Why I Talk About the Weather on Twitter
No, this isn’t an April fool.
It’s a genuine contribution to the theme of community.
You might suppose there were any number of reasons I talk about the weather.
The weather dominates my west of Scotland experience (it does).
It allows me to write about the place that I love to call home (it’s true).
I’m British, and British people love to talk about the weather (yes we do).
It gives me a chance to use some Scots words (though sadly, #dreichday is our most popular phrase).
But none of these is the main reason why. The main reason I talk about the weather is that it’s an invitation.
It’s the simplest way I know to signal that to join the conversation:
- You don’t need to be an expert in writing style and grammar points
- You don’t need to be au fait in social media trends
- You don’t need to be able to type fast, or talk in txt spk
- You don’t need to be ‘someone’
- You don’t need to be 100% confident in your written English
- You don’t need to be in the time zone as me
- You don’t need to be in the same part of the world
- You don’t need to have the same kind of weather as I do
- You don’t need to be a famous blogger, or a celebrity
- You don’t need to have spoken to me on Twitter before
You just need to be willing to talk about the weather.
Thank you to everyone on Twitter who has heard, and responded to, that morning invitation.
If you’d like to join me chatting about the weather on Twitter, you’ll find me at @joannapaterson
(and PS, yes, I always @ chat back)
1. Lazaretto’s Point in Snow, 2. Silver Sunshine, 3. Clyde Rainbow, 4. Misty Blue Hills, 5. Clarity, 6. Wake Up It’s a Beautiful Morning, 7. Thursday Sky, 8. Good Morning, 9. Cammesrainach Wood in Snow
Hi Joanna,
The weather in the UK means there is always something to say
I remember Billy Connolly visiting the Scottish Isles where the locals told him, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around for 10 minutes.”
I think your motivations for talking about the weather, especially on Twitter, are fine indeed!
Best Regards
Paul
Pauls last blog post..Where the research leads…
What a delightful post. Since I’m also English, I understand the importance of talking about the weather. It’s a complex ritual in Britain and it should be respected.
Joely Black (@TheCharmQuark on Twitter)s last blog post..Where it begins: The ancient world of Amnar
Joanna,
You are absolutely right. I also like to begin my tweets on Twitter – I am @ullahe by the way – with some words regarding the weather. I know that there are people who say that information about the weather is no information and therefore shouldn’t be tweeted. Well – I see it as an invitation for communication, as a way to “warm-up”. And I really like to read it!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..My First Book Review
Lol – I was speaking to a client this morning who had just managed to move forward in leaps and bounds – they were in perfect blue sky (just 20 miles from me) and I was in heavy cloud – my computer wouldn’t open and I was grumpy!!
I love the weather on all levels. The other Billy Connolly quote was ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing’ – living on the West Coast of Scotland certainly demands a wide array of rain gear!
@ukdivorce
Hello – I couldn’t agree more about this being an important British ritual. For us stuffy Brits, it’s the easiest, safest way to break the thick ice with which we surround ourselves.
I love starting with a weather comment on Twitter, just like Ulla, as not only does it convey the mood of most of the people where I am (we all smile a lot more when it’s sunny), it encourages people to say what the weather is like where they are, and therby give me that little insight about their environment back to me. I love it!
I have just started to follow you on twitter – any and all weather reports greatly appreciated
(I am EmApocalyptic)
Emma Newmans last blog post..Prologue, progress and no procrastination!
Nice thought, Joanna. Do you know what’s the topic that I’m always starting my chat, either with my friends or colleagues? Yep, it’s all about the daily weather and I’m glad we shared the same interest here! lol
wilsons last blog post..You Should Stop to Breastfeed Your Baby On the Right Time!
Canadians also love bitching (I mean talking) about the weather. When it’s either too cold or too hot to move, the weather tends to dominate our thoughts.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndromes last blog post..Fear of an office job: Allison Day interview
I have a cousin who used to work inside sales for a steel company. That guy knew people from all over the world through his business calls. He told me the most common opening on any international call was almost invariably, “How’s the weather there?”
I think it’s the inherent hominess of the question that helps break down barriers and cultivate friendship and commonality between widely-scattered folks. I mean, it’s something we can all relate to, and best of all, it’s an easy way to get a dialogue started. (Especially for those of us who are somewhat, er, conversationally-challenged.)
So… how IS the weather up in your neck of the woods, Joanna?
