Weather and Seasons

Weather describes the day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in a particular place — including temperature, rainfall, sunshine, wind and cloud cover. Climate, by contrast, is the average pattern of weather a place experiences over many years. The UK experiences four distinct seasons — spring, summer, autumn and winter — caused by the tilt of the Earth on its axis as it orbits the sun. When the Northern Hemisphere tilts towards the sun, we get summer (longer days, more warmth). When it tilts away, we get winter (shorter days, less warmth). Meteorologists are scientists who study and forecast the weather. They use specialist instruments: thermometers measure temperature, rain gauges measure rainfall, anemometers measure wind speed, and wind vanes show wind direction. Weather affects what we wear, what we eat, how we travel, and how we farm — making it one of the most important aspects of geography.