Weekly Weather Report
For Farmers and Others
Week of January 26, 2015
From Friendship Farms & Fare
A Community Service To the Local Farming Community
50 degrees at 3:30 AM, January 25, 2015
Historic Average (for 1/23): 70 HIGH, 52 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 52 degrees, which is one degree higher than lowest average low [51], and twenty-four degrees lower than the highest average low [76]). The average high is at its lowest for the year (70 degrees) and the average low has begun is gradual assent. The average high will begin its assent on January 29.
Note: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports 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
Colder, Below Normal Temperatures
Front and rain early in the week
Last Week (1/17-1/23): Temperatures were above normal nearly all of last week, with dry conditions until Friday. We again reached the 80s. The highest high for last week was 81 (1/22) and the lowest high was 70 (1/20). The highest low was 66 (1/23) and lowest low was 47 (1/19). All seven days were at or above normal for highs and five were at or above normal for lows. Our average high for this time of the year is 70 and our average low is 51.
This Week (1/24-1/30): The coming week should be the longest stretch of cold weather this season. Every day is forecast to be below normal. The front arrives on Saturday morning. It rained most of Friday afternoon and night, as the front approached, and it is cooler already as we go to print. We received about an inch and half of rain here at the farm. Weather Underground forecasts the lowest temperatures to be in the 40s, with highs in the 60s. A freeze is unlikely.
Looking Ahead: Despite all the rain, 2e are in the driest and coldest time of the year. Historic norms indicate cool and dry conditions through February. As temperatures begin to rise in late 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. We have reached or exceeded 80 degrees four times this month, and been above normal highs 16 of 23 days. 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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