Sneak preview into next months podcast, where I vent about a little annoyance involving Doris, the owner of a fluffy white Shitzu, who’s been grumbling about the chilly April she believes we’ve had.
Now, I pride myself on analysing historical weather data to understand climate patterns better, rather than relying on forecasts.
After all my role involves looking at weather trends to help people develop better programs and in my opinion, history tells us more about what’s going to happen than a forecast, they are just not good enough yet.
So, let’s set the record straight about this past April’s weather.
Contrary to the Doris’s opinion, April’s temperatures were pretty standard. Yes, there were some brisk mornings and some warm afternoons, but overall, the monthly average temperature lined up closely with historical norms for April in the UK and Ireland.
It’s important to remember that across the UK and Ireland, it typically isn’t until June that we see more consistent, warmer overnight temps.
April, as ever, tends to be a mixed bag that dazes and confuses the optimist. Interestingly, many of us remember the standout warm days more vividly than the typical ones, which can skew our perception of the entire month.
Here’s an interesting BBC weather article on exactly this https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/crgylwnpz91o .
This April followed the expected patterns with average temperatures right where they should be for this time of year.
However, it’s worth noting that it was indeed wetter and duller than usual. The same wet pattern we’ve seen since last October.
Its worth checking out the historic data points on Turf Advisor which compares the past decade’s temperature averages to the current 14-day average, providing a practical look at what’s typical and what’s not.
Make sure to keep an eye on that growth potential figure too to help you understand how the temperature may be limiting growth.
By calibrating our expectations based on solid data, we can use the growth potential metric and plan accordingly.
The initial year of using the growth potential data is mostly about calibration and getting to grips with the patterns and you’re site.
Stick with it, and you’ll soon find this information indispensable for making informed decisions about when and what to expect in terms of growth.
So, what’s the takeaway here?
While April may have had its dreary moments, temperature-wise, it was wet but normal from a temperature point of view. But for those of you using Turf Advisor – you’ll already know that!
