Tuesday, 23 July 2019
Hot & Windy
Monday was the hottest day of the month, although not the hottest of the year. The forecast is that the temperatures will peak on Thursday with that likely to take over as the hottest day of the year.
Temperature & Wind Speed Records for 22 July 2019
The temperature reached a high of 28.4°C (83.1°F) in the afternoon but it was accompanied by a very blustery wind, almost gale force, especially through the morning. A couple of gusts recorded 22mph making it not only the hottest day of the month but also the windiest. Wind speeds of 22mph are rare for us in July and the maximum I've recorded over 10 years is 23mph on two occasions with 22mph now also being recorded on two days as well.
It's not really what we wanted at the allotments or for the garden. So far July has been a dry month and unless we get a drenching from one of the thunderstorms forecast this week it might turn out to be the driest over the last 10 years.
Our cardoon certainly doesn't look as majestic as it did now the wind has taken its toll. The one advantage is we can now see some of the flowers which will be covered with bees once they fully open out.
I'm not too sure how our already very dry plot will come through three or four days of hot weather if we miss out on any thunderstorms that are around.
Wednesday, 24 July 2019
A Scorcher Followed By Storms
As accurately forecast Tuesday turned out to be the hottest day of the year as the temperature reached 31.9°C (89.4°F) which for us is almost uncharted territory.
It became the third hottest day of the last 10 years.
Hottest Days 2010 - Date
The forecast was also correct regarding the overnight thunderstorms which arrived in the early hours of Wednesday morning. No great amount of rain accompanied the thunder and lightning but the 10.2mm (0.4in) will be very welcome to the plants at the allotment and in the garden.
Temperature & Rainfall Records 22-24 July 2019
The weather chat is that Thursday will be even hotter, again with a chance of thunderstorms following, before the hot weather gives way to more normal July temperatures on Saturday.
Friday, 26 July 2019
Thursday, 25 July 2019 - A Record Breaking Hot Day
There was no doubt about it, Thursday smashed my 10 year hottest day temperature into smithereens. The previous high of 33.1°C (91.2°F) set on 01 July 2015 was easily surpassed as the thermometer rocketed to 35.7°C or 96.3°F.
Highest Temperature Comparisons - Orange Line 01 July 2015 & Red Line 25 July 2019
The day's heat hung on long into the evening. I went to water the plot greenhouse around 20:00 and the temperature was still over 30°C. Not only was it still very hot but there wasn't even any breeze. Carrying a few cans of water to the greenhouse was a hot and sweaty job.
I had a quick look around the plot and most crops looked to have managed okay with a couple of very hot days. A dry spell of weather through much of July and a few hot days have stopped some of the potatoes in their tracks and we've plenty to start harvesting as they are not going to do any more growing. Digging up potatoes though will have to wait for some cooler conditions which might not be all that long with cooler weather forecast for the weekend and next week.
Sunday, 28 July 2019
Gardening on Hold - Summer Changes to Autumn
The exceptional heat of Thursday disappeared through Friday to be replaced by something resembling autumn on Saturday and it is continuing into Sunday morning.
Temperature & Rainfall Records 25-27 July 2019
The temperature for most of Saturday hovered around the 16°C (61°F) mark about 20°C (35°F) lower than Thursday. We had showers or more prolonged periods of steady rain for most of the day on Saturday which produced a total of 17.4mm (0.7in) of rainfall. It's the wettest day of the year and the wettest since the 20th September last year.
Based on the measurements of solar radiation that my weather station records Saturday was the dullest July day of the last 10 years. The rainfall is good news for the garden and allotment and it will certainly mean that we don't need to do any watering but a spell of dry weather would be good to fit in a little bit of harvesting at the plot. Come rain or shine, we will have to make a trip to the plot to water the tomatoes in the greenhouse.
The forecast is for lots more rain over the next few days but it's chopping and changing all the time so it's rather difficult to know what to expect. There's certainly no return to summer forecast over the next few days.
Monday, 29 July 2019
What A Week!
Saturday became our wettest day of the year but it didn't hold on to its record for very long as Sunday took over the record with 18.2mm or 0.72in.
Temperature & Rainfall Records 23-29 July 2019
I have to admit that as we had that record breaking hot day on Thursday I didn't think that the rainfall the day before was going to do much good on an already very dry garden and allotment. Our first early potatoes Casablanca and second earlies Athlete have done all the growing they are going to do and my plan was to lift them this week and replant the bed with some French beans - Safari which are growing in pots at home.
When I lifted some Casablanca potatoes a week or so ago, I did think that the soil was going to be very dry and digging the bed over might be a problem. However, with almost a month's rainfall, of 49.8mm (1.96in), over the last week I don't think that is going to be a problem now. I'm hoping the soil won't be too wet.
The forecast for the next couple of days doesn't look too promising with more rain predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Forecast from Netweather.tv
Tuesday looks particularly wet with more showery weather on Wednesday. There's been an amazing turn round in weather and growing conditions in the space of a few days.