The weather in Barton during 2011 -
and yet another dry year

2011 proved to be the third year in succession when Barton’s total annual rainfall declined significantly and the first year since 1995 when the total fell to below 500 mm. In 2011 only 426 mm (16¾ inches) was recorded at the weather station in Queen Street. This was some 85 mm (nearly 3½ inches) less than 2010's rainfall, 170 mm (nearly 7 inches) less than 2009's and a staggering 336 mm (13 inches) less than the total recorded in 2008. One can only imagine the effect this is having on the water table below North Lincolnshire and once again it is not surprising that the artesian springs in Barton Beck ran dry for much of the later part of the year, that many of the Humber Bank ponds are short of water and that even the level of water in the Blow Wells on Far Ings is unusually low.

It should be noted that the average annual rainfall in Barton in the 14 years since 1995 has been some 610 mm per annum (24 inches) so the total for 2011 was little over two-thirds of this average. Barton badly needs a very wet year.

Monthly totals in 2011 were - Jan - 30.5 mm; Feb - 68.25 mm; Mar - 5.75 mm; May - 16.25 mm; June - 50 mm; July - 36 mm; Aug - 67.25 mm; Sept - 22.75 mm; Oct - 46.5 mm; Nov - 17 mm; Dec - 54.75 mm

Few people will need reminding that the very cold period at the end of 2010 carried over in to 2011 with sub-zero temperatures frequently recorded during the nights of January and February. In contrast both the late autumn of 2011 and the early winter of 2012 have been unseasonably mild and newspapers have been recording the unusual activities of plants and animals that have found themselves unable to decide what season of year it actually is. Only once in 2011 did the daytime temperature in Barton rise to over 300 C - that was on 27 June when 320 C was recorded.

Maureen Welch and Geoff Bryant