October is normally the second wettest month of the year but this one was exceptional. Due to a persistently energetic North Atlantic Jet-stream, it rained in Formby on 22 days, some of that contribution being from two named storms. The 3rd was the wettest day recorded in England since records began in 1891, though we...
September can often be wet but this one was unusually dry, rain falling on only eight days. Although it wasn’t particularly warm, above average sunshine produced what has long been known as an “Indian Summer.”
January was remarkably mild with early-morning frost on only three days. It rained on 14 days but most of it was light and patchy, being concentrated in the first half of the month. Accordingly, the water-table rose by 6.5 cm in the first two weeks but fell by 1 cm in the next fortnight. The...
Could I find any insects, other than Winter-gnats, in December? A visit to the Holden Road, Crosby Ivy patches on 1st provided the answer. Sure enough, I spotted two each of the two common Drone-flies and a Green Shieldbug of the brown pre-hibernation colour-form. This bonanza couldn’t last; the following day I had to break...