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Strolling through sunny Altrincham, a market town in Cheshire about 8 miles to the south of Manchester City Centre earlier today, it would have been difficult to believe that it does ‘always rain in Manchester’
Having been born and raised in Manchester I never really had cause to question the weather until attending university interviews. When other candidates asked where I was from, the reply ‘it always rains in Manchester’ came back (we will set aside the ‘do you live on Coronation Street’ and ‘does your dad wear a flat cap and keep pigeons’ questions!). My response was that it did not always rain in Manchester and it did not rain in Manchester any more that it did anywhere else in the U.K.
I relocated to London to study and realised that actually it does rain more in Manchester than it does anywhere else, or in London at least.
Surprisingly, to me at least, a 2013 article in the Manchester Evening News suggests that actually my first view was correct and that ‘rainy Manchester is a myth’
Far be it from me to question those significantly more educated than myself but having lived in London and North Yorkshire (and Vienna and Milan), I do think we get rain on more days. When it rained in North Yorkshire it rained, really rained, but there were definitely more dry days. In 2013 Alfie Yarmouth, a Londoner living in Manchester, kept detailed records with the aim of proving ‘Mancs’ who claim that it doesn’t rain much in Manchester, wrong.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/the-northerner/2014/jan/30/how-often-does-it-rain-in-manchester
As a relocation agent supporting families moving to Manchester I am always honest about the rain as it is important that those relocating understand the good and bad about where they are moving to. I love Manchester – it’s a great city despite the rain.
The question is whether you believe the Manchester University academics or Alfie. Personally I’m with Alfie (on the weather at least) but you know what, it doesn’t matter, Manchester has much more to offer than the weather. Just bring an umbrella. According to Alfie, I’ll be minus an umbrella, looking like a drowned rat, a proper ‘Manc’!
Moving to Manchester? Our relocation services can help you find a home and schools for your children and then help you to settle in. We’ll find you a local football, tennis club (whatever interests you) and let know sessions will not be cancelled because it’s raining!
