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Is it going REALLY dark where you are already?


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Old 28-11-2015, 16:33
Steffan_Leach
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Almost completely dark now, sky has turned a very dark blue.
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Old 28-11-2015, 16:34
Ann_Tenna
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I'm in Canada, and our clocks fell back as well.

It's dark and gloomy at about 3:30 PM, same as yours, OP, but the time change/early darkness never bothered me.

I always go for morning walks at about 6:00 AM and it's pitch black outside. I can see one or two stars where I live now; when I lived in Montreal itself I couldn't due to the pollution.

In all seriousness, go out for a walk during the day if it's sunny, no matter how cold it might be. The sun will do you good, it really will, as will the exercise.

I know one person who is badly affected by the time change and lack of light. Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Consider light therapy - my friend swears by it at this time of the year.

And remember, once we pass into the winter, after this year's equinox on December 22, at 4:48 UTC, the daylight time will gradually increase.

Ann Tenna's guide to surviving a Quebec year weatherwise:

By mid-February, I need sunglasses when I go out in the morning due to the glare from the snow. It's bitterly cold where I live during January and February, but unless it's minus 40C with the wind chill, I do try to get out for a few minutes each day.

TIP: Always dress in layers. A tee-shirt, a sweater, a hoodie, and a coat. On feet, one or two pairs of socks and warm lined boots. On hands, one pair of gloves, topped by a pair of insulated mitts.

TIP: Always wear a hat. A lot of body heat escapes from the noggin. Your winter coat ideally should have a hood, faux-fur lined if possible.

TIP: Have a thick, non-allergenic scarf draped around shoulders. Might be necessary to protect beak and lower face, including gaping maw, from strong north winds.

By the beginning of March, I can feel the sun's warmth on my back and by mid-March, I hear the cheerful welcoming call of returning red-winged blackbirds.

TIP: Carry umbrella, or wear baseball cap with large brim on it.

At the end of April, our North American robins return. Then I know that our very short spring has kicked in.

TIP: Carry umbrella, or wear baseball cap with large brim on it.

May -- warmer weather, and garage sales start! At the end of May, the weather can heat up and the humidity rises.

Come July, after having undergone June some years, I can be heard swearing and cursing. "This feckin' heat and humidity is sucking the very life force out of me! I feel like a wet rag. I'm exhausted! I'm moving to Nunavut!"

I will grab our garden hose and douse myself. TIP: Put on an old baseball cap, douse it with the coldest water that you can, place on noggin.

TIP: Run cold water from your kitchen sink on the insides of your wrists every so often.

TIP: Wear a loose dress, skirt without underwear. Loose, light clothing. But make sure that the skirt/dress isn't see-through, otherwise passersby will think that you are...well, loose.

Doesn't that make you feel a little better? We have two seasons in Montreal - winter and July.
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Old 28-11-2015, 16:40
Mountain_Runner
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I'm in the south and had my lights on at the time the thread was started. Curtain were pulled about half an hour ago. 3 1/2 weeks to go till the shortest day and it feels so dark so early already. Roll on spring. Thank goodness for Christmas to brighten things up. Whoever came up with the idea for a festival in the height of winter knew what they were doing.
That's when we can be thankful not to be living in Australia or New Zealand with their winter being in June and July.

May and June must be their most miserable month, dark cold and wet but no festivals, events public holidays or anything. At least by. March we are seeing in spring, for the Australians its Autumn.

Their only good thing in Oz is when their kids gin back to school in September, it's the start of spring!

So when we are walking along the beach on a lovely evening in May or June spare a thought for the Ozzys lol
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Old 28-11-2015, 16:44
Steffan_Leach
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Thank goodness for Christmas to brighten things up. Whoever came up with the idea for a festival in the height of winter knew what they were doing.
You do realise that in the southern hemisphere it's summer over there at Christmas time... Imagine sunbathing on the beach and visiting relatives in shorts and flip flops while eating Christmas dinner in daylight...
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Old 28-11-2015, 16:59
Ann_Tenna
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That's when we can be thankful not to be living in Australia or New Zealand with their winter being in June and July.

May and June must be their most miserable month, dark cold and wet but no festivals, events public holidays or anything. At least by. March we are seeing in spring, for the Australians its Autumn.

Their only good thing in Oz is when their kids gin back to school in September, it's the start of spring!

So when we are walking along the beach on a lovely evening in May or June spare a thought for the Ozzys lol
That's food for thought. I don't know how it must feel to have winter in June...I wonder how cold it gets in some parts of NZ? I'm going to google it.

My late dad wanted to emigrate to New Zealand, but me late mum put her foot down, saying it was too far for her to visit her beloved London, UK.

So he chose Canada, and me late mum didn't like that, either!

Here's what I found about New Zealand's temperatures.