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
Hi Joanna, Weather is a very interesting topic! Weather affects our mood, our plans for the day, our perception of the world around us. Weather extremes (ask Robert) have an enormous impact on our lives at the deepest level. So it’s a natural icebreaker (no pun intended) – a topic that works anywhere in the world. I’m not sure I agree that there’s no such thing as bad weather. For me, anyway, 22 F below zero is simply out of my tolerance range.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Does Your Website Scare Customers Away?
Hi Joanna, I love to talk about the weather too. In some ways modern culture (at least in the US) has lost the art of “small talk.” We’re so intent on networking with a purpose that we don’t ease the way for simple conversation. When others share what the weather is like where they are it does make me feel comfortable to just enter into conversation. It also makes me feel welcomed into their space. There are so many people I follow and never chat with because they seem to focus on only “expert” topics and there never seems to be a good opening to “jump in.” It’s sunny and cool here today, just lovely. How’s the weather where you are?
Karen Swims last blog post..It’s April and I am the Fool
Now that you mention it – how nice. Your weather is better than mine and I think, “How nice for you.” It is worse and “How nice for me.” Either way I end up thinking, “Nice.”
Fred H Schlegels last blog post..Have You Nipped Your Team’s Creative Spirit In The Bud?
Two more weather observations.
1. The worst place to talk about weather is San Diego, CA, USA. The weather is always perfect – 70′s -80′s and sunny.
2. About 10 years ago some friends and I went out to play golf. A celebrity weatherman from one of the Chicago TV stations was in the clubhouse, which we thought was very cool. We teed off and after 2 holes it started raining. It turned out to be the biggest single day rainfall in the recorded history of Chicago. We thought it was pretty funny that a major league weather reporter chose that day to golf!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Does Your Website Scare Customers Away?
@Brad, your comment made me laugh! I grew up and lived in Southern California until just a few years ago. Weather was not a big topic of discussion there, because it didn’t change much. We complained when it rained and when it didn’t. Traffic was a bigger conversation topic. Moving to Michigan was funny because here the weather is a big conversation starter and subject to change multiple times during the day. I always laugh internally when having weather conversations because it is so different than California!
Karen Swims last blog post..It’s April and I am the Fool
@karen – Your comment has made me suspect that if weather in the UK changed to that of Southern California, a significant part of the Britsh psyche would collapse. Imagine – queues at bus stops and in post offices the country over, full of silent people unable to find anything to say to strangers… (shudder)
Emma Newmans last blog post..Prologue, progress and no procrastination!
@Emma, the thought of that is horrifying. Your comment had me chuckling from the belly.
In Southern California, our traffic was the big news, I am told that we speak of our highways like living beings. People laughed at me here when I called the freeway “the 696″ as no one here adds “the.” But in So. Calif the freeway was like a human being that ruled our lives and stole our time! Commuting there was brutal, I suppose it was the price we paid for year round sunshine. 
Karen Swims last blog post..It’s April and I am the Fool
Judging by how the weather is changing here, I think Romanians will soon join the British in their passion for weather talk
You are right, the weather is the easiest way to start a conversation. And I don’t know how or why, but whenever I miss the sun, someone else is enjoying it and can share it with me 
Thanks for being so wonderfully you on twitter!
Alina Popescus last blog post..What I’ve been up to
@Karen – Ah, I can relate to that. When I lived on the edge of London, the equivalent was “the M25″. If you ever find yourself at a business meeting in London where people are far too jaded for the weather opener to work, then the M25 option is a sure fire saviour.
(Heroine arrives dripping wet) “It’s blowing a gale out there!” she regards the stony faces atop pinstripe suits. “And the M25 was awful!”
The gargoyles melt. “Oh, I know!”
“Absolutely terrible!”
“Those extra lanes made no difference!”
That’s *exactly* how it works, trust me
Emma Newmans last blog post..Prologue, progress and no procrastination!
I’ve noticed your morning commentary on the weather, and I agree it is indeed a great way to invite conversation. Also being British, I think it is in my blood to complain about the weather!
But indeed a definite conversation starter; outside of Twitter and other online communities as well.
And I always smile at your morning weather comment as you’re outlook always seems to be a positive one, belying the stereotype I mentioned above.
Like you Joanna, if weather is rainy or adverse, I like to tip that upside down to see how I can make the most of the day. If I get stuck in negatives at the beginning, it can affect my mindset throughout the day. But if I see that each moment of life is precious, I want to make the most of every day. So I turn my mind to how I can make that a reality no matter the weather.
Robert Hruzek comes by and tips his hat and it immediately brings serotonin as I begin a day. Whether or not I respond every day, it still is heartwarming.
Like to stay in a positive mindset and not let outside circumstances guide my thinking. Makes all the difference in how I go about my day and to the way I Tweet as well.
