WEATHER / CLIMATE
2,105 topics in this forum
-
One of my favorite Aloes blooming
by NatureGirl- 3 replies
- 681 views
Aloe ‘candy corn’ one of the coolest blooms.
-
-
Lightning Damage
by NurseDolly- 3 replies
- 975 views
I’m wondering if anybody has any experience with Royal Palms that have been damaged by lightning. Is there any chance my tree can be salvaged? It appears the lightning exited at the base of the crown shaft. New fronds are growing out of the hole created.
-
Warmest winter city/region in southern California
by Sandy Loam- 17 replies
- 2.1k views
Hello. I am not in California. I am located over here in Florida, but I am trying to figure out which parts of southern California stay the warmest in winter. I'm not talking about coastal areas that never get cold at night, where the daily high temperatures might be 65 F at best. I'm talking about places that might be much colder at night than the coast, but where the warm up is so dramatic by day that by 10:00 or 10:30 am, it's already semi-warm outside. When I look at weather patterns, the only place which really fits this bill in southern California is the strip of warm air that runs from the Mexico border diagonally up the valley surrounding the Salton Sea, per…
-
USDA Hardiness zone is not a good way to have a abstract view on minimum temperatures 1 2
by greekpalm- 1 follower
- 52 replies
- 11.9k views
USDA hardiness zone is calculated by the average annual minimum. I know that temperature is not the only factor that kills palms in the winter.... but lets take extract only the temperature factor. I consider is a bad way to calculate someones minimum climatic temperature. let see the following example year 1: -4C year 2: 3C year 3: 5C year 4: 4C year 5: 4C so this would mean that the average annual minimum would be 2.4C or hardiness zone 10b If someone plants a 10b palm would be fine for a couple of years until that one cold year will strike back (in our example -4C which would correspond to hardiness zone 8b) and the palm will fry! As many palm lovers have se…
-
Interesting climate data for CA
by Josue Diaz- 1 reply
- 592 views
Here's an interesting article regarding climatic changes in central and northern California. It's pretty common to colloquially talk about the lack of winter fog among Fresnans but it's interesting to see actual research concerning it. From a cultivation perspective, I think that the lack of heavy winter fog contributes to more sunny winter days which in turn helps marginal plants edge through winter. https://news.berkeley.edu/2019/04/10/falling-levels-of-air-pollution-drove-decline-in-californias-tule-fog/
-
Frost Free Now
by PalmTreeDude- 10 replies
- 985 views
We are now frost free here in the Richmond area, today (April 10) was supposed to be our last possible frost date until Fall, although the last time we had a frost here was in late March, and it was very patchy. Our lowest lows are in the mid to high 40s, highs are mid 70s, a few low 80s this week. This morning it was 48 out, but it felt warmer (it was very sunny, no wind). We already had some days in the 80s. I'm ready for Summer, but will enjoy the nice comfortable tempatures while they last! But I still love the heat.
-
Climate in Australia in 2050
by tropicbreeze- 7 replies
- 1.2k views
Found an interesting website which gives the predictions for rainfall and temperatures in the year 2050 based on climate change patterns. They use the 30 year period 1960 - 1990 average as a base line. They don't give anything for the next (current) 30 year period 1990 - 2020, suppose technically it's not complete yet. It looks like they've done all the weather stations across the country, you click the map to get the one you want. You get the annual average daily maximum temperature for the period 1960/90 and projection for 2050. Also there's the projected fall in rainfall plus days of over 30 and 40 degrees (sometimes 35 degrees). Funnily enough, I don't have …
-
Hail of a storm ystdy
by NatureGirl- 9 replies
- 859 views
I had the yard looking pretty good until that severe T-Storm ystdy. It was like a hurricane came through. My bromeliads are totally damaged.
