Loire – climate stats@Tours show summer may have come to rescue 2013

Late sunshine in August in Touraine

After a long and very dreary spring leading to a late flowering, the weather in July and August may well have helped to improve prospects for the 2013 vintage, apart from those producers and regions hit by summer hail.

Stats from the weather station at Tours over the last three months show how prospects have changed. 

June 

Temperatures: 

2013: 21.4˚C average maximum 

Average from 1981-2010: 22.8˚C

Rainfall

2013: 69.5mm

Average: 46.1mm

Sunshine

2013: 202 hours

Average: 228

All stats down on the average.

July

Temperatures:

2013: 27.7˚C average maximum

Average: 25.5˚C

Rainfall:

2013: 38.5mm

Average: 53.2mm

Sunshine:

2013: 299 hours

Average: 239 hours

Marked change around with both temperatures and sunshine hours well up on the average with less rain than normal.

August

Temperatures:

2013: 25.6˚C average maximum

Average: 25.4˚C

Rainfall:

2013: 23.4mm

Average: 42.5mm

Sunshine:

2013: 274 hours

Average: 236 hours

Although temperatures for the month are close to the average, rainfall is well down while hours of sunshine are substantially up. The stats over the past two months look good, although much will depend on the favourable weather continuing into September and on into October as the vintage will still be later than many in recent years. It is also no bad thing that the average maximum temperature in August 2013 is close to the average as is the overall average temperature for the month. High temperatures tend to burn off acidity and may do little to assist full ripeness, instead pushing up the sugars. 

  

The dangers of blogging and the weather

Thursday 10th June: torrential rain

No sooner had I blogged that it had so far been very dry for much of this year than the heavens opened and we had a torrential rain storm with thunder and lightening. The road was rapidly transformed into a stream and water poured from the drain pipes. It subsequently rained steadily for much of Friday night /early Saturday morning.

Stats for Tours from Météo France shows that the average rainfall (46.7mm – period 1971-2000) for the whole of June had already fallen by 11th June (42mm). Most of it falling in the last three days – 9th-11th. In comparison there was only 16mm in April against an average of 55.5mm and 30mm in May against an average of 64.4mm.

Although we undoubtedly need some rain to make up for the shortage in April and May the timing is far from ideal as the vines have started flowering here. Damp, wet conditions are not what you want for a successful flowering. However, it may not be too bad as there has been a big sortie of potential bunches this year, so some reduction of the crop could be helpful. Perhaps then I won't be sued by the local producers for having unleashed the rain gods!