The Weather Thread 2023

[tim]

 

First time back for around nine years and got to say, not the best festival for me. That Glastonbury spirit has really gone.

Ran into quite a few people over the course of the festival who said they were finding the heat a bit much. They struggled to find shade and respite, all the more so when they're keen to have a drink and get out and about to meet friends and watch acts.

So I screamed in their face it was perfectly normal weather for this time of year, maybe the festival isn't for them, and what on earth do they do when they go abroad on holiday???

And how many of them do you think thanked me? Not a one. Honestly, I give up.

[Madyaker]

Saturday was hot alright but I was ok with a hat and plenty of water, staying off the beer until around 5pm, it didn't slow me down much really but I would have liked it a little cooler, sunday was a nice relief. Apart from that it was ace.

[gooner1990]

7 hours ago, maelzoid said:

A touch too hot for me this year, but certainly would take it over any amount of rain. Just being able to sit down at any point is life-saving. Croissant Neuf on Saturday afternoon was an utter sweatbox and by the time I got to Manics was quite withered. But as soon as the sun went down, glad to find my energy levels recovered.

I concur about the lack of sleep as never got beyond about 8am. This meant that my evenings were running out of steam by about 2am which feels very square.

I have a coleman blackout tent. Did anyone with a Fresh+Black have a better experience? I'm thinking of an upgrade.

I was in a fresh and black and this is my sleeping pattern whilst at the festival 

[balti-pie]

That stinking hot saturday in 2019 and this year’s stinking hot Saturday saw me take the same approach; down the fluids, wet the floppy hat, and retire to the Tow and Hitch to stay in the shade with the dub, the sofas and to relax with a no-alcohol beer for the isotonics. Hour or two there and I could manage things again. It’s open and a little breeze makes it a blissful spot. It’s now my oasis of reasonable comfort and I’d now like to get Fuzzy in there the next time it’s just too hot 👍

Edited June 27, 2023 by balti-pie

[HotChipWillBreakYourLegs]

Wednesday was perfect setting up weather, until it rained.  But my tent was up then anyway so had a nap before the second trip to the car.  Timing was perfect (for me!)

Saturday I had a bit of heat stroke and had to have lie down in the Cockmill.  Missed Badly Drawn Boy but listened from the bar.

Monday was perfect taking down weather.  Not too sunny with a stiff breeze.

[Fred Zepplin]

Saturday was to hot and I was concerned about my kids but we were all fine. Moved around a bit slower than normal and made sure we were out of the sun for a few hours, the kids field is great for this. The kids were transfixed by a lady telling stories whilst me and my wife relaxed in the tent with a slight breeze coming through. 
Ideally would have had a few more clouds in the sky and a few degrees lower but if you guaranteed me that weather for every festival I would snap your hand off

[FuzzyDunlop]

47 minutes ago, balti-pie said:

That stinking hot saturday in 2019 and this year’s stinking hot Saturday saw me take the same approach; down the fluids, wet the floppy hat, and retire to the Tow and Hitch to stay in the shade with the dub, the sofas and to relax with a no-alcohol beer for the isotonics. Hour or two there and I could manage things again. It’s open and a little breeze makes it a blissful spot. It’s now my oasis of reasonable comfort and I’d now like to get Fuzzy in there the next time it’s just too hot 👍

I got lucky this year. Had no must sees on the Saturday. Went to the Glade & got to an area near the front, that got a breeze. The plan was to mooch about & to check out a few things. Once I got to the Glade & that spot - I watched African Headcharge (who I'd never heard of) & then Dreadzone. 

It helped me being there tbh.

[balti-pie]

6 minutes ago, FuzzyDunlop said:

I got lucky this year. Had no must sees on the Saturday. Went to the Glade & got to an area near the front, that got a breeze. The plan was to mooch about & to check out a few things. Once I got to the Glade & that spot - I watched African Headcharge (who I'd never heard of) & then Dreadzone. 

It helped me being there tbh.

When I was reasonably recovered, that’s exactly where I went in time for dreadzone! Glade, left side as you look at the stage, lovely bit of shade, breeze popping in. Much more manageable. If Sunday was to be the same weather I’d have been absolutely knackered, I could’ve cheered when the cloud started thickening and the sun pissed off for a bit.
I’m now recalibrating my ideal temps as 21/22, and with some cloud. twice daily sunscreen and still getting sunburnt is ridiculous. 

[Acid Loafers]

No heatstroke unlike 2019, learned some things from that but jesus that was a hot one! 

Just annoyed at how little I drank & how many drinks I had to carry back with me.

[Madyaker]

2019 was definitely hotter, especially Saturday.

[maelzoid]

2 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

I was in a fresh and black and this is my sleeping pattern whilst at the festival 

well... You managed to lie in longer than I did, but I beat you on hours accrued. Not sure who the real winner is... 

