Climate
The climate of the Pennines is generally temperate like the rest of England, but they receive more precipitation, stronger winds and colder weather than the surrounding areas. Some areas of the Pennines could perhaps be described as temperate verging on subarctic in climate and indeed a small area of the Pennines is classified as subarctic, in certain parts of Teesdale. Snow falls in greater quantities in the Pennines than in surrounding lowland areas due to the elevation and distance from the coast; unlike lowland areas of England, the Pennines can actually have quite severe winters.
Precipitation is heavy, with North West England being amongst the wettest regions of England and much of that rain falling in the Pennines. The Pennines form two main watersheds, one leading to the Irish Sea and the other to the North Sea. The eastern side of the Pennines is drier than the western side and the Pennines "shield" North East England from much rainfall that would otherwise fall there. The precipitation in the Pennines is important for the biodiversity of the area and the human populations. Many towns and cities are along rivers that flow from the Pennines and in North West England the lack of natural aquifers is compensated for with many Pennine-based reservoirs. The wet climate has carved out gorges, caves and limestone landscapes in areas of the Pennines such as the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District and has had a mixed effect on the Pennines as a whole. In some areas the precipitation has contributed to poor soils, resulting in part in the moorland landscapes that characterize much of the range. In other areas where the soil has not been degraded, it has resulted in lush vegetation.
The Pennines come under climate zones 7 and 8, with 8 being common throughout most of the UK and 7 being the UK's coldest climatic zones. The Pennines, Scottish Highlands, Southern Uplands and Snowdonia are the only areas of the UK to be placed in the 7 climatic zone.
| Climate data for Great Dun Fell, North Pennines (altitude 840m ASL) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 0.4 (32.7) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
2.2 (36.0) |
5.5 (41.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
10.6 (51.1) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.6 (52.9) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.2 (45.0) |
3.9 (39.0) |
2.0 (35.6) |
6.14 (43.06) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) |
0.3 (32.5) |
0.4 (32.7) |
3.4 (38.1) |
5.8 (42.4) |
8.6 (47.5) |
10.1 (50.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
8.3 (46.9) |
5.7 (42.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
0.5 (32.9) |
4.65 (40.37) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
1.2 (34.2) |
3.3 (37.9) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.0 (46.4) |
8.2 (46.8) |
6.3 (43.3) |
4.2 (39.6) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−1 (30.2) |
2.80 (37.04) |
| Source: | |||||||||||||
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Famous quotes containing the word climate:
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—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
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—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“A positive learning climate in a school for young children is a composite of many things. It is an attitude that respects children. It is a place where children receive guidance and encouragement from the responsible adults around them. It is an environment where children can experiment and try out new ideas without fear of failure. It is an atmosphere that builds children’s self-confidence so they dare to take risks. It is an environment that nurtures a love of learning.”
—Carol B. Hillman (20th century)