Thursday, 2 April 2026

Solaris bud burst and Dave

 


The Solaris displayed bud burst in the sunshine yesterday. Still no signs of progress on the others. 

Today, it's been miserable and raining all day. Tomorrow we get Storm Dave, although we'll be spared the worst as the storm tracks north to Scotland. We'll get rain and wind, but not strong gale-force. It should be through by noon on Sunday, which would be great as we're having friends over for Easter with a young child who needs an egg hunt. 

Meanwhile, as we practice storm avoidance and celebrate Easter, four astronauts are on their way to circle the moon on Artemis II. They won't be landing, but they are travelling around the dark side. I wonder if we'll be able to see any of their trajectory. Godspeed brave souls. 






Other fruit promising bounty

Red cherry

I am particularly pleased with the onset of flowering in the orchard. The one cherry tree is going to be covered in blossoms and seems to be making a recovery. I am afraid that we ruined our cherry trees and plum tree by pruning at the wrong time of year. Stone fruit have to be pruned in later spring/early summer. Pruning in winter exposes them to stressors like rust and canker. I am afraid the yellow cherry has both. It is weeping rusty-coloured liquid from its joints. 

Still no sign of bud break in the Solaris, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Easter Sunday will be held here and we have several guests coming. We were going to do a big Ukrainian-style Easter, but my hand surgery got in the way. 

Blueberry

Yellow cherry

Red cherry


Wednesday, 1 April 2026

March was wet and mild


We had 110 mm more rain this March than in March last year and 40+mm more than the LTA. It was milder than the LTA but not as mild as last year. So we can't really make comparisons year-on-year. 

Monthly values for NEWPORT up to 30-mar-2026

Total rainfall in millimetres for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
2026162.7133.9168.5465.1
2025105.0112.459.3102.888.2153.8130.0148.2214.9186.4207.8164.21673.0
2024125.7197.5152.5119.448.880.780.8257.544.1150.7143.3173.71574.7
2023183.291.6188.4121.148.577.9206.8139.8142.4144.7209.6293.81847.8
LTA166.4146.6129.098.099.293.5111.6133.0131.8153.9180.9190.71634.6

Mean temperature in degrees Celsius for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
20265.77.18.27.0
20256.07.18.911.614.014.916.516.713.311.78.87.611.5
20246.17.97.99.913.112.914.914.913.611.89.28.210.9
20236.68.07.69.913.317.414.915.815.211.98.77.911.4
LTA6.36.47.59.512.014.215.515.513.811.18.56.710.6

Mean 10cm soil temperature for NEWPORT at 0900 UTC

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
20264.86.47.76.3
20255.16.08.110.915.416.317.817.513.912.18.96.911.6
20244.26.56.59.513.614.415.815.413.711.28.97.210.6
20235.26.86.69.113.718.616.316.314.711.17.66.711.1
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Global Solar Radiation in Joules/cm2 for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
2026674192322315939132
2025730811955254304461564505454654740238468291641172777364441338216
2024724812401230323968547333503664963238203314511662865864121326686
2023624510639214293727755732584734179736857293381622583264411326749
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Potential Evapotranspiration (mm) for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
202611.317.536.164.9
202512.922.039.570.1100.376.480.368.645.428.013.915.1572.5
202415.418.236.056.974.776.780.960.849.027.614.215.6526.0
202314.320.933.056.483.3100.670.164.450.126.114.214.7548.1
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Evaporation (mm) for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
202615.124.252.591.8
202517.130.555.397.0139.0107.8110.694.764.137.118.218.6790.0
202420.225.451.983.7104.9109.8112.688.367.837.518.420.0740.5
202318.828.247.681.6118.2137.199.589.167.835.518.419.0760.8
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Degree Days Below 15.5 Degree Celsius for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026305234N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
202529423520513282492321761212012461685
202429322123416991894541771171912281796
202327521024617185183926531182032371681

Notes on the Data

Evaporation and PE data are calculated using Penman/Monteith formulae.
The ‘LTA’ (referred to within a table) is average for the climatological long-term-average (LTA) reference period 1991-2020.
Data updated daily at Mid-day.
To view the Weather Events for Public Works Contracts data, select a station first, then click the link just below the map.