Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

European capital city with the most "interesting" Winter climate.

  • 14-02-2021 6:35pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭


    Interesting from a wild weather perspective in terms of snow and storms. I would say it is Reykjavik. While its Winter months aren't exceptionally cold like Moscow and Helsinki.

    In terms of snowfall and windstorms I would think the average winter is more interesting. Moscow and Helsinki would have more days with snow on the ground but their climate would be more settled, calm and in the freezer type of set up.

    If you had to choose to spend a Winter season in a European city based entirely off climatic conditions, Where would you choose and why? Also if you feel any European city better meets the criteria that I used for choosing Reykjavik please share.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,840 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    Bucharest


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 16,677 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gonzo


    Most European cities offer more variety in terms of weather than any Irish or UK city with the exception of maybe London. London actually gets a summer.

    If I had to choose a city to live in based on the weather I would require decent warm to hot summers with alot of dry weather and some decent cold and snowy weather in the winter without it being excessively cold or long lasting.

    Based on this I instantly rule out anywhere near the Atlantic and anywhere too far north or too far south. I'm not going to single out any city in particular but If I had a choice it would probably a German city like Berlin or Frankfurt, Vienna in Austria, Bern in Switzerland.

    Summers would regularly get into the high 20's and low 30's, there would be decent thunderstorms during summer as well as plenty of warm an dry weather. Winters of course would get quite cold at times but not excessively cold all the time. Snow would be far more regular than any Irish or UK city and the Atlantic wouldn't be on the doorstep 365 days a year.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,254 ✭✭✭Nqp15hhu


    Oslo to me, but would prefer a NE USA climate with slightly longer winters.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,339 ✭✭✭esposito


    I’m leaning towards Stockholm. It generally has cold winters with some snow, plenty of dry continental air and is far away from the Atlantic. I also like the idea of living close to the sea (Baltic Sea). Summers generally good and can get quite warm at times.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,811 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    Munich.

    Lovely summers, low to mid 20s in general with guaranteed good conditions.

    Winter does get some snow but if theres none, you're only a short train ride from loads of different parts of the Alps.

    Edit: I still don't know anywhere worse than Ireland for poor summers and winters. Dublin is tolerable, they get more good weather than other parts of the country. Cork can be warmer, but suffers from terrible periods of mist and drizzle, Galway is just diabolical.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,976 ✭✭✭Artane2002


    I'm torn between Tallinn and Helsinki, both of them get cold winters with snow and they get very decent summers, with highs averaging in the low 20s, more than enough for me (high teens preferable though). Helsinki is marginally cooler than Tallinn but Tallinn is marginally sunnier, so I would probably prefer Tallinn.


  • Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭snowstorm445


    Living in Brussels at the moment I’d have to say the weather is remarkably like Ireland for large parts of the year, Autumn and Spring in particular. Lots of changeable days with temperatures in the 10-14C category. In many ways Autumn in the Netherlands and Belgium is every bit as wet and damp as in Ireland, probably even moreso.

    But you really notice the differences in the Winter and especially Summer. Temperatures got up to 39 and 40C last July and August, and that’s become more common in recent years. The thunderstorms are far more powerful and regular than in Ireland as well. Winters aren’t as bad, and can often be pretty mild like in Ireland but when cold weather hits like it did last week temperatures can really tumble (got down to -12C on Wednesday night). Snow isn’t that much more common than Ireland tbh, although the setup is far less marginal considering the continental landmass. Generally speaking it tends to be drier in an easterly set up than in Ireland as well considering the distance to the sea.

    Overall I’m pretty pleased with it climate wise, but I suspect if you wanted more regular guaranteed cold mixed with a warm summer, you would probably want to try Munich or Vienna maybe.


  • Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭snowstorm445


    Munich.

    Lovely summers, low to mid 20s in general with guaranteed good conditions.

    Winter does get some snow but if theres none, you're only a short train ride from loads of different parts of the Alps.

    Edit: I still don't know anywhere worse than Ireland for poor summers and winters. Dublin is tolerable, they get more good weather than other parts of the country. Cork can be warmer, but suffers from terrible periods of mist and drizzle, Galway is just diabolical.

    I have to say having lived in Dublin and Cork, some days in Dublin can be a pure washout, but even in winter it usually comes in heavy spells and then clears up. But in Cork you can have horrible damp drizzle hanging over the city for days on end, which is much less pleasant. I think overall Cork gets about twice the rainfall amount of Dublin.


  • Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭almostthere12


    I have to say having lived in Dublin and Cork, some days in Dublin can be a pure washout, but even in winter it usually comes in heavy spells and then clears up. But in Cork you can have horrible damp drizzle hanging over the city for days on end, which is much less pleasant. I think overall Cork gets about twice the rainfall amount of Dublin.

    Lived in both as well and have you ever noticed how it rains a lot in the morning rush hour in Cork and continues into the afternoon but then by the time the system reaches Dublin it contains a lot less rain and doesn't hit until it's dark in winter anyway. That way at least you get to enjoy a dry day!

    As for where to live in Europe, I would go with Munich for its weather!!

