Weekly Weather Report
For Farmers and Others
Week of January 19, 2015
From Friendship Farms & Fare
A Community Service To the Local Farming Community
46 degrees at 4:30 AM, January 19, 2015
Historic Average (for 1/19): 70 HIGH, 51 LOW–Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com/
Historically, the average high temperature is now 70 degrees (the lowest average high [70] of the year, which is twenty degrees lower than the highest average high [90]). Our average low is now 51 degrees, which is the lowest average low [51], and twenty-five degrees lower than the highest average low [76]). The average high and low are now their lowest for the year (70 and 51 degrees, respectively), and they will remain here until the end of January, when both the average daily highs and lows begin their assent, with average low beginning a bit earlier than the high.
Note: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has just issued a report indicating that 2014 was the hottest year on record (since records have been kept, 1880). Ocean and land temperatures were at their all time highs.
This is no great surprise to us. 2014 seemed hotter than usual to us, and the past few years, our highs and lows have typically run a bit higher than historic averages. Last year the trend continued, and so far this year, it is still continuing. Although humans may enjoy unseasonably warm weather, above normal temperatures stress the winter crops, which flourish in cool to cold temperatures.
Weekly Weather Report – Milder Weather Continues – Weak front and rain early in the week and stronger one later
Last Week (1/10-1/16): Our Weather Underground forecast was again pretty much on the mark. Temperatures will be above normal for most of the week. Thursday brought a cold front, with temperatures close to going down to normal for this time of year, and then below normal on Friday. We had a little rain, which was also expected.
The highest high for last week was 80 (1/11) and the lowest high was 60 (1/15). The highest low was 65 (1/12) and lowest low was 45 (1/10). Three of seven days were above normal for highs and six were above normal for lows. Our average high is around 70 and our average low is little above 50.
This Week (1/17-1/23): This week’s forecast is for near normal temperatures, with highs a bit below normal, and lows above normal. Rain changes are low until late in the week when a front approaches.
Looking Ahead: We are in the driest and coldest time of the year. Historic norms indicate cool and dry conditions for the rest of January. As temperatures begin to rise in January, growers will desire to irrigate more often. The rainy season is still months away.
Average temperatures have reached their annual lows and will remain here for most of the rest of the month. We are in the middle of freeze season, and freezes are possible any week – usually with plenty of advance notice. Averages are not good guides, and we are currently running above historical averages, but with rather dramatic fluctuations. Readers will notice that spring flowers are appearing, well ahead of schedule. This means that the winter vegetables may also flower early and bolt – if the warm weather continues. Our first head of broccoli flowered before be could harvest it.
What Winter Means: Winter began on Sunday, December 21st. This is the Winter Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere, where our farm is located and where our shareholders live. Days have been getting shorter and nights longer since the Summer Solstice. At the Autumnal Equinox (in September) days and nights were of equal duration – and the days kept getting longer. Beginning on Monday (12/22), each day will be longer (have more sunlight) than the previous day, until the Summer Solstice (June 21), which is the longest day of the year. In late March, the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox occurs, and day and night will again be of equal length. Solstices are those comic moments when the sun is the greatest distance from the equator; equinoxes are those cosmic moments when the sun is directly above the equator.
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