-
Wednesday morning storm and deluge-over 3inches of rain
by Eric in Orlando- 5 replies
- 679 views
Did anyone else in Central Florida get the deluge of rain Wed. morning? I came to work at Leu Garden at around 7:45am and it was storming and it rained very hard for over an hour. We got 3.15 inches here at the Garden. I live in Altamonte Springs about 12 miles north and hardly any rain.
-
Chill in the Southeast
by Hombre de Palmas- 5 replies
- 882 views
Chilly here in Port Saint Lucie this morning 47.1° at 6:45 this morning though it has slowly recovered to 62° by 10:30 . It appears the entire Southeast has succumbed to the chill, shame that. After such a long warm spell I'm sure lots of plants were pretty far along due to the unseasonably warm weather of late. Here is a nice weather site I stumbled onto that might be a helpful addition to other resources as it features the ECMWF and some other useful tools. https://www.windy.com/27.757/-81.464?temp,27.201,-81.464,8,m:erqadTo
-
- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 970 views
For the first time since forecasters began recording data — at least 132 years — the mercury did not reach 70 degrees in downtown Los Angeles for the entire month of February. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-cold-february-20190228-story.html And still no 70s in sight with lots of low 60s next week! This winter will be remembered for decades.
-
Southwestern Arizona & outside of Phoenix
by Sandy Loam- 18 replies
- 1.8k views
I am not located anywhere near Arizona, but I might end up there some day with my love for the desert. I am asking this question from over here in Florida. What are the warmest (overnight in winter) microclimates in and around the Phoenix area? Can you be specific right down to a particular square km/mile, or a specific hilltop, etc.? Also, what are the warm patches (avoiding cold overnight winter extremes) in southwestern Arizona anywhere between Yuma and Ajo, approximately. I understand that Ajo has higher elevation, so is simply colder on winter nights than Yuma, but that's the general vicinity that I'm looking at. I am not considering cookie-cutter sub…
-
Cold vs warm zone hardiness
by NC_Palms- 6 replies
- 1k views
I am sorry in advance if this comes off as a stupid question. A lot of times I hear people say "my zone is a cold 8b" or "my zone is a warm 9b" but what differentiates a warm zone from a cold zone? So for example, according to the USDA interactive hardiness map my average minimum temperature is 11.5ºF so I'd imagine that would be considered a cold 8a while Cape Hatteras would be considered a cold 9a with an average minimum temperature of only 20.0ºF?
-
Smoke in Palm Beach County 3/5/19
by NOT A TA- 2 replies
- 598 views
Smelled like a house in back of mine was on fire, an hour later it still smelled. You can see smoke in the air as cars with headlights on pass by. Started surfing around online looking for "news" about a fire in the area. Turns out there's a controlled burn south of Lake Okeechobee and abnormal wind pattern is sending it our way, I'm like 50 miles away. 22,000 acre burn seems big to me for a "controlled burn" considering the wind and time of year (our dry season). I'm curious how they can control a 22,000 acre fire in 13-14 MPH wind? News https://www.wpbf.com/article/concerns-over-smoke-in-palm-beach-county/26682517
-
Snow in LA
by enigma99- 1 follower
- 20 replies
- 1.4k views
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-california-snow-20190221-story.html It was that kind of day in some parts of Southern California, where snow dropped at extremely low elevation levels, creating a winter wonderland for a short while. Snow fell in Malibu, Pasadena, West Hollywood, Northridge, San Bernardino, Thousand Oaks and other unexpected places.
