Phenological annual review for 2007

The year 2007 was stamped with the warmest winter (2006/07) and spring ever recorded since the beginning of measurements in 1864. The vegetation did strongly react to that situation. In the phenological year 2007, 24.9 % of the dates of phenological observations were registered as new records, i.e. they were never recorded so early before at that location. This extremely early development of the vegetation could be observed above all in spring and even stronger in summer. The absolute record has been observed when the grapevine flowered with 62.5 % record-breaking dates. The daisy full bloom occurred also very early. The phenological autumn was not so extreme. However, a strong tendency toward early grape harvesting could be registered. The phenological year 2007 is unique in the history of phenological observations made by MeteoSwiss, which started in 1951.Will in future, because of the climate warming, phenological years such as 2007 be the rule and no more exception?