US vs UK sunshine hours

[otorongo]

Sunshine hours map for the US:

http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/cl ... 0Hours.png

As you can see, almost all of the country (more than 99%) receives at least 2000 hours of sunshine, and 2000 is where the proper scale starts (i.e. not counting the "<2000" category). The only parts that get less than 2000 is 2 odd dots - one on the PNW coast, and one in New Hampshire.

I've seen another map including Alaska, and all of Alaska had over 2000 sunshine hours, but can't find that map now.

In contrast, the sunniest spot in mainland UK - Bognor Regis - averages 1902 hours of sunshine. Here is the UK map:

http://metofficenews.files.wordpress.co ... 000_17.gif

The scale *ends* at 1600 (it has a ">1600" category), 400 hours before the US scale even starts. Go draw your own conclusions.

And an article about the sunshine hours for Seattle, the dullest US city:
http://www.seattlerex.com/the-truth-abo ... -sunshine/

Positive for Seattlers, but depressing for us UK folks...

The fact of the matter is that Seattle gets significantly more than two seconds of sunlight per year. We actually get 2,174 (two thousand one hundred seventy four) hours. Put into “12 hour daytime” terms, this is 175 days of clear, unobstructed sunshine. Each and every year.

So, how does this compare to the rest of the USA?

New York City gets 2,600 hours of sunshine per year, which is 17% more than Seattle receives;
Portland gets 2,347 hours, which is 8% more than Seattle;
Chicago gets 2,511 hours, 14% more;
Buffalo gets 2,204, 1% more;
Boston gets 2,638 hours, 18% more;
Miami gets 3,154 hours, 31% more;
Los Angeles gets 3,265 hours, 35% more;

So, while Seattle is certainly cloudy IN RELATION to most other U.S. cities, it’s not overwhelmingly so. It’s only about 1/5th more gloomy than our largest city, New York.

But, what about the rest of the world?

This is where things get interesting, and the myth of Seattle’s unique doom and gloom really begins to get shattered.

Check this out:

London gets only 1,461 hours of sunshine each year. This is a full 33% LESS than Seattle;
Paris gets 1,630, 26% less.
Berlin receives 1,625, 26% less.
Amsterdam 1,601, 27% less.

Western Europe, too, looks pretty bleak compared to the US, but slightly better than us.

[billdango]

An interesting discussion but you have to bear in mind that Cities like New York are on the same latitude of Lisbon and also that most of America recieves between 2 and 5 percent more winter sun then anywhere in the UK.

The summer months are not much different in sunshine hours then the south of England its only after October the difference becomes more apparent.

I do admit that the UK is very deficent in sunshine then the rest of the World but we can still grow wonderful exotics here as many plants hate blazing sun everyday.

Here in Southampton we average about 1.775 hours of sun a year which I admit is total rubbish compared with most places in the USA and nearly everywhere else in Europe.

Even the sunniest places in the UK like The channel islands 1.938 hours,Eastbourne 1.900 hours and Ventnor 1.918 hours cannot compare with anywhere in the USA but is much better then most of northern Europe.

That aside I am quite happy with the climate in Southampton which is quite benign compared with Alaska for instance.

billdango

[Conifers]

I've seen another map including Alaska, and all of Alaska had over 2000 sunshine hours, but can't find that map now.

I'd doubt that very much - the Pacific Ocean coasts of Alaska (from the 'Panhandle' round to the Aleutian Islands) are every bit as wet and sunless as western Scotland, if not more so (as the mountains are higher so generate more cloud). It'll just be a fairly narrow coastal band so might not be obvious on a small map.

[Dave Brown]

I've seen another map including Alaska, and all of Alaska had over 2000 sunshine hours, but can't find that map now.

I'd doubt that very much - the Pacific Ocean coasts of Alaska (from the 'Panhandle' round to the Aleutian Islands) are every bit as wet and sunless as western Scotland, if not more so (as the mountains are higher so generate more cloud). It'll just be a fairly narrow coastal band so might not be obvious on a small map.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of ... ge,_Alaska says not, Anchorage has 2,066 hrs

[Conifers]

I'd doubt that very much - the Pacific Ocean coasts of Alaska (from the 'Panhandle' round to the Aleutian Islands) are every bit as wet and sunless as western Scotland, if not more so (as the mountains are higher so generate more cloud). It'll just be a fairly narrow coastal band so might not be obvious on a small map.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of ... ge,_Alaska says not, Anchorage has 2,066 hrs

Anchorage isn't in the coastal strip, it's deep inland at the head of a narrow fjord. Try looking up Seward or Sitka instead. Or Glacier Bay National Park.

