Frost reports for 2010

[jamie]

the maize crops around here that have not been cut yet look terrible. the look like they have been sprayed with roundup. wont be long for them to be brown. they are a funny green this afternoon.

[Andy]

Hey good use of the sprinklers there Richard, I think the timing of the fronts has saved us from seeing those sort of temps from affecting us down here.

Oh buy the way where abouts are you in the Amuri district

[Richard]

the maize crops around here that have not been cut yet look terrible. the look like they have been sprayed with roundup. wont be long for them to be brown. they are a funny green this afternoon.

For that maize crop it probably wont really matter a lot because to be used as stock feed it needs to be half dry first anyway,so i would say they will be cutting it in the coming days Jamie.

[Richard]

Hey good use of the sprinklers there Richard, I think the timing of the fronts has saved us from seeing those sort of temps from affecting us down here.yep the high cloud that moved up from the south saved you lot further south

Oh buy the way where abouts are you in the Amuri district

South end of the Amuri plains

[Razor]

Couldn't be further from a frost today, 22 degrees at 5.30am!

[Simon Culling]

This is a most interesting thread. Frost is a relatively rare visitor to the UK in September (equivalent to your March) except in the Glens of Highland Scotland, although it does occur occasionally. The record low temperature for the UK in September is -6.7*C at Dalwhinnie (a scottish Glen!) on 26-9-1942. In England the record is -5.6*C at Santon Downham (set on 30-9-1969) in the county of Norfolk - it is located in the flatlands of an area known as East Anglia, to the NE of London. This site has very sandy soil, and is prone to low temperature on clear calm nights.

In recent decades frost has not be very common in England in September. In 1986 the temperature fell fo -0.8*C at Birmingham Airport and to -0.6*C at Silsoe (Bedfordshire) on the 19th, but to -5.5*C at St Harmon in the Welsh hills of Powys. This is an upland valley site in the middle of Wales at approx 250m amsl - it is sadly no longer operating.

In 2003 the temperature fell to -1.3*C on the 24th at Bournemouth Airport, on the south coast of England. This is yet another frost hollow type site within an area of very sandy soil. Temperatures at sites accross southern England fell to between -1*C and -3*C on what was locally the coldest September night since 1919. I will endeavour to find a few readings. On the same day, the minimum recorded at Enochdu (Perthshire, Scotland) was -3.5*C, the lowest September temperature in the UK for 10 years.

[Simon Culling]

It is interesting to note that Tasmania also recorded an early frost this autumn, on the 1st of March. Minimum temperatures for overnight 28th Feb/1st Mar were:

-3.8*C at Liawenee (1057m amsl) in the central plateau
-2.9*C at Lake St Clair (742m) in the central plateau
-2.2*C at Butlers Gorge (667m) in the central plateau
-1.2*C at Tunnack (461m) in the eastern highlands
-0.2*C at Bushy Park (27m) just 45km inland (to NW) from Hobart, in the Derwent River valley
+1.0*C at Grove (65m) near the SE coast and approx 25km SW of Hobart - recorded a ground frost

For comparison, Hobart Airport only fell to 6.4*C and Launceston Airport to 2.8*C

[tunster]

It is interesting to note that Tasmania also recorded an early frost this autumn, on the 1st of March. Minimum temperatures for overnight 28th Feb/1st Mar were:

-3.8*C at Liawenee (1057m amsl) in the central plateau
-2.9*C at Lake St Clair (742m) in the central plateau
-2.2*C at Butlers Gorge (667m) in the central plateau
-1.2*C at Tunnack (461m) in the eastern highlands
-0.2*C at Bushy Park (27m) just 45km inland (to NW) from Hobart, in the Derwent River valley
+1.0*C at Grove (65m) near the SE coast and approx 25km SW of Hobart - recorded a ground frost

For comparison, Hobart Airport only fell to 6.4*C and Launceston Airport to 2.8*C

Lumsden in Southland (NZ) recorded a minimum temperature of -3.5C in early December. Elevation around 200m.

