Spring 2010 Weather Review

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Heres a quick review of this spring in my area.

It was only the coldest spring for 4 years overall but a long spell lasting nearly three months (until Mid March) which was well below average, and failed to reach 10C at all, meant that spring started noticeably slowly. We also suffered frequent ground frosts and even had a sharp ground frost (where the garden was white), as late as Mid May in my town location.

For the second spring in a row it was very dry compared to the long-term average – less than two-thirds of the normal rain fell, but more than Spring 2009 when only just over half the normal rain fell. We didn’t see a single snowflake in spring, but after the record snows of the winter we didn’t miss it!

To break things down a little, here are a few highlights:
March began cold with -4.5C on the 8th being the 2nd lowest reading for March since I moved here 14 years ago, it turned very mild towards the end with 16C on the 18th feeling all the more warmer than it usually does after the chill of winter. The first two days of April didn’t reach double figures but after that it was on the mild side and there were nearly 3 weeks of completely dry weather. May suffered a late cold snap with temperatures below freezing in the Bedfordshire countryside, the +0.4C here in the town (on the 13th) was the lowest for May since 1996. Aswell as a cold snap we had a heatwave with 3 days over 25C (the highest number in May for over 6 years).

Gardening notes:
The tulips caught up the daffodils which were notably late, about 3-4 weeks later than last year which themselves were a little later than previous milder years. Even into May plants were 1-2 weeks later than last year (i.e. my climbing yellow rose). I was brave and put my tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in the unheated greenhouse in late April, having been hardened off they made it through with no problems at all, but I felt it was touch and go at times (it got down to +2 in the greenhouse). I learned the lesson of last year and left the courgette and outdoor toms until very late May.

Last thought:
Having got the predictions for summer and winter rather wrong, the UK Met Office have stopped issuing seasonal forecasts, however they do stick their neck out (sort of) for the next month, and it looks like we are to enjoy some more settled, warm weather – and a continuation of the dry conditions (bar the rogue thunderstorm), so don’t forget to water those plants ;-) Please visit my website for more info.

• 4 Jun, 2010
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