[billdango]

The sunniest parts of south west Europe north of the French Spanish borders is the area around Royan which Receives around 2.200 to 2.600 hours of sun a year.

This amount of sunshine is comparable to the south of France and is probably the highest totals that can be recorded this far north.

The north coast of Spain for instance is even less sunny then the south of England although much warmer.

The average sun hours for some towns and Cities for that part of France are shown below for comparison with the south of England.

Pau.......1.979 hours.
Royan....2.200 hours.
Biarritz..1.877. hours.
Lanamazan...1.900 hours.
Rennes......1.700 hours.


UK.
Eastbourne..1.900 hours
Ventnor IOW ..1.918 hours
Torquay......1.798 hours.
Southampton..1.775 hours.
ST Hellier,Jersey...1.948 hours.

I hope this is of interest?
billdango...

[Dave Brown]

Also the Azores have between 1450 and 1550 hours. Around the same as London

[otorongo]

An interesting discussion but you have to bear in mind that Cities like New York are on the same latitude of Lisbon and also that most of America recieves between 2 and 5 percent more winter sun then anywhere in the UK.

If we really receive the same amount of summer sun, I think they get more than 2-5% more winter sun, otherwise the figures wouldn't add up.

Thanks for the France data.

[Nathan]

Here's an interesting map of Europe's annual sunshine hours that I found... Thankfully I am within that small sliver of pale yellow on the south coast

[billdango]

Here's an interesting map of Europe's annual sunshine hours that I found... Thankfully I am within that small sliver of pale yellow on the south coast

And I am just outside it.....

billdango

[billdango]

An interesting discussion but you have to bear in mind that Cities like New York are on the same latitude of Lisbon and also that most of America recieves between 2 and 5 percent more winter sun then anywhere in the UK.

If we really receive the same amount of summer sun, I think they get more than 2-5% more winter sun, otherwise the figures wouldn't add up.

Thanks for the France data.

Sorry for the error.

I meant most cities in the USA get 25 percent more bright sunshine hours from October to march then any UK city.

This also applies to western and central Canada as well.

As for Alaska I don,t know....

For the months April to September the sunshine hours in parts of the eastern USA and most of Canada including Vancouver island are broadly similer to the sunniest places in southern England but the sunshine hours in California are much higher.

billdango

[stephenprudence]

Here we get 1500 hours roughly, which is very low compared to most places in the world.

What is more disturbing is that the record sunshine hours here are even less than most of the south of England

Record sunshine hours are circa 1800.

The lowest sunshine hours on record are around 1300.

I think it is literally impossible to get over 2000 hours of sunshine here.

It is a dull monotonous climate but we make do.

[billdango]

Here we get 1500 hours roughly, which is very low compared to most places in the world.

What is more disturbing is that the record sunshine hours here are even less than most of the south of England

Record sunshine hours are circa 1800.

The lowest sunshine hours on record are around 1300.

I think it is literally impossible to get over 2000 hours of sunshine here.

It is a dull monotonous climate but we make do.

Thats interesting Stephen as your lowest sun hours on record are similar to what we had in Southampton back in the beginning of the last century?

I can,t find the data around this mess in my computer room at the moment but I think it was 1.318 hours only.

Last year may possibly be not much different or could even turn out to be even worse.

The average sun hours we get in Southampton seem to average about 1.775 hours a year but we often get more then 1.800 hours a year.

The highest so far recorded this century is 2.150 hours in 2003.

To only get 1.500 hours would be for us down here on the south coast a very poor year indeed and except for last year my records have never shown anything as low as that.

rgds billdango

[Conifers]

Thats interesting Stephen as your lowest sun hours on record are similar to what we had in Southampton back in the beginning of the last century?

Sunshine hours were lower then because of uncontrolled smoke pollution.