-
2018-2019 Winter/US/Dec., Jan.,Feb.
by bubba- 2 replies
- 642 views
The 2018–2019 United States winter in the Palm growing areas of the country did not experience the Polar Vortex in the predicted manner. To the contrary, the Polar Vortex created a much colder than anticipated winter in the western US when conventional wisdom predicted a possible replay of 1899 that would torture the SE (see Joe Bastardi). LA reported a cool/cold winter season. December had a maximum of 77F, a minimum of 39F and a median of 59F. January had maximum of 78F, minimum of 38F and a median of 59F. Startling for LA was February, which reported a maximum of 69F, a minimum of 40F and a median of 53F. Snowfall was widely reported throughout LA. Continuing in C…
-
Winter Outlook 2018-2019 1 2
by Palm crazy- 1 follower
- 46 replies
- 4.1k views
This guy has a different take on this winter outlook. Looks better than most and it actually more of a typical winter I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjcsTbD1pPM
-
- 2 followers
- 10 replies
- 1.1k views
https://fitzlab.shinyapps.io/cityapp/ Here’s an interesting interactive map that shows what your area’s climate is expected to be like in 2080. Below is my area:
-
Frosty The Lexus
by DoomsDave- 17 replies
- 882 views
Frosty The Lexus sat frozen in my driveway All aglitter with sparkling frost
-
- 1 reply
- 651 views
As Yesterday was the 120th anniversary of the 1899 arctic outbreak I thought I would link to this 1988 abstract detailing the event. It also touches on the arctic outbreaks of Jan 1982 and Jan 1985 at the end of the paper. Obviously it was written a year to early to include the outbreak of 1989 that I remember witnessing the aftermath of that February while visiting the Stuart area during my winter break in high school. Arctic outbreak of 1899
-
Polar Vortex on the Way? 1 2 3
by PalmatierMeg- 2 followers
- 110 replies
- 6.9k views
Saw this article in the news this morning. Haven't read it yet but am already shivering. If there is any good in this news, it's that the vortex won't arrive until mid-February. Maybe the effects won't be as severe by then. polar-vortex-may-be-on-the-horizon-scientists-warn Note: I'm reading article now. Polar vortex to start end of Dec. and inflict "one of the harshest winters in years." Yikes! I remember the last one not too many years back.
-
Confused about temperatures on hills and valleys
by Sandy Loam- 1 follower
- 12 replies
- 2.5k views
I have never quite figured this out. If you live here in the northern Florida, it is beneficial for the tropical gardener to live on a hill top in winter because cold air masses can be significant overnight. The valleys receive more cold air as heat rises. (This problem doesn't exist in the southern extremities of Florida, of course, because it never really gets cold there). Florida is extremely flat and low-lying, so a hill top here is not very high. It is simply higher than the valleys. Why, then, is it the opposite in Arizona and California? For example, I see that the lowest parts of Arizona (Yuma especially) stay warm practically all year. As you trav…
-
CA 1/5/2019 Storm Rain Totals
by joe_OC- 6 replies
- 934 views
I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of rain we got. Totals for Huntington Beach ranged from .61” to 1.0” of rain. What were your totals?
-
2018/19 Winter Low Temps 1 2 3
by PalmatierMeg- 1 follower
- 87 replies
- 4.8k views
About this time every year someone starts a thread about Winter Lows in the Northern Hemisphere. Such a thread is somehow therapeutic for PTers anxious about how cold may affect their palms - at least we know we aren't alone. So, I'll kick off this year's discussion. This morning was the lowest temp since last March: 48.4F Predicted: 46F Current temp: 56.3F at 10:30 a.m. Tomorrow's predicted low: 43F Then a warming trend until the next cold front. I am making no attempts to move/protect palms at this time. After sunup, temps rise quickly.
-
Winter Storms Kai and Lucius
by Josue Diaz- 3 replies
- 656 views
Man oh man! Did we have some heavy rain here in the last couple of days. I don't remember the last time we had strong storms like these - it must be several years since a similar storm hit us. Usually after a big storm, I wake up to see snow covering the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This morning, both the coastal range and the Sierra were coated in white! What a sight! Snow to the east and snow to the west. Rarely is a storm cold enough to bring snow to lower elevation ranges like the coastal range in central CA. How did youguys in the coastal ranges fare? Reports say CA-17 was closed in the Santa Cruz Mountains waiting for snow clearing equipment! https://www.wa…