Robyn McMasters last blog post..Brain’s Dual Engines: Wired Neural Broadband
Great post! I just tweeted it.
And it’s a good reminder that Twitter *should* be all about humans connecting with humans.
paul merrills last blog post..Great short films
Hi Joanna. I really like reading weather tweets because it helps me to kind of be present with the tweeter. Like, once when you talked about the snow and how you were going to enjoy it from inside. I think weather does, to a degree (pun intended), inform how we plan our days and sometimes our dispositions. It helps to feed my imagination.
Shari Smotherss last blog post..a quick tip to keep creativity from blocking productivity
Aloha kakahiaka, good morning,
Weather is sunny and beautiful here in Hawai‘i – and believe it or not, it’s not always that way here, and we do have seasons, but I do relate to the Southern California conversation. Mostly, I do feel blessed to live here though, ‘tis very true – and strange how we often feel we must apologize for our good weather with others, as I just did, kinda.
Joanna, it is no secret that you have built quite a following on Twitter with your very conversational way, because we feel your invitation, and we feel that it isn’t just a tactic – you are really interested in our replies! (and by the way, are we all loving this replies changed to all mentions on Twitter now?) Your post is wonderful coaching for all who worry about tweeting ‘the right way’ but miss allowing their personality to shine through. You will often hear people say to add value instead of the mundane, but you have to trust that you will understand your small talk value to your followership, and tweeting about the weather, or what you had for breakfast is far, far better than some calculated strategy or feigned etiquette that was someone else’s ‘supposed to.’
I also am loving the thought that your post will get us all outside for a bit today to truly feel our sense of place all around us!
Rosa Says last blog post..Aloha ‘Apelila. How about some April Lightness?
I’ve never really capitalized on twitter. It just seems so hard to break in to. I guess the weather is a good topic though. I dunno. I have enough trouble keeping the blog rolling.
BMWmotorcycles last blog post..BMW Motorcycles GPS Drawings
It’s funny how the right words or phrase or opening lines can set the stage for invitation and elaboration or spiral down fast.
I haven’t joined twitter yet, but I like your tip.
J.D. Meiers last blog post..3 Keys for a Successful Innovation
Hi again. Two more things … 1. Great conversation! 2. Karen Swim – I can’t believe you bring up the “the” thing about California freeways. In our family we have a running joke calling the Chicago tollways “the 88″, etc., which nobody says. Three things. 3. In San Francisco you have the opposite of San Diego. Because of the configuration of the Bay and the mountains, they have about 3-4 distinct climates around the metro area. Weather reporter’s dream. All you folks from the UK would have a field day there!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Does Your Website Scare Customers Away?
Uh-oh – looks like storm clouds a-comin’! No, wait… I think it’s a herd of Tweeters on the horizon!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
Hi Joanna – I loved this post. Only just ‘found’ you on Twitter today so I’ve yet to enjoy much of your friendly chat. I was feeling a bit of a low weather front on my tweeting abilities for some reason, so this has been invaluable. (@gurubody is me)
I wanted to chip-in on the weather conversation to add that living amongst a huge brit-expat community in southern Spain where the weather is practically identical to so California, most brits STILL manage to talk about the weather before anything else. @Emma the British psyche is made of sterner stuff!
If it’s sunny it’s too hot, and if it rains, well we seem to be pre-programmed to moan about dreich despite drought warnings and long running low rainfall.
It really makes me smile … and even after a whole childhood in the west of Scotland, I adore the smell of rain on aromatic plants at my front door
Oh, and a tip o’ the hat to my brainy buddy Robyn M!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
@Brad, that is hysterical about “the 88.” My family looked at me like I’d grown an extra head the first time I said “the” and a lot of old timers in Michigan call the freeways by name, I mean seriously how odd is that.
You know CA well and so you know that we act as though they’re two separate states, they are different in so many ways – climate, culture, geography. By the way did I mention it’s sunny here today but it’s a gale blowing out there!
Karen Swims last blog post..It’s April and I am the Fool
J.D., if I can chime in here with an encouragement, I would LOVE to see you on Twitter sharing your wisdom!
Rosa Says last blog post..Aloha ‘Apelila. How about some April Lightness?
ROFLOL… this is so funny… sunny and breezy here… I was laughing at Robert’s twitter storm… getting a mental twitpic of one of those storm reporters reporting that…
I know silly….but it made laugh.
Janice Cartiers last blog post..Mark Twain’s Guide To Life
Hey, don’t laugh, Janice – it’s the lightning bolts ya gotta keep dodgin’.
