hum of aircon everyone is inside sitting under the aircon.Alot of people who work outside start early and finish early to avoid the heat.Would say that it does not rain as much as the UK in winter.Been lucky for the last couple of years it not been a warm summer only had a couple of days of 40degs Its when you get a full week of it it is realy tuff.

[jim and adel]

Some people struggle with the hot weather, but for us it's only on the most extreme days that it's uncomfortable (we live up in the hills, so it tends to be a few degrees cooler but with a higher fire risk). Most shopping centres/offices have air con, so it's very possible to go from cool house to cool car to cool shopping/work with just a brief time actually in the heat.

 

We've been over here now for four and a half years, and we were really surprised in our first winter by just how much it rained. It's hard to compare a single city to a full country like the UK (which actually has a wide variation of rainfall - here's the Met Office map: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/ukmapavge.html) but for example much of England gets between 150-250mm of rain in a typical winter, and Adelaide's average is 222mm, so within that band. I'd say (without checking, so I could well be wrong!) it rains on fewer days here, because when it does rain, it really comes down ... although that could just be the incredibly inadequate drainage and storm water provisions here!

 

Jim

[Markrw]

Hi Rosie

 

We don't find the heat a problem any more as you will soon acclimatise, but you do need to slip slap slop when your out in the heat and drink plenty of water. You will be amazed at how many Brits you will see on the beach who have sunburnt in the hot summers. Also try to avoid the sun between noon till 3.00pm when the UV is high to extreme, and temps are 40c +

The beaches are quiet when it is hot seem funny to me the total opposite to the UK “Suns out everyone’s indoors”

We always have are kids in rashie shirts when ever they go to the beach regardless of the temps or UV rating, also take some sort of shade with you a beach brolly, beach tent etc etc.

The winters……….there are none nothing like the UK but it dose get cold and you will be surprised how cold it can get here, however I hardly wear long pants anymore so the winters I think are good. When we first came in the middle of the drought we loved to see the rain as it just never did but the last 2 years or so SA seems to have got a little cooler and wetter.

I do love telling the Aussies that I love the hot weather when they say “You pommies must be hating the hot weather”

[Guest Rosie1979]

You never get used to the heat when its a hot day you notice that the streets are empty and the place is dead all you hear is the hum of aircon everyone is inside sitting under the aircon.Alot of people who work outside start early and finish early to avoid the heat.Would say that it does not rain as much as the UK in winter.Been lucky for the last couple of years it not been a warm summer only had a couple of days of 40degs Its when you get a full week of it it is realy tuff.

 

Thank you for your reply!

Ok, so ignoring the heatwaves, is the average temperature out there OK for getting on with daily life there, or is it best to stay inside at certain times of day during the summer? What are the nicest times of year? I'm guessing the Spring and Autumn?

Great to hear the rainfall is a bit less during the winter then it is here in the UK. Saying that, we have a really dry Winter 2011 going into 2012 here!

[Guest Rosie1979]

Hi Rosie

 

We don't find the heat a problem any more as you will soon acclimatise, but you do need to slip slap slop when your out in the heat and drink plenty of water. You will be amazed at how many Brits you will see on the beach who have sunburnt in the hot summers. Also try to avoid the sun between noon till 3.00pm when the UV is high to extreme, and temps are 40c +

The beaches are quiet when it is hot seem funny to me the total opposite to the UK “Suns out everyone’s indoors”

We always have are kids in rashie shirts when ever they go to the beach regardless of the temps or UV rating, also take some sort of shade with you a beach brolly, beach tent etc etc.

The winters……….there are none nothing like the UK but it dose get cold and you will be surprised how cold it can get here, however I hardly wear long pants anymore so the winters I think are good. When we first came in the middle of the drought we loved to see the rain as it just never did but the last 2 years or so SA seems to have got a little cooler and wetter.

I do love telling the Aussies that I love the hot weather when they say “You pommies must be hating the hot weather”

 

Thank you for getting back to me!

It's really quite cold here in the UK today, and it's been raining too.

You said about avoiding the sun between 12.00 and 3.00pm, how does this work in schools? Do the children still go out to play or do they stay in the shade? Skin cancer would be a worry for me as I'm in remission from cancer now but I'm *hoping* that if you're really good with the sunscreen, the chances are less of developing it. Not heard of rashie shirts , do they have sun protection in the material? Do children suffer with the heat? Moan/complain etc???!!!!

