As many of my American friends were raiding supermarket bread aisles and boarding up their windows in preparation for the SNOWPOCALYPSE of 2016, I was dealing with a few days of light rain here in London.
However, what’s been confusing is that it hasn’t rained much since I’ve been here, and when it has, it’s been just a drizzle. The big WEATHER VIBE, as many readers know, is that the UK is ceaselessly in a state of precipitation. Because I haven’t found this to be the case, some research had to be done.
(Editors Note: UK Vibes offers readers an intimate look into the arduous process of determining factual “Real Vibes” and corruptive “Faux Vibes”)
During the early stages of vibe exploration, I came across the website of Andrew Leaper, a dude who has been tracking rainfall totals in England for decades simply because he enjoys it. His chart below depicts that only two years (1992 and 2012) have accumulated over 35 inches of rain.
To put things into perspective, the rainiest place in the world, Mawsynram, India, boasts an average annual rainfall of 467 inches! The seventh rainiest spot is Big Bog, Hawaii, where 404 inches of rain fall annually.
But while big rainfall amounts don’t accumulate in London, more facts are needed to make sense of all this. London, UK, ranks #3 in Rainiest Cities of Europe (Counting days per year with precipitation- 226), but does not make the top 10 for Wettest Cities (Average annual precipitation). Also, London is the #1 European city with Least Weather Variety. It averages only 13 thunderstorm days annually but light precipitation is evenly spread throughout the year. (“Consistency is key” – Chad Kroeger)
So while buckets of rain don’t pour down on the UK in the form of RAINPOCALYSES very often, a calendar year typically sees drizzle on about 62% of its days… Thus why the UK’s Rainy Vibes are deemed both Real Vibes AND Faux Vibes (CONFUSING VIBES!).
Let’s do a quick walkthrough of traditional UK rainwear:
Barbour
Barbour’s iconic classic wax jackets have been protecting generations of families from the cold and rain for over a hundred years. Made in the North East of England, these jackets are hand crafted, and made to last.
Wellington Boots
Wellington Boots are a commonly used form of waterproof footwear in the UK, and usually referred to as Wellies.
(Editors Note: I have yet to see one non-ultra-American tourist here in rain boots. Will update after further trips to the English countryside.)
Swaine Adeney Brigg
It’s almost impossible to envision a dapper Englishman without his recognizable Swaine Adeney Brigg umbrella…Handles are made from bamboo, hickory, whangee, crocodile or sterling silver, just to name a few of the materials used for their manufacture…The brand knows how to brighten up a rainy day: their Malacca Flask Umbrella features a Malacca Cane two-piece handle with a fitted screw-in drinking flask ready to be filled with your favorite spirit.
FURTHER RAINY VIBES TO EXPLORE:
-The history of waterproof rainwear: from whale intestines to Gore-Tex
-Are raincoats irrelevant if you’re able to carry an umbrella??
-Seattle
-A psychoanalysis of The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men”
-A meteorological analysis of The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men”
Did this post help “wash away” any unsureness you had about rain culture in the UK? At the very least, remember to not pack big Wellies in your suitcase if you ever venture over the pond, save space for more scarves.
uk vibes 