April Climate change?

[loz]

Do I have a bad memory? 
When living in Turkey  my favourite months April/May but yesterday not only very very very wet but freezing, I could not warm up at all, today was wonderful 22-23c but now Turkish time 8pm I am freezing.
This time of year our garden is starting to bud and bloom, not this year, the buds are what I usually expected end of March, neighbours are telling me to expect much worse before end of April.
Sign of changing climate? I can never remember it like this

[marytheresa]

Climate change Absolutely! I have been following the weather there for the last five years and the weather and environment is changing all the time................ The last rains and the beginning of spring up to two years ago ended roughly around the 15th of March Winters are longer and much colder now the summer temps rise yearly between 2-4c and days of 40 and over are becoming common and then the earth quake last summer are all signs of the changes in the local Envıronment  ıt ıs gettıng to the stage where ıts freezıng ın the wınter and so hot ın the summer that you cannot manage any longer without air con and of course with the rising costs of utilities it really ıs un affordable you also might notice of more warnings from the announcer for the sick and elderly to stay ın as there ıs now so many deaths ın old and frail people than ever before during the summer months because of the heat .......... I think ın the another 3 years the summers will sımply be unbearble from june onwards but hey ıts just my personal opinion but an ınteresting topic to look ınto and follow

[heather07]

We went in May our first visit and I think it rained one day.  Last year we went and it was really cold at night and had several days rain. 
Back in October and we had two and a half days sun and rain for the rest of the week.  I was praying for even half an hour before we caught the plane but no  chance.

[jackstee]

Well I have to say that in Fethiye all is good in the garden.

In the last three we have had lots (maybe 100) gerainiums (type) flowered, and we have around 100 pertunias in bloom , many have survived since last year and the rest are last years seeds. Tomatoes, garlic and spuds are growing. Passion fruit, orange,visne and peach have all flowered (visni at the moment, and we have had a few breakfasts and dinner on the patio. Nothing died and our red borgonvill is in flower. It's been a geat winter and a better spring.
Will post a photo tommorow.

[Ray1951]

Last winter was very cold in Calis and probably made worse because houses do not have the insulation of dwellings in the UK. Then last summer the heat was like a furnace. I am not a scientist but no one can say how long that hole in the ozone layer has been there.  Personally,
I don'tr think spraying pledge, deodorants and the like are responsible but who am I to say.  Whatever the cause, the summers in Turkey are becoming more heat intense. In the year 2000 I went to work in Corfu.  The average summer temperature was 31 degrees now the average temperature is more like 37 degrees and the winters, like Turkey are wetter and colder.  I heard someone say that Turkey could become a desert in a few years.  Look at the UK.  The weather in Scotland has been relatively mild and dry whilst many parts of England have suffered horrendous floods.  They say that plants, shrubs and trees are 6 weeks behind because of the weather in the UK.  Change indeed.

[Highlander]

In the year 2000 I went to work in Corfu.  The average summer temperature was 31 degrees now the average temperature is more like 37 degrees and the winters, like Turkey are wetter and colder.

Forgive me, but can you advise me where that data comes from.

Many thanks in advance.

[Ray1951]

Well Highlander, I may not be a statistition but I lived and worked there for 11 years so I personally experienced this situation as did many of the Corfiot people.  The temperatures that we see in newspapers never reflects what the "true" temperature is.  You never see any newspaper saying the temperature in Calis is 50+, but we know it happens. You as a font of all knowledge probably know better.

[Highlander]

"You as a font of all knowledge probably know better". Far from it.

I am however thinking of writing to First Choice to ask them to correct the shockingly inaccurate information given in their brouchure  .

[Ray1951]

Highlander, have you ever seen First Choice advertising temperatures of over 42 degrees anywhere.  We both know that this would put people off so they show you something that they think you will accept.  C'mon, we know the tour operators are economical with the facts.  I was in Corfu  at the end of September last year - the temperature was 38 degrees but in the press it said 26 degrees.  I'm sure you've expereinced temperatures of over 50 on occasions in Turkey.

[Highlander]

Ray1951 - fortunately I have only experienced temperatures of 50+ I think on two days out of perhaps 100 - 120.

42 degrees may well be the highest recorded temperature in Corfu.

Tour companies obviously quote average monthly temperatures as a guide to what the tourist may expect. I think most people understand that some days will be hotter and some cooler than the average.

I can find no evidence that the average temperature on Corfu has risen by nearly 20% since 2000.

I am happy to be proved wrong though.