December 2010: Temperature & Icewine Hours Summary. Lake Erie North Shore

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Lee Stevens
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1 December 2010: Temperature & Icewine Hours Summary Lake Erie North Shore WIN Staff January 13, 2011

2 OVERVIEW A colder than normal December 2010 meant an early harvest for producers in the Lake Erie North Shore appellation, who chose to make icewine this year. Average monthly temperatures were -4.0 C at Cedar Springs, -3.8 C at Colchester and -3.9 C at Kingsville. Accordingly, the average monthly temperatures were 2.5 C 2.7 C below normal for this appellation, compared to only 0.1 C C below normal in December These statistics are based on Environment Canada s 30-year normal for Kingsville. This summary illustrates minimum December 2010 temperatures, as well as the icewine harvest opportunities that arose. For this report, icewine hours are defined as instances when the average hourly temperature was between 8.0ºC and 12.0ºC, inclusive. Events are focused at opportunities encompassing a minimum 6 hour period.

2 TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS The monthly (December 2010) minimum temperatures for each site were: -14.4 C (compared to -10.9ºC in 2009) at the Cedar Springs station; -14.4ºC (compared to -10.

3 2 TEMPERATURE ANALYSIS The monthly (December 2010) minimum temperatures for each site were: C (compared to -10.9ºC in 2009) at the Cedar Springs station; -14.4ºC (compared to -10.7ºC in 2009) at the Kingsville station and -17.4ºC (compared to -10.6ºC in 2009) at the Colchester station. These monthly minimum temperatures occurred on the 14 th and 16 th of December. The number of days that were below the long term daily minimum temperature for December further illustrates the colder than average December for the Lake Erie North Shore appellation. Kingsville experienced the most days when daily minimums were less than -2 C. This is 65% more often than the long term normal of 18.2 days for Kingsville. There were 12 days in December 2010, compared to 9 days in December 2009, when temperatures, at one or more stations, dipped into icewine temperature ranges. These details are shown in the following figures.

4 3 LENS: December 2010 Daily Minimums Date Cedar Springs Colchester Kingsville 1-Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Days with Icewine Temperatures Monthly Minimum ICEWINE HOURS ANALYSIS The Cedar Springs location accumulated a greater number of icewine hours than Colchester and Kingsville in both December 2009 and December 2010, due to the colder temperatures experienced at this station. A total of 63 icewine hours were recorded at this station in December 2010, while the Kingsville station recorded 59 hours and the Colchester station recorded 56 hours. Thus, there were a high number of suitably cold hours at each location for harvesting icewine grapes in December 2010.

5 The maps shown below further illustrate the icewine harvesting hour variability across the appellation. Areas to the north of Ridgetown received a significantly higher number of icewine hours. This is influenced by the increase in elevation to the north of Ridgetown, as illustrated in the elevation map. 4

5 SUMMARY December 2010 temperatures were significantly below normal in the Lake Erie North Shore appellation; average temperatures for the month were 2.5 C 2.

6 5 SUMMARY December 2010 temperatures were significantly below normal in the Lake Erie North Shore appellation; average temperatures for the month were 2.5 C 2.7 C below the 30-year normal for Kingsville. There were 12 days when temperatures, at one or more stations, dipped into icewine temperature ranges. The coldest December event took place on the 10 th of December, reaching C at the Colchester station. This was much lower than the previous year when the coldest December event reached only -10.9ºC at the Cedar Springs station. These conditions provided an early harvest for growers who chose to produce icewine this year.

7 6 APPENDIX Potential Icewine Harvest Opportunities for Lake Erie North Shore LENS: Icewine Opportunities (6 Hour Minimum) Date & Time Cedar Springs Colchester Kingsville Potential Icewine Opportunity 12/8/ : /8/ : /8/ : /9/2010 0: /9/2010 1: /9/2010 2: /9/2010 3: /9/2010 4: /9/2010 5: /9/2010 6: /9/2010 7: /9/2010 8: /9/2010 9: /9/ : /9/ : Potential Icewine Opportunity 12/12/ : /12/ : /13/2010 0: /13/2010 1: /13/2010 2: /13/2010 3: /13/2010 4: /13/2010 5: /13/2010 6: /13/2010 7: /13/2010 8: /13/2010 9: /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : Icewine Temperatures Below Icewine Temperatures

8 7 LENS: Icewine Opportunities (6 Hour Minimum) Date & Time Cedar Springs Colchester Kingsville 12/13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /13/ : /14/2010 0: /14/2010 1: /14/2010 2: /14/2010 3: /14/2010 4: /14/2010 5: /14/2010 6: /14/2010 7: /14/2010 8: /14/2010 9: /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /14/ : /15/2010 0: /15/2010 1: /15/2010 2: /15/2010 3: /15/2010 4: /15/2010 5: /15/2010 6: /15/2010 7: /15/2010 8: Icewine Temperatures Below Icewine Temperatures

8 LENS: Icewine Opportunities (6 Hour Minimum) Date & Time Cedar Springs Colchester Kingsville 12/15/2010 9:00-10.8-9.5-10.7 12/15/2010 10:00-8.6-8.1-9.1 12/15/2010 11:00-6.5-6.7-7.

9 8 LENS: Icewine Opportunities (6 Hour Minimum) Date & Time Cedar Springs Colchester Kingsville 12/15/2010 9: /15/ : /15/ : /15/ : Potential Icewine Opportunity 12/16/2010 2: /16/2010 3: /16/2010 4: /16/2010 5: /16/2010 6: /16/2010 7: /16/2010 8: /16/2010 9: /16/ : /16/ : /16/ : /16/ : Potential Icewine Opportunity 12/18/2010 0: /18/2010 1: /18/2010 2: /18/2010 3: /18/2010 4: /18/2010 5: /18/2010 6: /18/2010 7: /18/2010 8: /18/2010 9: /18/ : /18/ : /18/ : /18/ : /18/ : Icewine Temperatures Below Icewine Temperatures

December 2010: Temperature & Icewine Hours Summary. Prince Edward County

December 2010: Temperature & Icewine Hours Summary Prince Edward County WIN Staff January 13, 2011 OVERVIEW A colder than normal December 2010 meant an early harvest for producers in the Prince Edward