Mark Hunt’s Weather Assessment
12th March – 17th March 2010
Just a short update tonight as it's been a long day, but I bring a bit of better news weather-wise and in addition, I have attached some weather stats comparing this winter with last year. Thanks as usual to Sean for the weather data.
Looking at the weather this week, as predicted, we have been under the influence of high pressure so dry, dry and dry, with irrigation on newly turfed areas a must - amazing when you consider less than 10 days ago, we were under water. Winds have been from the north and chilly, though out of the wind and in the sun, it's been pleasant.
Frosts have been as predicted, entirely dependent on cloud cover, but as we progress towards the weekend, the chances of hard frosts decline, so that's a step in the right direction.
On Friday / Saturday, a weak weather front with light rain passes down through Scotland and the north of the UK, with snow at higher altitudes, but the important bit is the moisture for Scotland is drier this winter than England, Wales and Ireland. There's a chance of a shower practically anywhere over the weekend, but they will be few and far between. Winds will still be a tad chilly and from the north.
It's from Tuesday that things start to change with the winds swinging round to the south-west and this signals the start of more unsettled weather with a chance of rain from mid-week, more so for the west and north of the UK / Ireland, but I'll have a better idea on Monday where it's heading. The wind direction will mean milder days and certainly milder nights, so soil temperature should pick up handily and growth will resume, but only provided we get rain, if we don't, I would be irrigating, ideally on a morning cycle to depress the soil temperature for the shortest amount of time. At this time of year, it's really only the top 2" that dries out so light syringing is all that's required to keep the plant happy and prevent lack of moisture being a growth-limiting factor. It helps to have your first application of wetting agent on to evenly distribute moisture in the profile and to facilitate quicker penetration of the rain we get or the irrigation you provide.
The reason for the change is that fickle creature, the jet stream, which is driving milder air off the Atlantic. (see http://metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/jetstream.asp)
Mark Hunt
Technical Director
Headland Amenity Ltd
|
