Schafskälte
Interesting enough, in two of the "multilingual" communities I am in on LJ, today this german term has been mentioned, which describes a meteorological phenomenon rather common in Germany in the first 2-3 weeks of June (from the 4th to the 20th).
Strange enough, there is no correspondent description in other languages of this "little European summer monsoon" which is caused by the different speed of warming of the continental masses and the sea water. In June, often after a period of summery temperatures, the surface of the soil tends to be already quite warm, while the surrounding seas due to their bigger heat capacity" remains still relatively cold. This leads to the formation of a low pressure area which brings from cold area of polar origin from the West and North West, with an inversion from the South Eastern winds more typical for that period of the year. Similar phenomena are at the origin of the Indian monsoons, thus the "nickname" of this period.
The German name, translated "sheep cold" refers to the fact that in most regions the sheep have already been shorn at the end of May, and therefore can be seen to shiver in the cold.
This year it does seem to be a singularity which extends quite farther than German borders, the weather is cold, rainy and windy here in Italy, and from what my British friends are writing, I deduce things are quite un-summery there too.
And as often happens, these intense low pressure areas bring with them also a general tendency to feeling tired, exhausted, cranky and depressed. I'm certainly no exception to that, I did force myself to go for a run today but don't know if that was a great idea, I've been dragging myself around the place like something hit by a truck ever after. Still, this evening there'll be soccer to watch (Dan's team is entering a new tourney) and I just might make an exception to my diet to which I have been sticking rather heroically, so I hope I'll be able to snap out of this semi-comatose state I'm in and enjoy myself!
Strange enough, there is no correspondent description in other languages of this "little European summer monsoon" which is caused by the different speed of warming of the continental masses and the sea water. In June, often after a period of summery temperatures, the surface of the soil tends to be already quite warm, while the surrounding seas due to their bigger heat capacity" remains still relatively cold. This leads to the formation of a low pressure area which brings from cold area of polar origin from the West and North West, with an inversion from the South Eastern winds more typical for that period of the year. Similar phenomena are at the origin of the Indian monsoons, thus the "nickname" of this period.
The German name, translated "sheep cold" refers to the fact that in most regions the sheep have already been shorn at the end of May, and therefore can be seen to shiver in the cold.
This year it does seem to be a singularity which extends quite farther than German borders, the weather is cold, rainy and windy here in Italy, and from what my British friends are writing, I deduce things are quite un-summery there too.
And as often happens, these intense low pressure areas bring with them also a general tendency to feeling tired, exhausted, cranky and depressed. I'm certainly no exception to that, I did force myself to go for a run today but don't know if that was a great idea, I've been dragging myself around the place like something hit by a truck ever after. Still, this evening there'll be soccer to watch (Dan's team is entering a new tourney) and I just might make an exception to my diet to which I have been sticking rather heroically, so I hope I'll be able to snap out of this semi-comatose state I'm in and enjoy myself!