Temperatures for the period averaged below normal, reinforced by three very cool days, with high temperatures in the 30s. There was a range of 33 degrees, from the low of 15 on the 5th, Easter Sunday, to the high of 48 degrees on the 7th.

There were varying amounts of precipitation on five of the seven dates, measuring 0.64 of an inch of water and four inches of snow. The snow season’s total reads 104.6 inches as of this date, and hopefully no more until late November or later. Snow deposits for the month of April vary from year to year. The 17-year average reads 3.92 inches, with only a trace in three years, 28.7 inches in 2007, and 12 inches in 2011.

When this column is read, it will be mid-April. April is usually a month of rapid transition, from mostly snow-covered areas, to green lawns ready to mow, all within a 30-day period. In 1936 and 1945 and maybe other years, most grass-covered areas were becoming quite green on April 1st. Another extreme was in 1969 that three feet of settled snow remained on my fields on April 1st. In 2006, I had peas planted by April 1st.

Early in the week snow drops had emerged at the edge of the receding snow cover and were in bloom a few days later. There was one crocus, with a sizable white bud on the 11th, hopefully more will follow. Daffodils have emerged with varying amounts of growth.

Mice have girdled or eaten the bark at the base of a young peach tree that barely survived the harsh winter of 2013-14. They also girdled several stems of the hardy flowering quince at the edge of the lawn. Several years ago they girdled the base of several roses. How they chewed those thorny stems remains a mystery to me.

As of this date, I haven’t seen any robins or geese but have heard them at some distance from my yard. Usually, the tree swallows appear near April 16th; last year a pair appeared earlier.

This period of time last year averaged warmer, reinforced by a 63 degree reading on the 11th and three readings in the 50s. The coldest reading was 20 degrees on the 10th.

There was snow and rain recorded on the 4th and 5th. The water received measured 0.48 of an inch and rain on the 8th measured 0.75 of an inch.

Week of April 5-11

Day High Low Precip.

Sun. 37 15 T snow

Mon. 37 21 0.09 1″ of snow

Tues. 48 22 0

Wed. 41 21 T

Thurs. 36 25 0.29 3″ of snow

Fri. 47 28 0.25

Sat. 45 32 0

Copy the Story Link