Is Storm Ciarán to blame for weird tasting tea?

Credit: PA

Milk first or second? Teapot or teabag? Mug or china cup? There are plenty of debates about how to make the perfect cuppa - but everyone agrees you want the water to be boiling to get the best brew.

What’s that got to do with Storm Ciaran? Well, a storm system is an area of low atmospheric pressure.

At the height of the storm pressure dropped to 953mb (the lowest ever recorded in November in England).

When atmospheric pressure is low it is easier for water to turn from a liquid into a gas so the boiling temperature of water decreases. 

What path will Storm Ciarán follow and is another storm on the way?
Storm Ciarán: Schools shut and 9,000 homes without power

At the peak of a storm water was boiling at 98.3C (instead of 100C). The cooler the water the less intense the flavour and the lighter the colour of the brew.

So, if your cuppa tasted different - you can blame the weather!

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