|
This
huge body of water is 45 km across in the west but narrows to less
than 10 km by the time it reaches Clevedon. As a result the Bristol
Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world, only exceeded
by the Bay of Fundy in Canada.
Of
course, the Bristol Channel is a pretty big source of moisture,
so those winds can often bring mist and drizzle. |
| Richard
Angwin |
But
its influence is more than just tidal. It is what makes the weather
in this part of the country unique. But why?
Air
moves faster over the sea than over the land because there is less
friction. The sea provides less resistance to the winds. The wind
is also funnelled between Exmoor, on one side, and the Welsh Mountains
on the other.
So
when the winds are between southwest and westnorthwest, it can be
very windy, not just on the 2nd Severn Bridge where they erected
wind barriers - but across much of the West Country, from Gloucester
across to Bath.
Of
course, the Bristol Channel is a pretty big source of moisture,
so those winds can often bring mist and drizzle.
The
Bristol Channel’s influence probably spreads even further afield
when it comes to temperatures. If you’ve ever swum at Weston-super-Mare
or Burnham-on-Sea you probably think it is pretty chilly most of
the time.
In
the late spring it is quite cold with water temperatures as low
as 9 or 10 Celsius. When the wind blows from the northwest in March
and April it can be quite chilly across much of the region. Even
when other parts of Southern England are quite warm.
By
the same token sea temperatures of 15 or 16 Celsius in the late
autumn can help to keep us frost-free.
So
whether we’re talking rain, temperature or wind, the Bristol
Channel often holds the key to the West’s weather.
by
Richard Angwin
|
