photo : Thomas Duesing
Like a good true blue Brit (nothing to do with politics, just a reflection of the arctic conditions in which I live in the north of these fair isles), sooner or later I was bound to come to the issue of ‘the weather‘ – so today I’m going to give you my take on the weather of Steiermark.
Sunny and snow assured
Having repeatedly commented that Steiermark is one of the most snow-assured areas of Europe, with over 200 days of sunshine, it strikes me that there is something of an incongruity there. How can there be 8 months of snow and 200 days of sunshine?
The area has no more days in the year than any other place in the world – or perhaps it does!
Each day in Steiermark packs in so much fun, frolics, history and hilarity that every 24 hours is the equivalent of a whole week anywhere else. But maybe it just seems that way because no time is wasted waiting in queues, crushing through crowds or rushing along roads. Life is taken at a more leisurely and relaxed pace than in the hustle and bustle towns, cities and villages of other holiday destinations.
But I digress…
Wet weather
Now, I readily admit I’m no meteorologist, geologist or anything clever like that – but I do distinctly remember from the dim distant past a physics teacher explaining in great detail about the impact of heat on water and its derivatives. I’ll happily admit I’m no spring chick and science moves on at a rapid pace, so perhaps the laws of physics have changed and I’ve missed the boat somewhere along the way. But in my day, heat and ice didn’t mix – end of!
Assuming that heat still does melt ice (and therefore, snow), I can see how that accounts for the many lakes, rivers and streams in Steiermark – for example, the mighty Mur river that runs the length of the (oddly enough) Mur valley. But what I can’t get my head round is how come there is ice and snow in the first place, when there are over 200 days of sunshine!
And then, if the snow stays on the mountain for (approximately) 8 months, how does that account for the rivers, lakes and streams that characterise the area. If it isn’t melting snow, where does the water come from?
I live not too far from the Cumbrian Lake District and – as anyone who has visited that area will tell you – the lakes, rivers and streams don’t come from the melting snow or ice. It rains. Oh boy, does it rain!
Having visited Steiermark many times, I can’t help but see many parallels between the area and the Cumbrian Lake district. The mountains might be of a different size and history, but the lakes, rivers and streams bear striking similarities. So, if it rains a lot in Cumbria I’m inclined to think that must also be the case in Steiermark. That would explain the many babbling brooks, skittish streams and raging rivers.
But here’s the funny thing – I have never seen it rain in Steiermark!
I guess it must rain sometime, but whatever month I’ve visited it has always been sunny. Make that ‘always been hot and sunny’ – or snowing, of course!
But even then (and I remind you that my aging memory might not be the best), it was also sunny – not necessarily warm, but definitely sunny.
Maybe I see things with a jaundiced eye. I readily admit I’m smitten with Steiermark and it could be that I just don’t see or feel the rain. Don’t think so somehow, but you never know.
I can personally vouch for the fact that on each of the 200+ days I have spent in the area there has been sunshine (and mostly very warm sunshine at that!). But don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself. I’m absolutely convinced you’ll find it a sunny place to be….. whatever the weather!
