a partner church in the WOLDSBURN benefice  

CHURCH AT KIRKBURN

http://www.churchatkirkburn.org.uk/page 25.html First Frost Sept 2007   14/9/07    12/11/08

WOLDSBURN

ST. MARY’S MAGAZINE

850TH ANNIVERSARY

LINKS

PLEASE FOLLOW ALSO SUBSIDIARY LINKS AT TOP OF EACH PAGE

OUR HISTORY

HOME PAGE

SEPT.2007

BACK TO MAGAZINE

HOME PAGE

BACK TO WOLDSBURN

Trevor Appleton

FIRST FROST

First Frost

When can we expect the first frost of the Autumn/Winter season, and what is the difference between an air frost and a ground frost which we often hear quoted by weathermen?

The dates of the first and last frosts are important to anyone who wants to grow anything outside. In general, the further south you are, and the nearer to the sea you are, the more frost free days you can expect, and the earlier you can put out (or later leave out ) those delicate plants.

The average date of first frost (based on 1961-1990 ) ranges from late September in Scotland’s Glens, to early October for Aberdeen, York and Oxford, late October for most of southern Britain, and December for the Scillies, Cornwall, west Wales and (perhaps surprisingly) the smaller Scottish Islands.

However, our climate is changing so rapidly we can almost throw these averages out of the window. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 for example the first frosts at Newport, East Yorkshire we’re recorded on the 14th,15th and 3rd  of November respectively, allowing an extra month of growing for those tender plants. Also in recent winters many parts of Cornwall have missed out on an air frost altogether.

Air temperatures are measured at a standard height (4 ft) above the ground (a grass surface), in a specially shaded and well ventilated screen (Stevenson screen). These standards are kept around the world in order that comparisons may be made.
Ground temperatures are made at ½ inch above short grass. At this level, temperatures on a still clear night are considerably colder than the air temperature - by as much 7 deg C.