Will We Stop Talking About The Weather?
June Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Black & White — Freestyle”
Blue skies just five minutes ago.
Do the British really talk as constantly about the weather as conventional wisdom would have us believe?
Well, yes, apparently we do.
According to a study in 2010, at any moment in Great Britain, a third of the population has just been talking about the weather, is just about to talk about the weather, or is currently mid conversation on the topic. In fact, over 90% of the study’s subjects admitted to talking about the weather within the previous six hours.
But why do we do it?
It’s partly our changeable climate. Forecasts have become much more accurate over the years, but our geography gives us weather patterns that can mean several seasons sweep over within a matter of hours. It gives us a lot to talk about. Also, our climate is temperate. We do not routinely have extremes to cope with.
However, things are changing. We are starting to see higher temperatures, deeper floods, and unexpected landslides. A potential effect of climate change that I have not seen discussed is its effect on the British appetite for talking about the weather. I suspect that when weather…