A BRACE of inspections will take place today but a Met Office spokesman said yesterday that the days of worrying about
ground frosts could soon be over.
Surprisingly, despite this February's bright sunshine, there were 20
ground frosts during the month, with only nine nights frost-free - the highest incidence of February
ground frost in the city since 1996.
Growers are expecting the peach crop to be down 15% at 380,000 tonnes as a result of late
ground frosts and unusually wet conditions earlier in the blossom season.
We are beginning to get occasional
ground frosts now.
The arrival of autumn
ground frosts and dews also marks the annual return of mice and other rodents from enjoying their summers outside to start nest building within the warmth of buildings.
Brian Gaze, of The Weather Oumgr o Outlook, said: "A polar plume means very chilly nights and
ground frosts, with a chance of 0degC in parts of the North.
On Thursday night into Friday it could get down to as low as -10C in some places with hard
ground frosts.
And the Bank Holiday weekend looks no better with falling temperatures and the far North seeing the first
ground frosts of the season.
There was the highest number of
ground frosts since 1997.
Extremes of temperature marked the main trend for the month, with two
ground frosts, more than in 2004, when there was one, and 2003, when there were none.
But the nights were colder, with 18
ground frosts recorded.
Forecasters are even predicting
ground frosts for the week ahead as cold fronts across the country bring rain and gales.
