Brass Monkey Weather

Brass monkey weather has finally arrived which means it has gone flipping cold. If you have never heard of the expression, brass monkey weather, this is what it means.
‘Brass Monkey Weather’ refers to very cold weather that is extremely out of the ordinary; cold enough to freeze the tail, nose and ears of a brass monkey.

Mild Weather

Up to now, the weather this Winter has been very mild. However, while I enjoy anything 20C or above It has been cloudy with that greyness that hangs around for far too long that makes everyone miserable. Yesterday, after what seemed like many years since the sun put in an appearance, we awoke to beautiful blue skies (when the mist cleared) and sub-zero temperatures.

Lovely Day

I had to admit, it was a beautiful day and so I decided that a good walk was on the cards to clear the cobwebs away. The wife said to me in her best school headmistress voice, (not that she ever was a teacher), ‘you better wrap up warm, it’s freezing out there!’ So it was, big coat, woolly hat, scarf and thermal gloves and away we went.

Unimpressed Sheep

She wasn’t wrong. It was bloomin’ freezing. Although we waited until mid-afternoon before setting off, there were still parts of the countryside that hadn’t thawed out all day. The sun was blazing away, low in the sky, but there was very little heat coming from it. Usually, we bump into one or two fellow walkers on our short one-mile walk, but today, we didn’t see a soul. There were a few sheep in the fields, but they didn’t seem too impressed with us.

Older and Colder

As always, I enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and exercising my legs and lungs. I just didn’t enjoy the brass monkey weather. It used to be far colder than this when I was growing up, I remember the snow and ice lasting for months and even the sea freezing in the harbour at Margate about 1963. It must be something to do with age, getting older we don’t like it colder!

If you’re interested in phrases and their origins, Ginger is an interesting website:

Leave a Reply to Maria Schumacher-WoodburnCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

58 Comments
  • John
    January 14, 2022

    Older and colder I do not like! And, I grew up in the north riding snowmobiles at -30F… ????????

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you John. -30F, that is cold!!!!

  • SueW
    January 14, 2022

    Ah… memories! I remember buses getting stuck in the snow and walking home in blizzards that stung your eyes. At the opposite end, there were pavements on the street where we played that were so hot they burnt your bare feet!

    Then living here the lane required the snow plough numerous times in winter because of snow drifts, after that a farmer round the corner would come up and clear our driveway with his tractor plough. ????

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you, Sue. I remember the buses getting stuck and cars disappearing under the snow for days on end. Those hot pavements and you had to be careful not to tread on a manhole cover in bare feet! Thank you, Sue. ????

  • Peter's pondering
    January 14, 2022

    I see you’ve gone with the American derivation rather than the British Naval one!

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      I can’t say I knew there was a difference? Thank you, Peter ????

      • June Lorraine Roberts
        January 15, 2022

        Quite the difference Trev.
        The story goes that cannonballs used to be stored aboard ship in piles, on a brass frame or tray called a ‘monkey’. In very cold weather the brass would contract, spilling the cannonballs: hence very cold weather is ‘cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey’.

        • Trev
          January 15, 2022

          Thank you, June. I never knew that. ????

  • KINDNESS WISDOM
    January 14, 2022

    After your very colorful hand knitwear perhaps your dresser may knit you a pair of long Johns Trev for your next post. ????????

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Haha, now there’s a thought. Thank you Kindness, but I think they would be a little itchy. ????

  • Yetismith
    January 14, 2022

    You are right, it used to be so much colder. Here too, years ago. Now that I am retired and can spend most of the day warm indoors, I love Winter weather. When I was working and had to be outdoors a lot I was less enthused. It’s warmer here today but with howling gale it feels bitter. 1963…I remember that beastly Winter only too well!

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you, Yeti. The winter of 1963 is forever etched in my mind. It was cold, snow everywhere and it seemed to last forever. Thank you ????

  • Jim Flanigan
    January 14, 2022

    Love the “Brass Monkey Weather” phrase. Here in Chicago, we endured a long stretch of BMW, but have enjoyed sunshine and highs of 4C for the past few days. Positively balmy!

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you, Jim and stay warm. ????

  • librepaley
    January 14, 2022

    I aspire to a ‘headmistress voice’, along with a withering stare. Finally some chill and cloudless summer sun here, too – for a few minutes…

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Ooh, the headmistress voice always scares me! Stay warm and thank you. ????

  • Herb
    January 14, 2022

    Sounds like some of the Wisconsin winters I grew up in. Brrrr…
    Thanks for the link to Ginger. Looks interesting.

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you, Herb, you welcome about the Ginger link. Some good fun there. ????

  • nonsmokingladybug
    January 14, 2022

    “Flipping cold” yep!

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      Yep, indeed. Thank you 🙂

  • delphini510
    January 14, 2022

    You do look very warm and dressed for this grey, foggy, cold monkey weather. I thought it was warm where monkeys live. I grew up much further north and every winter we skated on the sea – far out and skied on the snow.
    It is getting warmer there too.
    Walking seems more apt here.

    miriam

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      Thank you, Delphini. 🙂

      • Trev
        January 16, 2022

        Thank you, Mitch ????

