An American woman who moved from Austin, Texas to the north of England has shared the one thing she will ‘never’ trust about life in the UK – and it’s something many Brits can relate to
Jess Flaherty Senior News Reporter
16:34, 16 Apr 2026Updated 16:40, 16 Apr 2026
A woman from Texas now lives in Manchester but, despite four years in the UK, there’s still one thing she’ll “never trust” (stock image)(Image: ASphotowed via Getty Images)
An American woman who now lives in the north of England has revealed the one aspect of British life she will “never trust”, and it’s something countless people can relate to.
While we share a common language, there’s a vast range of cultural distinctions between the UK and the USA – and these become strikingly evident for those who take the leap to move abroad. Many opt to chronicle their experiences of settling into a new country via social media.
This is the case with Ashley Jackson, who originally comes from Austin, Texas but moved to Stretford, Trafford in April 2022 alongside her husband Andi, who’s from Preston in Lancashire. The pair share two children, Levon and Matilda.
The mum, who creates content online under @themossycactus, recently shared on TikTok the one thing she would “never, ever, ever trust” here in the UK.
So, what is it? Naturally, it’s the weather forecast – what else could it possibly be? Britain is notoriously unreliable when it comes to the weather conditions and, despite boasting four distinct seasons, they’re far from guaranteed.
While sunshine and dry conditions are considerably more likely during spring and summer, there still remains the possibility of torrential downpours, fierce winds and dreary, grey days.
Similarly, the characteristically cold, bitter autumn and winter periods can deliver spells of warmth and brilliant, sunny weather as well.
In the footage, Ashley said: “As an American living in the UK, I would never, ever, ever trust UK weather forecast – and let me tell you why.
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“Because the weather here is crazy. I thought Texas’ weather was crazy but the weather here, you get snow, hail, wind, rain, sunshine, all in one day.”
She went on: “How lucky are we? But also, how do you plan for that? Like, in Texas, we get extreme storms and extreme heat but here, you get this weather all in one day, sometimes. It’s just wild, especially this time of year.”
Ashley then asked out for advice and guidance on navigating Britain’s notoriously unpredictable climate.
Fellow TikTok users were quick to share their opinions in the comments section. One said: “I’m coming the first week of May. And I am nervous about packing! I have no idea what kind of jacket to bring.”
Another said: “We have three types of rain, just a misty rain, just a small storm and then there is ‘Holy s*** me pants are wet’.”
A third quipped: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.”
While a fourth said: “As a window cleaner, I concur. It’s infuriating!”
One person suggested: “The trick is layers of clothing” while another advised: “Keep a brolly in your car boot.”
One TikTok user said: “Simple, wear both your swimsuit, your ski wear, an Hermes scarf and wellies. Leave the house waving your brolly at the sky screaming ‘Bring it on!!!'”
Though another added: “It’s all guess work there is no UK hack for it I’m afraid.”