23. Weather, season, time.
The Czech Republic has a moderate continental climate. There are some differences
between summer and winter but they are not so big. A year is divided into four seasons:
spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season lasts about three months and is
attractive in some way.
SPRING
It begins on the 21st March. Many people think spring and summer are the most beautiful
seasons of the year, because they usually fall in love in spring and in summer they take
holidays. Natural begins awake from its long winter sleep and new life begins. Nights
get shorter and days get longer. There is more sunshine and it becomes warmer and
warmer. The thaw sets in, the snow melts and there can be floods because of rivers
and streams swell.
In the garden and woods the first flower appears and soon they come into blossom:
snowdrops and snowflakes, marsh marigolds, dandelions, daffodils, forget-menots, crocuses, tulips, violets, catkins, chestnut.
The weather in spring, especially in April, is really unpredictable and changeable.
Sometimes it’s below zero, sometimes the sun shines and immediately it is overcast, it
sleets or even snow but then it can clear up again. Appropriate clothes are: umbrella,
raincoat, sweater, boots and gloves.
SUMMER
June 21 is the date when summer begins. There are many fine days in a row and the
temperature rises to 25 degrees. In the morning is often dew and soon the sky is clear
and bright, it is sunny and we might suffer from a heat wave – it is sultry and no wind
blows. When the drought lasts too long the land becomes arid and everything longs for
rain.
In summer often comes a storm – with heavy down pour or even thunder storm – with
lightening and thunders. There also might be hailing or real cloudburst. The sky clouds
over, it gets dark and cools down. After the storm rainbow may appear and pools of
water and puddles are everywhere.
AUTUMN
Sun gets earlier and raises later, the days get shorter. But we can still enjoy a few fine
days of Indian summer. It’s the time of harvest. We are delighted with the colours of
leafy trees – maples, birches, ashes, beeches, oaks. Many people go mushrooming and
bird set out on their journey to the south.
The weather is unsettled, mornings are dull, it becomes damp and it often drizzles.
There may be passing showers, sometimes it rains on and off for a long time,
sometimes it rains steadily. The first frosts, hoarfrost on the grass and the haze or fog
appear.
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WINTER
It comes on 21st December, but in fact it often begins earlier. Typical winter weather
brings snowfall, icy wind and hard frosts. We can enjoy thick layer of fluffy snow and
admire the winter landscape. Sometimes the wind piles up snowdrifts along the roads
and snowplough must be used to make the roads passable again.
The temperature drop to as low as 20 degrees below zero, the frost binds the ground,
the snow crunches underfoot, the hands get numb and stiff and fingers tingle with
cold. But finally the frost lets up and the thaw sets in, the snow smelts and paths are full
of mud and slush.
WEATHER FORECAST
Today will again remain warm and dry. The temperatures could reach 25 degrees during
the afternoon and it will rise gradually until the evening, when it will turn cold and night
time temperature could fall as low as 8 degrees.
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