Phenology

Observations by Gary Fewless for Green Bay WI (Lat.N 44.51° Long. W 88.02° ), except as noted. For flowers lacking conspicuous petals or sepals I define "anthesis" as release of pollen by mature anthers.

January 2005

Observations by Gary Fewless, except as noted

Date	Observation (Click on links for photos)
Jan 31	The temperatures for January averaged about 1.4 °F above average and precipitation was 0.39 inches above average. The highest temperature was 38 F and the lowest was -10.
Jan 18	This morning was our 5th consecutive day with a low temperature below zero (-4 to -6 F each day) with highs in the single digits. Temperatures warmed to 20° before snow started with an acucumlation of 1.8 inches before midnight, with blowing and drifting. We have received 22.1 inches of snow in Green Bay this winter, which is about 5 inches less than average for this date.
Jan 13	Temperatures in the mid-30's yesterday and and throughout most of the night, plus light rain has reduced snow cover in the Green Bay area to very low levels. Temperatures are predicted to fall today with subzero temperatures expected throughout the coming weekend.
Jan 12	Snow cover has been reduced to 2 or 3 inches over much of the Green Bay area. January has been relatively mild so far, but freezing rain last night and today will be followed by a large mass of bitterly cold polar air.
Jan 07	Yesterday evening there were 30 deer in a field near the northeastern corner of the UWGB campus (Bob Howe and Amy Wolf). Wisconsin DNR estimates (2003 data) a winter deer density of 40 deer/sq. mile for Brown County (in appropriate habitat) and a pre-hunting season density of 68/sq mile--that is 2 to 3 times higher than the densities for some areas in the northeastern Wisconsin forest that are considered good deer hunting territory. High densities of deer lead to damage of horticultural and wild vegetation and an increased risk of car/deer collisons. It is also likely that high densities of deer can contribute to the spread of disease, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD).
Jan 06	Green Bay received about 5 inches of snow this morning, mostly by 6 a. m. Streets are snow-covered and slippery this morning and some rural schools delayed classes by 2 hours. This is a big change in appearance from yesterday when the ground was mostly snow-free. A bright "sun pillar" was visible on UWGB at about 4:40 p.m. A sun pillar is a shaft of light arising from the top of the sun as a result of ice crystals in the air, usually near sunrise or sunset.
Jan 03	The new year begins with virtually no snow in Green Bay. Daily temperatures are still about 5-15 degrees above average for this time of year. Ponds remain frozen. What appears to be water at the edges of the UWGB prairie pond is accumulated rain frozen clear and resting on top of the old ice.