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
@Brad
The Cantabrico Climate is the same as San Fran – we’re in the corner of where Northern Spain meets SW France – great for the surfers but wow, can the weather change in a moment. One side of the city sunny the other covered in hail and 2km inland raining and foggy. It makes dressing for the day rather challenging.
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndromes last blog post..Banish Fear Through Community
@Robert,
Lol…yes… dodging those…..doing the weather tango, dancing through the lightening bolts……..there’s a song there… or a poem..or sheer nuttiness…
Janice Cartiers last blog post..Mark Twain’s Guide To Life
Speakin’ of rapid weather changes – I remember my first day in the Hague. It was March 16, 1970. First cold, sunshine and breezy. Then, a brief rain shower, followed by sun again. Clouds chased that away and before you know it, a sorta “hard” snow began to fall (like little tiny hailstones). Then, the sun came out again. All the while the wind blew steadily, rattling our hotel window.
And that all happened within hours! Sheesh! How do you guys stand it?
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
@Janice – actually, I think you can get all three outta that one!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..April Fool’s Day, 2009
@tykerman1
As a farmer, I’m all for the weather. I just wish it would cooperate more with my wishes! If the wind around here was rain, we’d be flooded! Yesterday we got 23″ of wind! It’s a great way to get into the conversation. Now, I gotta go pray for rain…
Tuckers last blog post..A View of The Tulsa Workshop
In my part of the world, the saying is, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.” So true during spring: snow, rain, warm sun, fog, cold wind storm — they can all happen on the same day. But the best part is knowing we have 300-plus days of sunshine.
Interesting take, Joanna. It really is such an inclusive topic. Everyone is experiencing the weather. Unless they live in San Diego, which tends to have consistently ideal conditions. It was a nice day in NYC today, by the way.
Gennaros last blog post..More Women Traveling Solo
@Robert, I experienced a weather day like that it was weird. I was getting ready to go to the gym and it was sunny and bright, 10 minutes later it was pouring rain , 1 0 minutes later it snowed like mad and 10 minutes later the sun was shining bright making you think you’d lost your mind. I ended up taking an umbrella, hat and long pants just in case!
Karen Swims last blog post..It’s April and I am the Fool
Alex, Cantabrico looks spectacular from the pics I found online. The Chicago area of the Midwest U.S., where I live, is flat farmland, but beautiful in its own way. Our weather has very definite seasons and plenty of extremes. Subzero, sometimes snowy winters give way to very hot and very humid summers. In the spring and fall, all you want to do is be outside.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Does Your Website Scare Customers Away?
Thank you everyone for reminding me why it’s good to talk about the weather
I haven’t had the chance to reply to these comments as they’ve come in but it has been so much fun to watch.. and I expect we’re not finished yet…
@Paul, it seems like the changeability has something to do with it for sure. But I’d also agree with @Joely that it’s become a ritual for us – a way of signalling interest, and getting ready to have a conversation… or maybe never moving beyond the ritual of exchanging words about the weather. Glad you liked it Joely
@Ulla, I enjoy sharing the weather with you in Berlin… early mornings in European Twitter time are some of my favourites… it’s a bit quieter, and I love hearing about what’s going on in Italy, France, Germany, Romania…
@Jackie – indeed. Either good rain gear – or a good attitude which means you don’t care if you get wet
@Emma thanks for the feedback – it’s been fun chatting to you today, thanks for making the connection
@wilson, you see we have more in common than you might have thought
@Alex, with good reason I’d say given the extremes of Canadian weather! That’s one of the things I’ve found so interesting about online interactions – I had no idea how extreme so much weather was. We just have lots of dull, grey, and vaguely warm or vaguely cold
@ Robert, yes that’s it entirely… it’s a way to get a dialogue started, all on the same level. A way of sharing our common humanity.
@ Brad, I can’t even imagine temperatures that cold. We’re definitely spoilt with our weather in the UK, damp and dreary as it sometimes can be
@ Karen, gosh that sounds gruesome! Networking without small talk – I’d be lost, never be able to say a thing
I’m glad I have a twitter stream that’s full of wittering twitterers rather than power networkers!
