JANUARY 2011 SUMMARY-----COLD,BUT RAINFALL BELOW NORMAL

The month was colder than average, the days by 1.4 degrees, the nights by 0.8. It was simply not in the same league of severe cold as the previous month & in fact January 2010 was somewhat colder. Nevertheless, it is a month that will be remembered for the persistence of frozen ground, ice & standing water, especially in some flat valley-bottom areas which get little winter sunshine.

The photo is something of a reminder of the " month of ice & water". Despite a dramatic rise in river levels around the 15/16th, the month actually had a 27% defecit in rainfall, with only the 15th having a large total of rain (29.4mms). Rapid run-off over frozen ground, as well as snow melt certainly made their contribution to the rise in river level.

The month's highest temperature of 8.1 & lowest of -9.2 came nowhere near to breaking any records.

Snow fell on 10 days & lay on the ground for 15.

There were 21 air frosts.

The dramatic December definitely played a part in the ground conditions that persisted throughout much of January.