Let’s begin with tradition. If you visit our Fair Island, then one thing you must be aware of is that each conversation must contain some discussion of the currently prevailing meteorologic conditions. Typically this is phrased in the form of a rhetorical question....
‘Getting enough snow at your place?’
‘Not to dry for you is it?’
The former question being the one you got over the winter, and the later being the question for this sumer. You see, our winter this year was a little warmer than the previous winters which translated into massive amounts of snow. The weather has to be warm enough for it to snow, and this year it was. Additionally, the storms came through in a pattern that was unusual and it made for lots more snow sticking around.
The typical pattern for weather here is to have a storm, a couple of clear days then another storm. It really does not depend on the season, it is the pattern that seems to prevail year round. The main difference is that the season will determine the quality of the moisture delivered, not the pattern of the cycle. In winter, this is snow, in the remainder of the year in rain.
This winter the pattern was windy day, storm day, windy day x 2 storm day, windy day x 2, storm day, windy day x 2 etc from January through mid March. There were none of the typical clearing days after the storm, just the wind from the departing storm and then from the approaching storm. As spring approached everyone was hoping for a change, and on schedule it occurred. The snow turned into rain, but the pattern did not alter.
This made for a very cool, very wet spring. The spring lobster fishermen had lower than average catches because of the stormy cold waters, and all the farmers were gritting their teeth waiting on the chance to work their fields and plant. We got a few breaks in late May early June so that the farmers planted (as did gardeners) and then the cycle kicked back into gear and things stayed wet (and cool). We were wearing sweaters into July as the cool temperatures persisted.
In conversations with my patients, the weather played an important role. Everyone was/is worried about the gardens as this is a key staple for storage for winter, and lots of folks had to plant their gardens a second time because of the weather. Usually by mid July summer has really arrived and the temperatures are getting into the high 80’s (mid 20’s C) and low 90’s (Low 30’s C) throughout the day, but still in the 60-70 degree range at night(15-22 C). July this year has seen our daytime temps from mid 60’s to low 80s for the daytime highs and the evening temps in the 50’s and 60’s. This combined with regular rain and cloud cover have made summer seem down right spring like.
So, what does all this mean in practical terms? Well, it is after all the weather, and there is not really much that can be done. It does mean that the growing season is a little funky, and that farmers who are making hay have had a hard time finding the perfect window to cut the hay so it can dry and be baled prior to the next rainy day (our hay farmer usually puts 10,000 bales back yearly and had only done 3,000 by mid July). Some crops are doing well (if you land is well drained), but the warm weather garden crops (think peppers and tomatoes) are struggling. For my part, I have a bumper crop of carrots, broccoli, radishes, lettuce, celery, onions, squash, pumpkins, and beans. My tomato plants are large, but the tomatoes are green, and the peppers may not produce at all (time will tell).
It is as odd as the extreme heat in Texas, and the older patients are all apologizing to me about the lousy weather. If is funny, but it is a part of life here, and always part of the conversation. Hoping the weather is favorable where-ever you reside.
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