Ground frosts halve in historic winter highs

You probably rolled your eyes when your granddad started waxing lyrical about walking to school in the frost most days. He probably even added, ‘‘you don’t know you’re born’’.

Well, turns out he was telling the truth.

The latest weather statistics for Marlborough show the number of grounds frosts have basically halved over the past 90 years.

August had 30 frosts this year, a far cry from the 1930s and 1940s when frost figures topped 70.

The final month of winter served up high temperatures in Blenheim, with its mean 10.3 degrees Celsius making it the third-warmest August in 86 years.

Even down the road in Ward, 45 kilometres south from Blenheim, residents noted the lack of winter frosts.

Mavis Booker, 68, has lived in the township since 1977.

Back in those days there were more frosts and harder frosts throughout winter - some were even known to burst pipes, she says.

‘‘There are fewer and fewer frosts, we’re definitely not getting them like we used to,’’ she says.

‘‘Now, I’d say it’s even less than half of what we used to get.’’

Plant and Food scientist Rob Agnew says it is interesting to note how much warmer August has been since the turn of the millennium.

Fourteen of the last 18 years, between 2000 and 2017, have recorded August temperatures above the long-term average.

Winter in Blenheim recorded 30 ground frosts, which was much lower than the average of 52.6 for the period from 1932 to 1985.

The average number of grounds frosts from 1986 to 2016 was 37.6.

August brought 65.8 millimetres of rainfall to the region, which was 105 per cent of

‘‘Although August may have felt as if it was a wet month, it only received average rainfall.’’

the long-term average.

‘‘Although August may have felt as if it was a wet month, it only received average rainfall.

Rain was recorded on 13 days spread throughout August, which probably gave the feeling that it was wet,’’ Agnew says.

Total winter rainfall for Blenheim was 146.6 mm, 79 per cent of the long-term average of 186mm.

The weather certainly seems to be changing, but Mavis says she is not too worried.

‘‘It is what it is. It’s a sign of the times, but you have no control over it,’’ she says.

PHOTO: STUFF Rob Agnew, Plant and Food scientist Thirty ground frosts were recorded over winter in Blenheim, a far cry from the 1930s and 1940s when frost figures topped 70.