Nigel Jee with daffodils in his garden at La Houguette, Castel. It is now not unusual to see them flower in January. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0696922)

THIS year should be exceptionally warm.

According to scientists, the Met Office and natural indications such as early primrose blooms, temperatures are on the rise and 2009 could be one of the warmest years on record.

This could have a major impact on plants, animals and people worldwide.

The global average for this year is forecasted to be more than 0.4C above the long-term average by researchers at the UK Meteorological Office and local weathermen anticipates that the trend will continue.

‘We have seen the last 13 out of 14 years to be above average and we anticipate this will continue in future,’ said Jersey Met’s principal officer Tony Pallot.

Although his team works with near-scale, short-term forecasts, rather than global models which cover entire years, he said the prediction made sense.

‘Most years are above the long-term average now,’ he said.

Observant islanders have been noticing nature’s signs of changing temperatures for some time, which some say might prove detrimental.

Gardening expert Nigel Jee said some flowers have been appearing a day earlier every year for 20 years.