Seems doable enough for me!
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:01
striing
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You do realise that in the southern hemisphere it's summer over there at Christmas time... Imagine sunbathing on the beach and visiting relatives in shorts and flip flops while eating Christmas dinner in daylight...
Yeah I know - but the festival that is Christmas existed here before it was Christmas (if you know what I mean). I don't know what it was called or if it also existed elsewhere.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:05
Ann_Tenna
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You do realise that in the southern hemisphere it's summer over there at Christmas time... Imagine sunbathing on the beach and visiting relatives in shorts and flip flops while eating Christmas dinner in daylight...
There are many North American "snowbirds" who travel south in November and don't return to their northern homes until late March/early April.

Many have homes/condos in Florida.

Personally, I like to have snow around in December and on the only holiday I celebrate, which is New Year's Eve.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:07
Tidosho
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It always gets late early this time of year.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:08
Ann_Tenna
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I don't think I've ever known a November as dark and gloomy as this one...
I don't remember a November as being so mild as the one we had this year. It was 14C yesterday...that's just unheard of. On my birthday last Sunday, it was a whopping 8C!
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:11
Mountain_Runner
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You do realise that in the southern hemisphere it's summer over there at Christmas time... Imagine sunbathing on the beach and visiting relatives in shorts and flip flops while eating Christmas dinner in daylight...
But in June in the Southern Hemisphere they're huddled around the radiator while its gets dark at 4pm , while the rain lashes down, whilst in England the English are having barbecues on the beach at 10pm as dusk gently falls thinking about the coming summer events garden parties etc.

We have all that to look forward to The Auzzies have the autumn to come
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:12
pugamo
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I totally agree. At least next month is the shortest day and it will get lighter after that

I suspect like me you can't wait for spring to come? Well only 17 weeks and the clocks go forward! Yippee
Stop wishing your life away.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:14
Ann_Tenna
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Yes it is it has just gone 4pm and it's already getting dark. I so hate November, the most depressing month of the year, I've always hated it.

This November has been worst, each day has been dull grey and wet

At least next month is the shortest day and it will get lighter after that

I just can't wait until spring time and the light evenings again
November is dreary in Canada, too, it's usually grey with a lot of rain and/or snow.

I maintain that April is worse, though. After a long winter, all most of us Canucks want to see and feel is a bit of sun. We'll get that in late March, but then April arrives and we're kicked in the butt by the proverbial "April showers".

April showers! It's so gloomy, it can snow during the beginning of the month, and it sleet/rains all the time and the temps are raw.

November is a precursor of the winter that's coming. People know that.

April is supposed to be one of spring, but it's a month in which it can't decide whether to let go of winter or not. It's awful.

We should know how unpredictable April is, but most of us want spring so badly, we are badly April-fooled and let down year after year...
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:20
blueblade
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That's food for thought. I don't know how it must feel to have winter in June...I wonder how cold it gets in some parts of NZ? I'm going to google it.

My late dad wanted to emigrate to New Zealand, but me late mum put her foot down, saying it was too far for her to visit her beloved London, UK.

So he chose Canada, and me late mum didn't like that, either!

Here's what I found about New Zealand's temperatures.

Seems doable enough for me!
Those New Zealand temperatures look really comfortable.

Not sure how you stand Montreal, Ann_ Tenna. December, January and February are all persistent frost months. It must be quite dangerous to walk outside a lot of the time.

Montreal temperatures

I suppose you could always take a Winter break in Florida.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:27
lemoncurd
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Whoever came up with the idea for a festival in the height of winter knew what they were doing.
Probably John Lewis.
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:40
Ann_Tenna
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Those New Zealand temperatures look really comfortable.

Not sure how you stand Montreal, Ann_ Tenna. December, January and February are all persistent frost months. It must be quite dangerous to walk outside a lot of the time.

Montreal temperatures

I suppose you could always take a Winter break in Florida.
Me? Go to Florida? When hell freezes over!

I wouldn't visit a cesspool of heat and humidity during our winter any more than I could fly to the moon, where the temps are probably warmer than they are here in February.

I loathe heat and humidity!

One thing about our winters, apart from the cold, which I have learned after the many, many years I've lived here is that the icy sidewalks pose more of a risk to humanoids than the cold does.

I wrote what I did about our winters tongue-in-cheek. I'm used to them.

Despite what the cleaning crews due during the winter, sanding/salting our sidewalks, sometimes there are lumps of ice that somehow protrude from the sidewalk's surface. If there's a fresh snowfall, the lumps of ice become less visible and become slippery. Caution, or good rubber-soled boots are necessary.

We get a lot of snow in Montreal, much more than our neighbours say, in Toronto, do. We have huge snowbanks sometimes. I should take some pics this year and post them.

Most snowbanks around bus stops are cleared, but some aren't. It takes an almost athlete to leap over certain snowbanks, or at least maneuver around same, just to get on a bus. Keeps a lot of us in shape, I can tell you!

Oh, in April...I forgot to mention. Talk about April showers, when the snow melts, it becomes slush.

