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Thankfully after the extreme cold of late November and most of December, January 2011 turned out to be an unremarkably month weather wise for us. Temperatures over the month were very marginally below average but rainfall for the month was somewhat below average with around 80% of expected rainfall.

It was also time to start inspecting the garden and plot to check which plants look to have survived and which had succumbed to the snow and ice. Our hardy cyclamen don’t look to have made it. We will have to wait a while longer to know how other garden plants have faired.

Our pond has now thawed out and our fish looked to have survived. I’m sure the water will still be on the cold side until there is more warmth in the sunshine.

January 2011 Descriptive Summary

On the plot it’s a bit hit and miss regarding survival of our vegetables. Carrots and parsnips have survived but our cabbages have rotted in their centres although they look quite good on the outside. Over wintering cabbages and broccoli have taken a battering but hopefully some will pick up to supply us with some welcome early vegetables.

It’s also the time of year when new vegetable seeds, plants and seed potatoes start arriving in the post. Our seed potatoes arrived during the month and have been stored in our garage until the greenhouse is warm enough for them to be set out to chit.

I added a web cam to our weather station during the first week of the month and the short video below gives a flavour of the weather conditions in our garden between the 7th and 31st January. Each picture is taken at around 15:00.

The rainfall was below average for January amounting to 34.4mm rather than the 43.8mm expected and this follows on from a December total well below average at 27.6mm against a seasonal total of 73.4mm. Sunshine for the month was reported as around average too. My weather station is situated in partial shade at this time of year. With the sun low in the sky our garden receives some morning sunshine but falls into shade around 13:00 during January.

January 2011 Records

Temperature Data

Maximum temperature [warmest day?] 13.1°C on 11th January at 11:30

Lowest maximum temperature [coldest day] 2.5°C on 03rd January

Minimum temperature [coldest night] -3.9°C on 29th January at 08:30

Maximum average temperature 10.4°C on 13th January

Lowest average temperature 0.1°C on 29th January

Maximum temperature variation in 24hrs 9.6°C on 12th January [10.4°C to 0.8°C]

Smallest temperature variation in 24hrs 1.6°C on 27th January [2.7°C to 1.1°C]

Rainfall Data

Rainfall in month 34.4 mm (long term average 43.8mm)

Wettest day in month 8th January 8.2mm

Highest rain rate 15.2mm/hr at 13:00 on 16th January

Wind Speed Data

Maximum wind gust speed 22.0 mph on 16th January (07:00)