Saturday, 1 March 2025

Spring is in the air

Low tide this morning.

It was cold yesterday, the last day of February. But it was sunny, and I finally managed to get seeds going. I finished up with the cold frames today. The tides are springs this week, so the sea will be over the road this evening and was way out today. But the days are getting longer and brighter.

I'm glad I delayed the seed starting. People are posting photos of very leggy seedlings since we've had so little sunlight this month. I wonder if that will delay bud burst on the vines. We managed to get the pruning done in time. 


Despite how it felt, February had less rain than last year and than the LTA. It felt very wet, and the donkeys weren't happy about that. It was cooler than the last two years but still well above the LTA. Despite feeling very dark (we had 13 days straight with no sunshine - very depressing), the solar radiation was average and the soil temperature not much cooler than in prior years. The lettuce in the polytunnel has started growing, and the broccoli has finally made florets. The bees were all over the heather yesterday. 


Monthly values for NEWPORT up to 28 Feb 2025

Total rainfall in millimetres for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
2025105.0112.4n/a217.4
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
202298.8260.467.884.0107.0148.059.2104.197.3233.9187.5154.61602.6
LTA166.4146.6129.098.099.293.5111.6133.0131.8153.9180.9190.71634.6

Mean temperature in degrees Celsius for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
20256.07.1n/a6.5
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
20227.27.18.09.912.613.815.916.2n/a12.29.45.210.7
LTA6.36.47.59.512.014.215.515.513.811.18.56.710.6

Mean 10cm soil temperature for NEWPORT at 0900 UTC

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
20255.16.0n/a5.5
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
20226.26.26.39.313.214.816.816.6n/a11.58.44.410.4
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Global Solar Radiation in Joules/cm2 for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
2025730811955n/a19263
2024724812401230323968547333503664963238203314511662865864121326686
2023624510639214293727755732584734179736857293381622583264411326749
2022631110756333994055551569472464843951169n/a1598878696167319468
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Potential Evapotranspiration (mm) for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
202512.922.0n/a34.9
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
202213.723.047.260.677.776.080.482.0n/a27.217.29.2514.2
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Evaporation (mm) for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnual
202517.130.5n/a47.6
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
202217.932.466.586.8114.5109.2111.1113.2n/a37.022.011.4722.0
LTAn/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a

Degree Days Below 15.5 Degree Celsius for NEWPORT

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2025294235N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
202429322123416991894541771171912281796
202327521024617185183926531182032371681
202225623423517197633028N/A103185320N/A

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 1981-2010.
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.








Cheeky donkeys in the mud