In the extreme
The arrival of spring in Hong Kong saw temperatures soar, hitting 31.5 degrees Celsius one Sunday in March, the highest ever recorded in that month.
Not all Hongkongers would have welcomed the unseasonably hot weather. When living in the city, I enjoyed the novelty of the cooler months, knowing the familiar heat and humidity would soon return. But spare a thought for those of us who are still awaiting the end of the British winter.
This has been a relatively mild winter by British standards. We have not had much frost in the southeast of England and hardly any snow. A few days have even been hotter than in Hong Kong.
But the warmest February on record was also, for many parts of the country, the wettest. Instead of crisp, cold, sunny days we have endured relentless rain, with regular storms and floods.
The warmer weather has, however, led to an early appearance of the first signs of spring. Snowdrops, daffodils and primroses shot up sooner than last year. Then came the blossom. The magnolia tree in my garden is in full bloom and the fruit trees are beginning to flower. There is a strong sense of renewal and revival.
Visitors to the garden are returning after the bleak winter months. The newts are back in the pond and a pheasant strode boldly across the lawn. Blue tits are nesting in their box and a robin redbreast wakes me with its song at 5am every day. The first newborn lambs are frolicking in the fields.
The clocks went forward an hour last week. What a relief! Darkness would fall at around 3.30pm in midwinter. Now, we can look forward to daylight well into the evening as summer approaches and the days lengthen.
Last week we enjoyed a rarity – a sunny day. We villagers ventured cautiously from our houses like animals emerging from hibernation. My wife and I ran into several neighbours also hurrying out to enjoy the sunshine.
It is time to pay attention to the garden again, neglected during the winter. We have returned from our first trips to nurseries with armfuls of pots and plants. They provide a splash of colour. Let us hope there is not a late frost.
Climate change will, no doubt, continue to wreak havoc with the weather in both England and Hong Kong. Last summer was Hong Kong’s hottest ever. While I don’t miss the peaks when the city is like a furnace, a touch of that golden sunshine would be most welcome as England’s April showers begin.