[dotdash79]

2019 was hotter on the Saturday, but it built to that temperature, this was hot from the get go.

[gooner1990]

6 minutes ago, maelzoid said:

well... You managed to lie in longer than I did, but I beat you on hours accrued. Not sure who the real winner is... 

I was staying out late and also had a nap late Sunday morning 😊

[briddj]

8 hours ago, catavento said:

Nah, I was going by the actual models and yr.no rather than the "we're doomed"! I knew it was going to be warm at times but it definitely felt warmer and there was less rain than predicted (ie basically none). 

From the weekend before onwards there was basically no rain predicted, with the only real doubt being about the Sunday.

[Madyaker]

13 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

2019 was hotter on the Saturday, but it built to that temperature, this was hot from the get go.

Maybe it was just me, but I really struggled in 2019 and this year I was relatively ok.

[AdrianH]

As others have mentioned, I just find the hot weather grinds me down mainly through lack of sleep as i cant bear to be in a tent after 8am or so. Worthy View tents seem to get particularly hot.

[catavento]

14 minutes ago, briddj said:

From the weekend before onwards there was basically no rain predicted, with the only real doubt being about the Sunday.

But lows around and not quite the roasting being predicted that we did get! 

On the other hand that rain on Wednesday wasn't predicted everywhere - more light sprinklings of rain? Didn't feel that way in the queue! 

 

[SighMo]

Our group of 12 ranged from ages 21 to 63 and the only real time anyone touched on mentioning how  hot they were was around our tents on Big Ground. This worked out ok as a couple of us had big tents and the others sheltered under those. Loved the three or four times we sat as a group in the sun at West Holts knocking back a few pear ciders; don't usually drink cider but it tasted good in the sun this year. Even managed to stay dry on Weds as we had our second run done by 10:30.

It was a glorious festival.

[sjseabass]

The middle of Saturday was maybe 3 or 4 degrees too hot but I didn’t find it too bad really - the ridiculous Wednesdays of the few fests before and Saturday 2019 are the only times I’d say I’ve struggled. Plus, kept reminding myself that it is worth it for how comfortable it makes the nights out in shorts and a hoodie. However I am battle-hardened from Boomtown last year where it was 32+ in the shade every single day (even that was bearable when suitably prepped and didn’t really miss anything!).

I can highly recommend soft serve ice cream and a flake for breakfast in these conditions.

[Respectfatfrog]

2 hours ago, Fred Zepplin said:

Saturday was to hot and I was concerned about my kids but we were all fine. Moved around a bit slower than normal and made sure we were out of the sun for a few hours, the kids field is great for this. The kids were transfixed by a lady telling stories whilst me and my wife relaxed in the tent with a slight breeze coming through. 
Ideally would have had a few more clouds in the sky and a few degrees lower but if you guaranteed me that weather for every festival I would snap your hand off

The kidz field is a god send to be honest the craft tent alone has around 10 activities on to keep em busy, I kept my daughter in there as late as possible to keep her out of the sun and she loved it. 

 

Hope those that run the field know how much its appreciated 

[Bike_Like_A_Mum]

Fab weather! Just gotta keep filling water bottles every time you see a tap. Kids weren't phased at all. Managed to keep myself and two children on top form so just gotta look after yourselves. Loved it 😊

My little festival parasol that I've had for years broke from all the use though 😢 RIP little brolly

Edited June 28, 2023 by Bike_Like_A_Mum

[briddj]

10 hours ago, catavento said:

But lows around and not quite the roasting being predicted that we did get! 

On the other hand that rain on Wednesday wasn't predicted everywhere - more light sprinklings of rain? Didn't feel that way in the queue! 

 

Minimum 22, up to 25 from Friday/Saturday, in the shade, was always hot.

The only low was Sunday. High pressure was always in command until then!

[CaledonianGonzo]

The Azores Finger firmly in the mix.

[sime]

2 hours ago, Bike_Like_A_Mum said:

Fab weather! Just gotta keep filling water bottles every time you see a tap. Kids weren't phased at all. Managed to keep myself and two children on top form so just gotta look after yourselves. Loved it 😊

 😢

It's not as simple as that for some people though unfortunately. I wore a cap, used factor 50 sunscreen often, drank plenty of water, ate a balanced diet regularly, took shade but still suffered from heat exhaustion and really bad eyes due to the dust and sunglare. Even with sunglasses on I sometimes struggled to see the stages.

(*Couldn't delete that crying emoji for some reason*).

I dealt with the hot weather much better in 2019. For me personally, this year was pretty tough. 

[CaledonianGonzo]

Caps aren't great sunhats. No shade for your neck and no airflow for your scalp.