W T F(ebruary) is Going On?

Oh my goodness. The sun came out. And now it’s official. Monday the 25^th of February 2019, was the hottest February day ever recorded in the UK.

Just after 1pm in Trawsgoed, Ceredigion, Wales, the thermometer hit 20.3 degrees centigrade ­– the first time ever the mercury has topped 20°c in winter in The British Isles. There’s lovely for you.

Time to start spring cleaning?

So, has spring sprung, or are we going to be buried under a blanket of snow by the end of March?

Is it time to get all Marie Kondo and de-clutter your winter wardrobe, or should we hide under the duvet and brace ourselves for another ‘Beast from the East’?

As one of the most accommodating storage companies in the capital, Attic Self Storage is happy to provide our customers with a few seasonal insights into Britain’s favourite topic of conversation – namely, the weather.

Check the calendar

Meteorologically speaking, the calendar is split into 4 seasons with 3 full months in each. Which means spring starts on the 1^st March each year and lasts until 31^st May. Astrologically, however, it depends on the date of the Spring Equinox, which this year falls on 20^th March and lasts until the Summer Solstice on 21^st June.

The short answer is ‘No, it’s not Spring yet’. So what’s going on with the blue skies and sunshine, dude?

The official forecast

The Met Office are predicting that the mild weather is only going to last a few more days before storms sweep in and snow returns to parts of Britain. So don’t put your Parka and thermals in one of our storage units just yet.

Mind you, the Met Office don’t always get it right (remember 1987) so you might prefer to turn to less obvious channels for your climate advice.

February folklore and fables

For those who swear by traditions, superstitions, and well-worn sayings from the past, things don’t sound too promising:

• When the cat lies in the sun in February
• She will creep behind the stove in March

Or as some other equally pessimistic observer back in the mists of time put it:

• Of all the months of the year
• Curse a fair February

And then, conversely, there’s this rhyming nugget:

• If February gives much snow,
• A fine summer it doth foreshow

Which may mean Wimbledon is set to be a washout this year.

How does your garden grow?

In our experience Mother Nature provides more accurate predictions than Old Mother Shipton. The wildflower garden at Attic Self Storage’s Bow branch is gradually coming back to life – the daffs are starting to show their yellow heads – which is usually a sign that warmer days are on their way.

No snowdrops yet though, which are traditionally a symbol of hope: when Adam and Eve were ejected from the garden of Eden the cold weather seemed like it would never end, until an angel appeared and transformed some of the snowflakes into snowdrop flowers, proving that winters do finally give way to spring, and people will believe any old yarn you care to spin…

Whatever the weather

The word ‘February’ actually comes from the Roman word ‘februa’, which means cleansing or purification, and is probably the root of any spring-cleaning rituals. So there is at least a vague historical precedent if you’re looking for an excuse to start dusting away the cobwebs, boxing stuff up and putting your house, or flat, in order.

Come snow, come shine, Attic Self Storage is here to offer sensible advice, 100% waterproof storage solutions and a safe haven to run to if there is some sort of weather-induced Zombie Apocalypse heading our way.