Montreal is pot-hole city. The slush accumulates in the pot-holes on the road. Innocent pedestrians such as myself often get showered by slush as cars zoom by, causing even a gentle soul like me to flip the offending motorists the bird and curse them angrily.

Ever been slushified from head to toe in April when it's still cold outside?
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Old 28-11-2015, 17:42
striing
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Probably John Lewis.
Hohoho
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Old 28-11-2015, 18:14
blueblade
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Me? Go to Florida? When hell freezes over!

I wouldn't visit a cesspool of heat and humidity during our winter any more than I could fly to the moon, where the temps are probably warmer than they are here in February.

I loathe heat and humidity!

One thing about our winters, apart from the cold, which I have learned after the many, many years I've lived here is that the icy sidewalks pose more of a risk to humanoids than the cold does.

I wrote what I did about our winters tongue-in-cheek. I'm used to them.

Despite what the cleaning crews due during the winter, sanding/salting our sidewalks, sometimes there are lumps of ice that somehow protrude from the sidewalk's surface. If there's a fresh snowfall, the lumps of ice become less visible and become slippery. Caution, or good rubber-soled boots are necessary.

We get a lot of snow in Montreal, much more than our neighbours say, in Toronto, do. We have huge snowbanks sometimes. I should take some pics this year and post them.

Most snowbanks around bus stops are cleared, but some aren't. It takes an almost athlete to leap over certain snowbanks, or at least maneuver around same, just to get on a bus. Keeps a lot of us in shape, I can tell you!

Oh, in April...I forgot to mention. Talk about April showers, when the snow melts, it becomes slush.

Montreal is pot-hole city. The slush accumulates in the pot-holes on the road. Innocent pedestrians such as myself often get showered by slush as cars zoom by, causing even a gentle soul like me to flip the offending motorists the bird and curse them angrily.

Ever been slushified from head to toe in April when it's still cold outside?
Not in April, no. But I have had the unpleasant experienced of being soaked by a car driving through partially melted snow at the side of the road, and it splashing all over me. It's not clean either - all brown and dirty.
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Old 29-11-2015, 14:41
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It's been like polar night the last couple of days. 🔦
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Old 29-11-2015, 15:41
Steffan_Leach
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It's that time of day when it's getting dark again....

Been gloomy all day though and had to put the light on at 11am to read the telly paper. Had a brief brighter spell and a teensy bit of sunshine too

Gone back to being gloomy, winds really got up, my wheelie-bin has fallen over and guess what.. It's raining... again..

And I've had to put my light on again.

Like living in Scotland.
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Old 29-11-2015, 16:41
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It's only just gone 4.30pm and it'salready a dark and stormy night thanks in part due to storm Clodagh.
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Old 29-11-2015, 16:46
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Pitch black , wet and cold 16.45. ( Ribble Valley )
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Old 29-11-2015, 16:49
d'@ve
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So I'm in north west England, it's been a miserabole wet and gloomy day, like we've had all this November non-stop. And the street lights and even the main road lights are on and it's 3:30 pm... It's just soooo gloomy.

The light starts to fade these days at 2:00pm and at 2:30 I had to put my kitchen light on today. I can hardly see around the house, it's just like, shadows.

And I'm not even that far north, I'm just north of Manchester.

What's it like for you in the sunny south now?
The good news is that sunset stops getting earlier in a fortnight's time (15:49) and slowly starts to get later again on December 16th. (in Manchester).

The corresponding dates here on the central south coast are Dec. 7th. and 19th., respectively (12 days with a 15:59 sunset, so we get an extra 10 minutes afternoon light) but sunny it is not!
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Old 29-11-2015, 18:46
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I'm in the North West, too. Been having to put house lights on around 1pm most days.

Non-stop rain and wind for the past two weeks. I don't mind the weather but having the lights on so early is a bit disorientating - feels later than it is, so I start unwinding from the day by about 3pm and end up getting nothing done.
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Old 29-11-2015, 20:14
TOTP_81
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I'm in the south and had my lights on at the time the thread was started. Curtain were pulled about half an hour ago. 3 1/2 weeks to go till the shortest day and it feels so dark so early already. Roll on spring. Thank goodness for Christmas to brighten things up. Whoever came up with the idea for a festival in the height of winter knew what they were doing.
http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/uk/gl...h=12&year=2015

Follow the above link for sunrise/sunset times, it actually starts to get lighter in the evenings from the 19th of December onwards but as a previous poster pointed out, it does still drag out in the mornings till the middle of January. I always notice the difference come new years day where it is actually lighter till after 4pm about 20 minutes difference from the 19th of December
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Old 29-11-2015, 20:55
kiviraat
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At the time of year, I have to have a light on in the living room all day long, even though I have massive south facing windows. Today the sun rose around 8.34am and set around 3.25pm. Obviously it gets dull/dark well before sunset though, especially if it's overcast.
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