[Simon Culling]

Hey Tunster

Thanks for the info about the recent summer frosts in New Zealand. I took a look at the NIWA report for Dec 2009, and quite a few sites recorded a frost, although admittedly, most were at high altitude. A few do stand out as noteworthy, particularly the minimum of -0.7*C recorded at Dunedin Airport (at sea level + near the coast!) on the 4th December 2009, its lowest December temperature in a record extending back to 1947, and the minimum of -1.5*C at Alfredton (just 240m amsl) on the 22nd. Lumsden is only at 305m, similar to many of the Glens of Scotland. I will look up some summer low's here in the UK when time permits.

With regards to the Tasmanian figures, most are again from high altitude stations, but the -0.2*C at Bushy Park on the 1st March is remarkable bearing mind it is not too far from the coast and is only at 27m amsl. Its valley location will obviously aid overnight cooling, but I bet the local gardeners were not happy about it!

[spwill]

particularly the minimum of -0.7*C recorded at Dunedin Airport (at sea level + near the coast!) on the 4th December 2009,

Dunedin Airport has some protection from the coast by a line of hills and lies in a basin. It is a very frosty location in winter.

[Nev]

particularly the minimum of -0.7*C recorded at Dunedin Airport (at sea level + near the coast!) on the 4th December 2009,

Dunedin Airport has some protection from the coast by a line of hills and lies in a basin. It is a very frosty location in winter.

Yes, it's also about 8-9 km inland from the coast.

[Simon Culling]

Nev + Spwill

Thanks for the site information regarding Dunedin Airport weather station. As we all know, site characteristics can make a big difference to the temperatures recorded, especially minimums. It is still a remarkable overnight temperature for a lowland site at approx 45*S in what is the first month of your summer. It might be some time before it is beaten.

[Manukau heads obs]

re the maize crops, they will be harvesting for the grain as well, any dry matter from the leaves would be just a bonus, all ending up as a fine chop silage or similar

[jamie]

yea brian the major contractors that are next door to us have already gone up to karaka to start the grain harvest. usually thats in late april/may but since its been so dry its already ready.

maize around here went from lush green to dead looking in two days. BUT under trees and on hill paddocks there are still green patches. quite neat to see the changing colours in the crops based on how badly each part was effected.

[Manukau heads obs]

bits of rain around here at the moment...and more to come in ...on this slow moving frontal line...the rain looks to be weakening as it moves in...but at least it will help with people on tank water
I see that Northland dairy production is nearly 30% behind this time last year on a daily basis
would be similar here
paddocks around here look like something out of australia

[Manukau heads obs]

maybe they did spray the maize with round up to stop any more growth and to sort of seal off the grain?
picture of how dry it is around here (sorry getting a bit OT)

[Andy]

-1.6 air frost here, coldest morning so far this year.

[Richard]

Still had a cloud cover here last night but there will be one night though,bye bye potates

[Nev]

I see Chch Aero and Queenstown Aero went sub-zero this morn - Wanaka near 0C.

Ashburton, Invercargill, Blenheim and Levin around 1C,

Gore, Timaru Aero and Taupo Aero around 2C.

Tara Hills (near Omarama) on at a least -1C.


Slightly sub 10C here and at Akld Aero.

[Andy]

-2 degrees C air frost here.

[Richard]

-3 at 6.00am

[tich]

1.4C minimum at Hillmorton station, Chch - coldest so far this year I believe. (now up to 14C)

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Overnight frost here and white on the grass this morning. Byb bye tomatoes.
Down to minus 1.2C in the screen.

JohnGaul
NZThS

[Richard]

Still got my Tomatoes alive John by having sprinklers going,no point saving potatoes though as there's no growth from now now anyway,i'm picking a -2 here tonight and as the high moves more to the east over the next day or so should see night time temps back above freezing again.

[Richard]

-2 it was and a thin fog.