BRITISH AND SLOVENIAN WEATHER AND CLIMATE
TASK I: Locate and circle both countries, the UK and Slovenia, on the map of Europe below:
Where is Slovenia located according to its
landscape features (geomorphological)?
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Where is the UK located according to its
landscape features (geomorphological)?
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Compare the locations of both. Are there
any differences?
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Do you think that the location and the
geomorphological features affect the
weather and the climate of both countries?
In what way?
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What is the difference between The British
Isles and the island of Great Britain?
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Task II: Find the climate diagram of both, Ljubljana and London, in the ‘Atlas Sveta’ (World Atlas)
p. 15-17 and 30-31. Compare them and comment on:
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the average summer (July) and winter (February) temperatures:
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the amplitude (the difference between the highest and the lowest temperature):
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the (amount of) precipitations throughout the year:
Which parts of the UK get the highest amount of precipitations? Why?
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Which parts of Slovenia get the highest amount of precipitations? Why?
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Task III: What has such a great impact on British weather and climate that it is so
different from Slovenian weather?
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Task IV: Read both texts and compare:
The climate of Slovenia can be described as
typical European continental influenced climate
with warm, dry summers and fairly cold winters,
while the coastal areas and the lowlands in the
south have a Mediterranean influenced climate.
England’s climate can be described as temperate maritime climate,
because the Gulf Stream ensures mild, maritime influenced weather.
England is famous for its rain and the lush green of its countryside.
Average annual rainfall in the north is more than 1,600 mm, but
central and southern England receive an average of less than 800 mm.
January is the coldest month with daytime
temperatures usually around zero in the north,
but in some cases winter months can be very
cold with temperatures far below zero and
strong, cold north-easterly winds, called Bora,
especially in the mountainous regions, where
the weather is strongly influenced by the nearby
Alps. Heavy snowfall or even snowstorms are
also possible on some days there. In the coastal
areas long-lasting frost periods and snow are
quite seldom because of the influence of the
warm water temperatures of the Mediterranean
sea.
The coldest months are December, January and February, when the
temperature is usually between 3 and 6°C.
Rain falls throughout the year, and the weather in England can
sometimes change very quickly. Especially in fall and winter strong
Atlantic low-pressure systems can bring gales and uncomfortable
weather with heavy rain, showers or even thunderstorms.
Temperatures are generally lower in Scotland than in the other parts
of Great Britain. Temperate winters and cool summers are typical.
Low temperatures, however, are common in mountainous parts of
Scotland during the winter months, especially in the Scottish
Highlands, where the weather conditions are sometimes very harsh
with gales and heavy rainfall, or blizzard conditions in the winter.
In summer daytime temperatures reach 2025°C, but sometimes quite higher, 30°C or
more. Most of the time the weather is dry with
sunny spells, although sometimes heavy
thunderstorms can occur at the end of the day,
especially in the mountainous regions. July is
the warmest month with an average
Temperature of 22°C.
In July and August, the temperature averages between 16 and 21°C
whereas the general July temperatures in Scotland are even lower,
between 14°C and 15°C.
Annual precipitations vary from 400 mm in the
southern lowland areas, and up to 1000 mm in
the mountainous regions.
The weather is best May-September, when the
days are warm and the nights are cool, although
it rains more in spring than in summer. Autumn
and winter are usually a little chilly and wet,
and often foggy in the mountainous regions.
Great Britain
Slovenia
summers
winters
types of climate
precipitations
‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.’ (John Ruskin)