December - the tenth (decum) month of the Roman calendar which became the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. This month's photo was taken on Christmas Day (25th) when the winter-flowering cherry was in bloom, the heady fragrance of the sarcococca bush was divine and the Christmas tree was adorned with baubles.
Photo 1: The Back Garden on Christmas Day 2024
The daily photos for December 2024 are collated in Video 1 ...
Video 1: Daily Photos of the Rear Garden in December 2024
December 2024 was mild, windy and relatively dry though lacking in sunshine. December's weather stats, collected by our garden-based Davis Weather Station, are presented in the table below:
The minimum and maximum daily temperatures for December 2024 are shown in Figure 1. With no frosts and moderate day and night-time temperatures, December 2024 felt unseasonably warm.
Figure 1: Min/Max Daily Temperatures for December 2024
Cloudy skies were the main reason for the absence of frosts and the relatively uniform daily temperatures -in other words, the sun remained hidden on most days (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: Daily Rainfall & Sunshine Data for December 2024
Figure 3 shows the highest daily wind speeds recorded by our weather station in December 2024. The highest wind speed of 61 km/h was recorded during Storm Darragh (5th to 7th December). Consistently strong winds throughout the UK, meant that wind power generated 39% of all the UK's electricity - more than any other source.
Figure 3: Highest Daily Wins Speeds Recorded in our Rear Garden (December 2024)
We now have weather data for December covering the period 2019 - 2024 which I have summarised in Figures 4 & 5. Over this period, the maximum December temperature has been creeping upwards (Figure 4) although it is still possible to get cold Decembers (2022, 2023; Figure 4). Rainfall is trending downwards, though not because it is sunny, while maximum wind speeds are on the up (Figure 5) - overall, good for wind power generation but not for solar PV.
Figure 4: December Temperature Data for the 2019 - 2024 Period
Figure 5: Rain, Wind & Sunshine Trends in December for the 2019 - 2024 Period
The next three figures are taken form the UK Met Office's monthly report for December 2024. All of the UK experienced a mild December including our little corner of Hereford (Figure 6).
Figure 6: UK Mean Temperature Anomalies for December 2024
There was heavy rain in the northernmost parts of Scotland, but the rest of the UK had average to low rainfall (Figure 7). The Met Office's weather station at nearby Credenhill gives an average December rainfall of 72.67 mm (1991-2020 data), so the 52 mm (Table above) recorded in our Hereford garden is 25-30 % lower than normal.
Figure 7: UK Rainfall (relative) for December 2024
Despite the low precipitation, sunshine levels were also much lower than expected in Hereford and also the whole of the UK (Figure 8).
Figure 8: UK Sunshine Hours (relative) for December 2024
Jobs in the Garden
Harvesting potatoes, beetroot, parsnip, spinach and Swiss chard
The final few of this year's tomato crop were eaten
Photo 2: The Last Tomatoes of the 2024 Crop (23rd December 2024)
Still a few pears left from the 2024 crop
Photo 3: The Final Five Pears from This Season (30th December 2024)
Flora & Fauna (seen in the Garden)
Blackbird (x1)
Blue Tit (x3)
Collared Dove (x1)
Crow (x2)
Dunnock (x1)
House Sparrow (x6)
Magpie (x2)
Robin (x1)
Starling (x10)
Wood Pigeon (x2)
Wren (x1)
Not many photos from the garden which is quiet at this time of the year ...
Photo 4: White Hellebore/Christmas Rose (2nd December 2024)
Photo 5: What's Left of a Wood Pigeon in the Kitchen Garden (predator unknown)
Photo 6: HotBin Nice & Cosy at 50 ℃ (30th December 2024)
Photo 7: Xmas Baubles on the Acer Tree (23rd December 2024)
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