  • pIEdTyPe
    January 14, 2022

    Climate change is causing weird weather around the globe. I haven’t noticed any brass monkeys around here, but I don’t go out much.

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Indeed, climate change is affecting us. Stay warm and thank you ????

  • Rosaliene Bacchus
    January 14, 2022

    Good for you to get outside in such freezing weather 🙂 Anything below 15 degrees Celsius is too cold for me.

    • Trev
      January 14, 2022

      Thank you, Rosaliene, I’m with you on the 15C. ????

  • sunnydaysinseattle
    January 14, 2022

    I am okay with the cold weather, just not the damp cold we get in Lisbon. Stay warm!

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      Yes, give me the warm weather any day. Thank you ????

  • luisa zambrotta
    January 15, 2022

    I didn’t know that expression and I thank you for talking about it.
    I also thank you for the site you suggested
    Have a nice weekend ❄️????❄️

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      Thank you, Luisa for your very kind words. ????

  • Going Batty in Wales
    January 15, 2022

    It didn’tlast long did it? Back to grey and miserable here today.

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      You’re right, grey and miserable here. It’s still brass monkey weather though. ???? Thank you

  • Maria Schumacher-Woodburn
    January 15, 2022

    Where were these photos taken?

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      It’s a place in mid-Wales called Llangunllo. Thank you, Maria. 🙂

  • Cindy Georgakas
    January 15, 2022

    new phrase for me Trev~! ????

    • Trev
      January 15, 2022

      Thank you, Cindy, I am pleased you have learned something here. 🙂

  • mitchteemley
    January 15, 2022

    Brass-monkey-cold, yes (first time I’ve heard the expression, and I like it), but still beautiful!

  • Cherryl
    January 16, 2022

    Keep yourself warm and toasty ☕️????
    Funnily I was just complaining to myself ???? that they’ve been threatening snow for the past couple of weeks and it hasn’t really happened, not properly, just foggy, frosty grey days….and if we’re not going to have a ‘proper’ cold and snowy winter can we just skip to spring/summer please ????????????????

    • Trev
      January 16, 2022

      Thank you, Cherryl. I tend to agree with your last sentence. ????

  • Invisibly Me
    January 16, 2022

    Brass monkey weather indeed. Looks like a lovely day there though and very refreshing, and it does make coming home to a nice cuppa (and the central heating) feel all the more welcome. My body is not impressed by this morgue-cooler weather at all. Bring on the summer! We have to wait 364 days to get 2 days of summer in this country though ???? xx

    • Trev
      January 16, 2022

      Thank you, Caz. I hope you’re not suffering too bad with the cold weather. I agree, bring on the one day of summer. ????????????

  • susiesopinions
    January 18, 2022

    I lived in Kent in 1963. I hated the winters. I have the heating on in Florida right now ????

    • Trev
      January 18, 2022

      Thank you, Susie. I hate the cold weather too, I much prefer the summer sun. ????

  • singhpiyush6089
    January 18, 2022

    It’s freezing cold in my part of the world too … unbearable for young people as well Trev…

    • Trev
      January 18, 2022

      Stay warm, my friend. Thank you. ????

  • Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet
    January 18, 2022

    I enjoyed ice and snow for 45 years, but I have lived in Florida for 26 years. I don’t think I could take the cold any more. 🙂 Did you remember your Long Johns and wool socks? Have a great day, Trev!

    • Trev
      January 18, 2022

      I think I would prefer Florida and the warmth, thank you Cheryl. I shall have to dig my long johns out of my warm sock draw, I know they’re there somewhere. Thank you, Cheryl. ????

  • Dave Kingsbury
    January 18, 2022

    Blimey, Trev, hope you were wearing your thermals!

    • Trev
      January 18, 2022

      I am Dave and sitting on top of the fire. Thank you. ????

  • Endless Weekend
    January 19, 2022

    Your delightful and vivid description of the cold winter you’ve been experiencing, reminded me of an old favorite quote “Imagine if fire extinguishers were full of snow. Imagine the fun we could have.” 🙂

    • Trev
      January 19, 2022

      Thank you, that does sound like it would be a lot of great fun. ????????

  • markbierman
    January 22, 2022

    I hear you about the deep freeze. It was minus 33 Celsius here yesterday.

    • Trev
      January 22, 2022

      Thank you, Mark. -33C oooh that’s beyond cold!

  • kevinashton
    January 23, 2022

    In Birmingham, where I grew up we used to say…”Its a bit parky this morning”, but I have no idea of the origin of the phrase?

    Best Wishes

    Kevin

    • Trev
      January 23, 2022

      Ha, I know that phrase well, thanks, Kevin. ????

  • lorriebowden
    January 23, 2022

    I’m with you on this one!! Anything below 85F is cold to me. I am leaving town for much colder weather this coming week…and not EXACTLY looking forward to it! Stay warm…never heard “Brass Monkey Weather” before 😉

    • Trev
      January 23, 2022

      Thank you, Lorrie. Yes, I hate the cold weather. I don’t envy you having to leave for much colder weather. Wrap up warm, safe travels. 🙂