As 2020 draws to a close it is typically a time that we as farmers look back at the weather and how it has impacted us over the year. At Rougham Estate because of our light drought prone soils the success or (hopefully not) failure of our crops, wildlife and pollinator’s are completely governed by the weather and 2020 was no exception.
The table below shows what rainfall we have recorded on the Estate the last 5 years and an average of the last 23 years that we have been accurately recorded rainfall to show how it compares with the longer term average.
| Rainfall (mm) Year | ||||||
| 23 Year Average | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Jan | 54.3 | 65 | 55.7 | 63.5 | 13 | 58.5 |
| Feb | 44.7 | 21 | 43.8 | 42 | 31 | 78.5 |
| Mar | 43.0 | 70 | 42.1 | 74 | 45.5 | 27.5 |
| April | 41.7 | 85 | 43.5 | 56.5 | 9.5 | 22.5 |
| May | 53.0 | 56 | 56 | 37.5 | 47 | 13 |
| June | 54.1 | 143 | 50 | 116.5 | 59 | |
| July | 59.6 | 34 | 63.5 | 16 | 40 | 38.5 |
| Aug | 70.4 | 28 | 58.5 | 61 | 31.5 | 102 |
| Sept | 45.9 | 35.5 | 42 | 25 | 33 | 34 |
| Oct | 67.0 | 34 | 16.5 | 10 | 98.5 | 95 |
| Nov | 64.6 | 61 | 22.5 | 68.5 | 67 | 49.5 |
| Dec | 56.2 | 23 | 78 | 60 | 65 | 116 |
| Total | 654.5 | 655.5 | 572.1 | 514.0 | 597.5 | 694.0 |
2020 will be remembered for a dry and warm spring/early summer with just over half of the average rainfall falling between March and June. 2020 will also be remembered for an extremely wet latter part of the year, which has more than made up for the shortfall of rainfall earlier on in the year for 2020 to be a wetter than average rainfall year.
What is worthwhile noting was that September, October and November 2020 were pretty similar to the same time period in 2019 in terms of total rainfall but what was significant were the amount of ‘wet’ days where rainfall was recorded was significantly more in 2020 than in 2019 and certainly proved challenging to plant our autumn sown crops.
To cap the year off it is also noting the amount of rainfall in December is nearly double the 23 year average. While we enjoy this cold spell into the year we look forward with anticipation to what 2021 will bring!
Happy New Year to you all from the Rougham Estate team.