    Btw a lot people that are from a city etc. that far inland crave the coast and the sea........my better half being one, I am always telling her inland Ireland gets warmer summer weather and colder winter weather but to no avail!!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,254 ✭✭✭Nqp15hhu


    I would agree with that. I couldn’t stomach living far inland myself, or in a plain type landscape either.


  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    If the criteria is the European city, on the sea, with the most interesting winter climate then the pool is massively reduced. Stockholm? Tallin? Riga?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,023 ✭✭✭Donegal Storm


    I can't think of many places in Europe that have a winter climate I'd actually call interesting, to my knowledge at least there's nowhere comparable to NE US for snow storms or the Great Lakes for lake effect snow.

    Snow and cold weather is enjoyable for me mainly because of its rareness anyway, if I had to deal with it constantly from November to March I definitely wouldn't consider it half as interesting.

    I think maybe somewhere like Nice would be ideal for me, pleasant and mild but with guaranteed snow a short drive north and warm sunshine all the way from April to October in one of the most beautiful corners of the continent


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,570 ✭✭✭Tyrone212


    If the criteria is the European city, on the sea, with the most interesting winter climate then the pool is massively reduced. Stockholm? Tallin? Riga?

    Doesn't have to be a coastal city.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,107 ✭✭✭highdef


    Munich has been mentioned a few times and that's the answer I would also like to give however it's not the capital of Germany so can't be included.

    So Bern would be my choice of capital city. Far inland away from the sea so lots of calm weather (the further from the sea, the better for me), beautiful summers, cracking thunderstorms and snow every winter.

    Other capitals with climates that I would like would be the likes of Vaduz, Vienna, Zagreb, etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭loughside


    Has to be KIEV

    Summers with 30+ temperatures and winters with proper snow, not this wet slop we have here

    webcam now---> https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/ukraine/kiev/european-square.html


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Gaoth Laidir


    Milan or Bergamo. Thunderstorms in the summer, snow just a short drive away in the winter.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,107 ✭✭✭highdef


    Milan or Bergamo. Thunderstorms in the summer, snow just a short drive away in the winter.

    Neither fit the criteria of the OPs question though, in the same way that I wanted Munich to be my answer but it's not a capital city.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,570 ✭✭✭✭Thelonious Monk


    I have family in Vienna and spent a month there when I was around 12, in July/August. There were powerful thunderstorms, really foggy humid days, plenty of sunny days in the late 20s/early 30s, torrential rain like you'd see in Asia... but mostly pleasant summer weather without being insufferably hot.
    They also get snowy winters and lots of mountains nearby for skiing. It's no wonder Vienna often comes top of most livable cities.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭Gaoth Laidir


    highdef wrote: »
    Neither fit the criteria of the OPs question though, in the same way that I wanted Munich you be answer but it's not a capital city.

    In that case then Tokyo. Mild enough winters, but only a shinkansen ride away from Sapporo, the snowiest city in the world, and a short flight from Okinawa if you want winter sun.

    Good chance of thunderstorms in the summer and of course always good for a typhoon.

    In between, nice springs and autumns.

    If you're into earthquakes too then look no further. It has everything.


  • Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭Niall145


    Anywhere but Dublin.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭zisdead


    Tbilisi for me.

    8 months of the year it is gorgeous. And you will always get some snow in the remaining 4 months without it ever being anywhere near "cold".

    I have also experienced some cracking thunderstorms there again without it being anything you could describe as a wet location.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,235 ✭✭✭Oneiric 3


    Moscow recently:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i54EYXRRjVI

    My preference would be similar to Gonzo's. The older I get, the more unappealing the banal, colourless, spirit annihilating, uniform white grey maritime climate of NW Europe is becoming. Anywhere from Switzerland, southern Germany or Austria eastwards and as far away from the Atlantic, Med or Baltic as is possible is your only man.

    Edit, and I know this is a capital city thread, but they don't really appeal to me.

    New Moon



  • Registered Users Posts: 276 ✭✭almostthere12


    highdef wrote: »
    Neither fit the criteria of the OPs question though, in the same way that I wanted Munich to be my answer but it's not a capital city.

    Ah sorry.....capital city.....got it.......Cork!!! :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,033 ✭✭✭Snowbie


    Vaduz in Liechtenstein of course , up in the Alps right beside my fav countries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria and catch a train to anywhere in the Alps for tons of snow.

    (Non capitol) Buffalo in upstate New York just to experience real Lake effect snow and six feet of it in a few hours.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,853 ✭✭✭Storm 10




  • Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    Storm 10 wrote: »

    ....and there you go. I've said it before. Feckin' Athens gets snow more regularly than Dublin. Probably the same for Ankara in Turkey.


  • Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    Definitely it does. Hugely changeable weather there. End of week is 16c, next week 18c on Tuesday. It’s 1c now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,811 ✭✭✭Chris_5339762


    For the record


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,107 ✭✭✭highdef


    For the record

    Why the screengrab? Looks like pretty normal weather :confused:


  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    highdef wrote: »
    Why the screengrab? Looks like pretty normal weather :confused:

    8 days of rain probably isn’t normal for cork. I just googled it and it rains 146 days a year in cork. Which is 40%. Of course winter is worse than summer.


Advertisement