Dry winter?

[Steevo]

What is the general consensus on here - has it been a dry winter? It feels like it to me....especially given we're travelling on fields in February with dry wheels, where normally it would be impossible to go near.

Out spreading fertiliser today, and even despite this dry winter, large areas of many fields are showing very yellow, that I'm sure it attributable to poor drainage more than anything else.

Really makes you think when in a dry winter crops are still showing stress of waterlogging.

Makes me think all this environmental/public goods rubbish is worthless and being driven by the wrong people. If farming was profitable, or drainage grants re-appeared....but were caveated with environmental goods I think it would be a win-win situation all round. Farmers wouldn't be chasing every acre quite so hard to get the final few pennies that might help turn a profit.....and there would be more spare change around for the insects, birds, and all wildlife.

Instead of forcing farmers to do x, y or z to help wildlife....allow/enable farming to be profitable, and these improvements may well happen for themselves with nature being allowed to run its own course on less used areas of the farm.

If I could increase productivity across the farm by 20%....I'd be more than happy to put 10% aside for nature.

A much better solution than public money for public goods.....and the farmer being slated time and time again.

 

[Wombat]

Had 3mm more from dec 1 to today this year than for the equivalent 2017/18 winter, it’s been dry in the last few weeks but overall fairly average. It was this point on last year it went to crap though and finally stopped raining in may

 

[egbert]

I haven't looked at the stats, but i'd guess figures are waaaay down.
We had a wet spell when it finally broke in november, but following last summers hot, I would thought it could easily become serious.
Been very dry since.
(hopefully i'll be proved very wrong, but pref not just when i start lambing)

 

[Cowcalf]

Is there a site where one can see local precipitation for last few months

 

[Neddy flanders]

walked a block of wheat today sown on 1st Nov. its had only 80mm since then. it only had 80mm from last may to when it was drilled. 160mm in 10months. April and May better be wet.

 

[DRC]

Very dry I’d say. Could be serious if we don’t get a wet spell soon

 

[hally]

Been very dry winter here too, bloody brilliant never seen land around here looking so well. Shame it does damage for some as it’s very pleasant to work in without coats , leggings etc.

 

[DRC]

Yes, great days muckspreading today. Didn’t make a mark on 70 acres .

 

[MrNoo]

Dry around here, drilling today and even the traditional "wet spots" that would normally only be drillable by end of May/April are just a bit tacky. I have never seen the soil in such condition here, fantastic drilling conditions but I was thinking today that I hope we get some rain but I just dont think we will, these high pressure systems have been with us from Summer last year, with the odd SW'ly thrown in on occasion, ponds on the farm are well down on where they would normally be.
Saw Cabbage Whites today, not just the one but quite a few, best get and put my hedgehog food out as guess they will stir with these temps.

 

[yellow belly]

my winter excess calculation is 143 mm average is 204 with a range from 60 in 1988 80 in 1989 to 385 in 2001

no correlation with winter excess and dry or wet summer following

this year 143 has had drains running in December and januarry after 10 mm of rain the dry ones in 88 and 89 had no drain flow very dry years then
one of the dryest winters in rescent years was 2012 which had the wettest following summer and turned into the wettest year ever here

 

[David.]

Very dry I’d say. Could be serious if we don’t get a wet spell soon

Careful what you wish for. I hate wet summers.

 

[Dman2]

Dry here
How often can you spread muck in Feb without leaving a mark

 

[mixed breed]

I've been saying since December "were due a wet spell" we've had showers but nothing serious.

Took ewes and lambs out today onto the peat, usually its a mire and never fit to venture near, but it was dry as a bone and a nice bite of grass there too

 

[Zippy768]

It will all change by the Friday......
Just as my fertiliser arrives

 

[shakerator]

my winter excess calculation is 143 mm average is 204 with a range from 60 in 1988 80 in 1989 to 385 in 2001

no correlation with winter excess and dry or wet summer following

this year 143 has had drains running in December and januarry after 10 mm of rain the dry ones in 88 and 89 had no drain flow very dry years then
one of the dryest winters in rescent years was 2012 which had the wettest following summer and turned into the wettest year ever here

Drains running does not prove a soil profile recharged of moisture imv !

 

[AndrewM]

we had a wet November, average December and a dry January

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/11/2018_11_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/12/2018_12_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da.../2019/1/2019_1_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

 

[Kidds]

Top tip: make sure your drains are in good order, outlets are clear and ditches free from obstruction.
I’ve never known things not to even out and that means we should be in for a lot of rain.

It would be very nice not to have to even think about it but this current weather is worrying me.

 

[Goweresque]

we had a wet November, average December and a dry January

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/11/2018_11_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/12/2018_12_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da.../2019/1/2019_1_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

Looking at those Met Office rainfall anomaly charts, only one month in about the last 2 years in these parts has been significantly above average rainfall, and that was March 2018. Everything else has been average or below, and a lot of very dry months during that time too, which backs up my feeling that its been a long time since we had a really wet season around here. Even in the really wet summer of 2017 we largely missed the rain.

Eventually it will turn and we will be in for a veritable monsoon...............

 

[Wombat]

we had a wet November, average December and a dry January

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/11/2018_11_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da...018/12/2018_12_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/pub/da.../2019/1/2019_1_Rainfall_Anomaly_1981-2010.gif

Looking at them we had wet, nov and dec and then dryer jan but still 75% of normal so pretty average

 

[Simon Chiles]

It will all change by the Friday......
Just as my fertiliser arrives

Excellent timing on your behalf, you and I will be the only smug ones knowing that we haven’t wasted any of it.