Nice to hear you don't usually wear long pant during the winter when we're fully wrapped up in one hundred layers to try to keep warm!

[Guest Barney Rubble]

Some people struggle with the hot weather, but for us it's only on the most extreme days that it's uncomfortable (we live up in the hills, so it tends to be a few degrees cooler but with a higher fire risk). Most shopping centres/offices have air con, so it's very possible to go from cool house to cool car to cool shopping/work with just a brief time actually in the heat.

 

We've been over here now for four and a half years, and we were really surprised in our first winter by just how much it rained. It's hard to compare a single city to a full country like the UK (which actually has a wide variation of rainfall - here's the Met Office map: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/ukmapavge.html) but for example much of England gets between 150-250mm of rain in a typical winter, and Adelaide's average is 222mm, so within that band. I'd say (without checking, so I could well be wrong!) it rains on fewer days here, because when it does rain, it really comes down ... although that could just be the incredibly inadequate drainage and storm water provisions here!

Jim

 

Spot on there Jim,

 

have been here over 23 years and it still amazes me how this happens, we had new gutters on our house and they overflowed a few months later, the insurance company did the "do you maintain your gutters regularly" tact so i said no i replace them . . . . they paid up:wacko:

 

Often look out the window and think it is a hose pipe on !

 

Spring and Autumn are still often shorts and tee-shirts for some, but the change in tempreture catches most people out, can go from 35+ down to 18 - 20 in a few hours and that is where people catch colds.

 

In the warmer months people still get colds as offices, shops and buildings are set from 22-25 degrees, as are your cars so the 5-10 minutes out in the sun feels nice but then, as your body heats up, you cool it down again when you get under cover.

 

In saying this i think i have had probably 4-5 bad colds in the time here compared to the standard 1-2 per year in the UK.

 

That's my 2 bob's worth

[Markrw]

I have heard the south east is in a drought, not surprised though as the UK with it's 60-70+ million plus relies on a constant rain fall to fill the reservoirs. You will have no problem with everyday average temps for getting on with daily life and every season is good here in my opinion. There are no problems to me even when I am out on site with the weather, I just remember to put the sunscreen on.

Think of a Mediterranean climate for SA.

[AussieRob]

Hi Rosie, there is a lot of data about the weather on BOM.gov.au. There is even the last few years weather on a day by day basis.

 

Generally though, we only get on average around 18 days per year over 35 degs. This may still sound very warm but in a dry environment the feeling on your skin will feel a few degrees cooler. So a 30 deg day can actually feel more like mid 20's. it is called the steadman apparent temperature. If you were in Brisbane where the humidity is higher the reverse is true, a 30 deg day can feel like mid 30's, as your body cannot sweat and cool down properly. I find though on the hot days the beach is the place to go, with nothing but ocean between us an Antarctica the sea is few degrees cooler than you may think it should be, and there is always a reasonable chance of a southerly breeze which can feel fantastic. The further south the coast you go the cooler it can be, I've been in Victor Harbour when it has been over 15 degs cooler than Adelaide, that is unusual for such a difference but there is always a difference.

 

The winters are very wet, although we live in the driest capital, in the driest state of the driest continent, we still have just 50 - 70mm of rain less than London, but it does fall on a far less number of days.

 

Generally I find the weather is just nice, Is it as hot as i thought it would be ? No, you may still need a fleece if your sitting outside during a summer evening, but it is generally dry, so you can plan ahead and enjoy being outside as much as you like.

[Guest smit]

I dont really find the heat aproblem. I work outside and yes being in the sun at 40c is hot, but wear uv clothing a hat and drink plenty of water its doable. Never put aircon on till on way home. IMO people use aircon too much so their body gets used to the cooler temp then goes outside and thinks oohhh bit warm out here...lol! Best place to be in 35 c is down beach with a gazebo, jump in water for cool down and back out. 40c +......around the swimming pool with beer fridge stacked and lovely nighttime bbq.

 

Never understand why are neighbours cool house to 20c in summer and heat house to 26c in winter!!!!!!

 

I think winter is more of a problem!

[jim and adel]

I think winter is more of a problem!

 

Same here!