@ Fred, hello and welcome – and thank you for highlighting the serotonin hit from my talking about the weather
@ Brad, how interesting re the perfect weather… I see this is a theme that emerges later on too (once or twice…) Although we fantasise about having weather we can rely on (even a couple of days of reliably dry weather would be nice) I think we’d be bored rigid if we had the same weather all the time. Would definitely need to find something else to small talk about As @Karen suggests… moving onto the traffic (I guess I could talk about the boats…) or as @Emma pointed out, the British psyche might just collapse and we’d stop talking altogether…
@Alina, thank you for understanding
I love chatting with you on Twitter too
@Emma, you are reminding of why I’m so glad not to be living and working in the M25 corridor any more! Thanks for adding dialogue to the comment box… I think that’s a Confident Writing first
@Matt, well I suppose that’s part of it, I smile when I think about the people I want to talk to, which shifts my mood to a more positive one before I start to type. Plus I do love living here so much, I can take pretty much any weather…
@Robyn, I so enjoyed what you said about Robert and his hat tip. I feel the same way. It’s the small, simple acts of human kindness and friendship which can help us to shape a more positive reality.
@ Paul, hi, glad you enjoyed it, and yes it *should* be. Glad to find you on Twitter
@Shari, I like the way you put that – being present with the tweeter. I think that is indeed a big part of it
@ Rosa, thanks for jumping in and talking story with us. What a shame for people to be fretting about how to use Twitter – the beauty of it is that you can use it in so many ways… and will then reap the consequences of your choices
@BMW hi, well, Twitter is good in particular circumstances – if you’re a freelancer or work from home it’s a great way to have good company, pick up resources, find people to bounce ideas off. It’s very different to blogging – more casual, fast moving, immediate, more frivolous, more fun. I wouldn’t try and ‘make’ yourself doing, but definitely worth looking into if you’re interested in making connections with others
@JD yes, I guess humans are well skilled in picking up the signals.. even if we don’t realise that’s what we’re doing. Do say hello if you decide to give Twitter a whirl
@Robert so I see… do i have Mr Shorr to thank for this?
@Lindsay – glad you found me. Tweet away about the weather and we’ll get on just fine
I’m not surprise the rain on your plants makes you happy… I’m sure it’s reminding you of home…
@Janice I can hear the weather report now!
@Tucker, hope you get the rain that you need
@Lori, nice to see you. I’m struggling to compute the words “300 days of sunshine” though!
@Gennaro, I think it is an inclusive topic, though I guess some people would find it dull. I just see it as a way of sharing a bit about our worlds. How else would I have known you were in NYC today
@Robert, @Karen, @Brad… I’m just going to leave you wonderful people happily playing, it’s been so much fun listening to the comments today, thank you
I envy your weather – I *love* rainy days (always run the mooses on rainy days) and really wished it rained more here in frigid NJ.
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coachs last blog post..Rainbows follow ME in search of GOLD – Make Money and Lose Weight
Cold, damp, rainy – perfect writing weather. I wonder if this is why the UK has produced so many brilliant novelists, playwrights, poets, essayists, and dare I say bloggers? What kind of material would Shakespeare have produced had he lived in Las Vegas?
Brad Shorrs last blog post..An Online Marketing Fairy Tale
Ahh, the weather. Rainy and blustery here this morning, by the way
Talking about the weather is a conversation starter, but it’s more. It says, “I care about your day.” I loved our visit to Uganda, where when you began talking to someone in the morning, the preamble was, “How did you rest last night? How is your family?” Conversations start best when we recognize that we’re talking to people, even if we’re typing.
Jim Hughess last blog post..Stories I Can’t Tell
Of course, us folks in Alaska have a saying:
If you don’t like the weather, just wait ten minutes.
As well, we do have two seasons here: Winter and the 4th of July.
Cheers!
George
Tumblemooses last blog post..Sorry, you’re not my type: 10 online typing tutors
Hi Joanna,
I live on the West Coast of Canada, in Victoria, BC, a strongly British influenced city. And I like to talk about the weather in my newsletters and blog, because, as you say, it’s an invitation. It’s an excellent way to connect with readers about something they’re interested in, and then seque into the topic at hand.
Today, for instance I started by talking about the symphony of birdsong outside my windows, and the simplicity of it. Then I segued into the need for resilience to effectively simplify and enrich our lives in these challenging times. Already, I’ve gotten comments from folks about how much they liked the short piece.
It’s posted at http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com/ should you or your readers choose to read it.
I continue to enjoy your blog, and get great value from it. Thank you!
Barbara still can’t quite get my head round the concept of people wishing for more rain! At least we can have fun swapping weather and moose talk on twitter though
Brad obviously, I will have to defer to your good judgement on this one
Jim that is so true, thank you for saying that. I love that Ugandan preamble… so full of kindness and care.
George I’d still love to come and see some of it
Bruce that sounds like a piece after my own heart. Will pop over shortly and read it. I feel so lucky now to be living closer to nature – means I appreciate the weather more, but am also more in tune with the cacophony of birdsong round about… it’s amazing. Maybe I’ll start tweeting about that too…
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