Strength of the Sun

Danno

Out and about this afternoon around 4pm, clear blue skies and quite light breeze. I noticed that there was very little power in the sun, I am fair skinned and usually notice any sun shine on my skin, even in January!!! I've noticed the "weakness" in the limited sunshine for the past few months now. Is it just me?

Snowbie

Although true about the sun angle of inclination on the earth at this time of year but it's to do with airmass aswell. We all know the affects of the heat index or humidex and wind chill has on the skin but this is what you are feeling on the skin in our climate most of the time.

If skin is exposed to UV it will burn quickly in June depending on skin pigment. October has no strenght or very little so i would say wind chill was been felt rather than UV. But in a moist SW with sunshine humdity is felt if the sun has enough time to heat the air, this condition is much more exasperated in the summer months.

Sum up, October be more of a neutral month with both wind chill and humidity never too extreme. Wind chill increase's from now on.

There has been little insolation (sun reaching earth) this summer to notice on the skin for a start.

Deep Easterly

Not just you Danno, I have noticed this myself. Was really trying to get warm the other morning by standing at the patio door that the sun was shining through and absolutely no heat at all, even through glass. Even today, there was no heat in the glaring sun, even when sheltered from that pesky wind. My skin is now dead fish belly white with the lack of sun this year, and when it finally came out, its heat was gone..:mad:

Mr Benevolent

In the strict sense of 'power', the sun blasts about 1Kw per sq ft onto the Equator in June on a cloudless day. At 53N in October you're talking around 300-350w, so on an average day in October you'd be hard pressed to feel any power at all. As Snowbie mentioned, it gets less from here on in till Spring. Break out the duvets and warm (hot?) women, that's what I say.

Edit: The sun feels fairly powerful this morning though!

ch750536

Never describe a woman as 'warm', they kick you in the nuts for it.

Mothman

Still got the water to 48C in bottom of tank via solar panels

Mr Benevolent

Still got the water to 48C in bottom of tank via solar panels

Is it a reliable way of heating water or the average day?

Mothman

Confab wrote: »

Is it a reliable way of heating water or the average day?

Yes, from April to Oct, but we don't get average days every day, so even in summer a backup is needed