England’s Frosty Mornings (crisp, shimmering white)
England’s weather systems means we have beautiful frosty mornings often: shimmering lawns and crisp air, and a sense of quiet in both urban and countryside areas.
Knowing what causes frosty mornings with slippery paths and foggy car windows, also helps to keep us safe. Also read about England’s snowy weather.
What Is Frost?
Frost is a layer of ice crystals that forms when water vapour in the air lands on cold surfaces and freezes. You’ll see it sparkling on grass, cars, and rooftops, when the temperature drops below freezing overnight.
It happens when the air temperature falls close to or below zero (Celsius). When these surfaces hit the freezing point, water vapour in the air lands on them and turns straight into ice.
Difference Between Frost, Dew, and Snow
Frost, dew, and snow all form from water, but in different ways and at different temperatures. Dew is water droplets that appear when mild nights cool the air, but not below freezing. The moisture stays liquid and sits on surfaces.
Snow forms higher in the clouds and falls to earth as ice crystals, before landing on the ground. So, dew means it’s chilly, frost means it froze overnight, and snow means there’s been a full weather shift.
In England, frosty mornings are most common from October to March. Countryside areas get more frost than cities, because there’s more open space and less heat from buildings and cars.
Frost and Plants: Garden Tips
Frost can unfortunately kill plants, because ice draws water out of leaves and causes them to burst. This stops growth. Some plants can survive light frost by going dormant, but tomatoes and bedding plants may not recover. That’s why often plants are moved indoors to sheds, during frosty weather.
Read our posts on pet-friendly gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens. If moving plants indoors, avoid facing them to outdoor gardens, to help prevent birds flying into windows.
Walking Safely in Frosty Weather
Obviously if you don’t have to walk on frosty ground, then don’t. But if you have to walk on slippery icy ground, it’s best to ‘walk like a penguin:
- Move slowly with small shuffling steps
- Keep your feet pointed slightly outward.
- Keep your knees bent.
- Hands out of pockets (use arms to balance)
Doing the above lowers your centre of gravity, to increase stability and reduce the risk of falls. You can also wear ice grips on shoes or boots.
How to Defrost Car Windscreens
Rather than use toxic de-icing sprays, there are other solutions (avoid hot water, it could crack the glass):
- Park your car undercover!
- Use a windscreen cover overnight (an old car mat will do).
- Use a manual scraper (or non-scratch kitchen spatula).
- Park your car facing east (the early morning sun will melt the ice).
- Rub an onion on the windscreen the night before. The oil lines the glass, to stop freezing (keep onions away from pets).
- Or spritz a mix of cold water and cleaning vinegar) before bed or first thing in the morning, ice usually comes away in a few wipes.
Don’t use hot air inside cars, if babies/dogs are with you. Antifreeze is lethal to pets & wildlife, so let your mechanic change it in an enclosed space. If you change it yourself, use a funnel (as with oil) and use sand or kitty litter to absorb spills (don’t mop).
A Dictionary of Words for Frosty Seasons
A Winter Dictionary is ideal bedtime reading, as the nights drawn in and the cold descends. Learn an incredible array of words that superbly capture this season!
The author delves into the origins of these rare, fascinating and forgotten words, opening up a whole new way of describing the winter months:
- Frost-dogs (tiny frozen particles of falling snow)
- Stepmother’s breath (a sudden cold snap!)
- Hibernaculum (a refuge in winter months)
- Blewse (a hazy autumn mist)
- Chibbly (frosty ground that cracks)
- Snerdling (snuggling together for warmth)
- Barflogging (slapping arms on side, to keep warm!)
- Powl (leave work early, to go to the pub)
Whether you are keeping cosy in front of the fire, warding off the winter blues or throwing yourself into the party season, this is the perfect way to while away snow-laden days!
Big Eye (the wide open eyes of a sleepless person):
This term was invented by insomniac polar scientists, struggling to deal with prolonged night and day in Antarctica. The seasonal change may not be quite so severe in our part of the world.
But it can still be discombobulating to find the sky completely dark at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. And still just as dark at 8 o’clock the following morning.
Paul Anthony Jones is the author of several books on language, and writes for The Telegraph an both Oxford and Cambridge online dictionaries. He lives on Tyneside.
