Dandelion Root Tea (Photo by Manki Kim on Unsplash)
READING, United Kingdom — While most Americans reach for a cup of coffee at breakfast, the British prefer a cup of tea to start their day. When Storm Ciaran hit the United Kingdom in November 2023, however, scientists discovered a shocking new consequence of extreme weather — bad tea.
Researchers from the University of Reading say millions of people were forced to drink a bland version of their morning tea. So, what exactly does an extra-tropical cyclone have to do with the taste of tea? The study published in the journal Weather found that the low pressure from the storm actually changed the boiling point of water in the region. The result? A bland brew that started boiled 2°C sooner than it should have.
“Like many Britons, I need my morning cup of tea. Although I know that the boiling point of water varies with atmospheric pressure, I wasn’t expecting a storm to take the boiling water temperature outside the recommended range for brewing decent tea. Weather can have subtle effects,” says Giles Harrison, a professor at the University of Reading and lead author of the study, in a press release.
Methodology
When Storm Ciaran hit southern Britain on the morning of Nov. 2, 2023, Reading meteorologists scrambled to measure the boiling point of water. Changes in air pressure, like the ones experienced by mountaineers climbing high altitudes, affect boiling temperatures. However, Storm Ciaran brought a new opportunity to study the effects of air pressure on boiling water in a wider region.
“Storm Ciaran turned attention to the wind and rain battering Britain outside. As an experimentalist, I saw the opportunity to make some measurements of the properties of boiling water during low atmospheric pressure,” explains Caleb Miller, a PhD student at the University of Reading and co-author of the study, in a media release.
The team collected weather data and pressure readings from multiple sources, such as the University of Reading Atmospheric Observatory and roadside weather stations across South England. The data helped researchers track how the storm behaved across normal breakfast hours. In a series of controlled experiments, the team also set up temperature sensors and an electric kettle to compare boiling points under different air pressure conditions.
Key Results
Storm Ciaran produced a record-breaking low pressure across areas of Southern England. This meant the boiling point of water was below the 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100°C) needed to make a decent cup of tea. The boiling point of water that morning was 208.4 degrees Fahrenheit (98°C).
The reason this is so important is because water boiling below this normal temperature range does not extract the full flavor from tea leaves. This left many throughout the United Kingdom with bland tea.
Discussion & Takeaways
Tea experts consider the ideal brewing temperature to be between 208.4 and 212° Fahrenheit. People who faced Storm Ciaran probably felt something was off when they got up to have their morning tea, though they might not have been able to explain why at the time.
The study solves this mystery and gathers more evidence of the relationship between air pressure and boiling temperature. As the United States moves into hurricane season, the findings could have major implications for those in the Gulf Coast states. As major storms roll through, they may do more than flood streets and damage property — these storms might ruin breakfast as well.
