Floridians....Heads Up

[spockvr6]

645AM....not really too terrible overall.....But, keep in mind these are temps at 10m above ground.

Edited February 5, 2009 by spockvr6

[SubTropicRay]

I need to brush up on my science. Why is it warmer 33 feet above ground than at the surface? I thought heat radiated upward. It's below freezing in Tampa according to that graphic but the surface temps stayed at or above freezing.

I'm not sure how we dodged this bullet but it was a big one. I'll take these temps over the 28F the local stations were predicting any day. The part that pisses me off is the amount of work put in over the last 3 days to prepare for this. Now it's another 3 days of work to put things back....again. I guess it's better than not preparing, getting your garden hammered and then wishing you'd done more.

[BobbyinNY]

Not as bad as forecast here in Mandarin. 23, 28 and 30 on my 3thermometers. The 23 was on a thermometer directly exposed to the night sky. I feared much worse!

Keith,

that's still pretty damn cold... It was only 16f here, but I'm 900 miles north of you. Even though we regularly get temps in the 20's & 30's in winter you still never get used to it. I can only imagine what it must feel like when your used to 60's & 70's and then all of a sudden it drops to the low 20's. We need to figure out a way to set up a huge wall on the canadian border to keep the cold air up there where it belongs.

[SubTropicRay]

Roberto,

If the Appalachians were as tall as the Rockies, we'd be tropical for sure down here. The 47F in Key West amazes me.

Ray

[FRITO]

I just bottomed out at 21.6 on my meter, just started turning upward. my pipes are frozen solid and cant even make my morning coffee! pond and dog water bowl are frozen over good.

the regional airport bottomed out at 14.... thats definently a record!!! wonder what we will hit tommorow night.

tallahassee was officially colder than New York? unbelievable!

Edited February 5, 2009 by FRITO

[BobbyinNY]

Roberto,

If the Appalachians were as tall as the Rockies, we'd be tropical for sure down here. The 47F in Key West amazes me.

Ray

Ray,

I was gonna call u last night, but I figured you were running around like a lunatic covering stuff... I was thinking - thank GOD he bought that dome.... I saw the official low was 28f - what was it at your house? is everything ok?

[Jimbean]

[BobbyinNY]

I just bottomed out at 21.6 on my meter, just started turning upward. my pipes are frozen solid and cant even make my morning coffee! pond and dog water bowl are frozen over good.

the regional airport bottomed out at 14.... thats definently a record!!! wonder what we will hit tommorow night.

tallahassee was officially colder than New York? unbelievable!

Hey Luke... your pipes are frozen?? Don't you have heat there? You better hope they don't burst and flood your house - that's pretty serious.

[Logolight]

My wife told me the the temperature in the greenhouse this morning was 36F and that was with the space heater on high. The local news is forecasting 18F tonight.

Keith, I have a young 3 foot Archonto Illawarra sitting in the greenhouse so I'll keep you posted on how it handles the cold snap.

[SubTropicRay]

Bobby,

The official low (so far) at Tampa Int'l was 33F and my thermometer read 33.7 when I left the house this morning. Tonight looks cold again but there appears that enough NE wind will be presnt to offset heavy frost.

Ray

[FRITO]

I just bottomed out at 21.6 on my meter, just started turning upward. my pipes are frozen solid and cant even make my morning coffee! pond and dog water bowl are frozen over good.

the regional airport bottomed out at 14.... thats definently a record!!! wonder what we will hit tommorow night.

tallahassee was officially colder than New York? unbelievable!

Hey Luke... your pipes are frozen?? Don't you have heat there? You better hope they don't burst and flood your house - that's pretty serious.

Bobby, my heat is blasting inside my house. never had pipes freeze since I moved here in 04. most (older) houses down here are not equipped with full insulation on exposed pipes and whatnot.

my house is 59 years old.

this is crazy.

[BobbyinNY]

I just bottomed out at 21.6 on my meter, just started turning upward. my pipes are frozen solid and cant even make my morning coffee! pond and dog water bowl are frozen over good.

the regional airport bottomed out at 14.... thats definently a record!!! wonder what we will hit tommorow night.

tallahassee was officially colder than New York? unbelievable!

Hey Luke... your pipes are frozen?? Don't you have heat there? You better hope they don't burst and flood your house - that's pretty serious.

Bobby, my heat is blasting inside my house. never had pipes freeze since I moved here in 04. most (older) houses down here are not equipped with full insulation on exposed pipes and whatnot.

my house is 59 years old.

this is crazy.

Sorry to hear that, Luke - hope everything is ok. 20's is pretty cold - especially if it lasts for any amount of time.

[BobbyinNY]

Bobby,

The official low (so far) at Tampa Int'l was 33F and my thermometer read 33.7 when I left the house this morning. Tonight looks cold again but there appears that enough NE wind will be presnt to offset heavy frost.

Ray

I tell ya, Ray... Accuweather is a fraud... I looked at Tampa this morning and it said 27.5.... Where do they get these numbers from? That's a HUGE difference.

[Eric in Orlando]

30F here in the open

Checked Orl Intl and they hit 30, too

NWS has a station at Orl Executive Airport, just east of downtown and a couple miles south of us and it also hit 30F.

[Josh]

One thermometer 25.3 and the other said 26.9. No frost or any moisture, it was bone dry out. The last front we had one read 27.0 and the other 29.1. I beleive it, becaue a natural area near me had about 70% of its cocoplum freeze dried and all the ficus aureas turned black.

Edited February 5, 2009 by Josh

[buzzmonkey]

My low was 38 here in Fort Liquordale, No visible damage other than a few catatonic iguanas lying belly up here and there....

[Jimbean]

31 here in Rocklege

[Jimbean]

One thermometer 25.3 and the other said 26.9. No frost or any moisture, it was bone dry out. The last front we had one read 27.0 and the other 29.1. I beleive it, becaue a natural area near me had about 70% of its cocoplum freeze dried and all the ficus aureas turned black.

Jupiter Inlet? I am surprised!

[redant]

One thermometer 25.3 and the other said 26.9. No frost or any moisture, it was bone dry out. The last front we had one read 27.0 and the other 29.1. I beleive it, becaue a natural area near me had about 70% of its cocoplum freeze dried and all the ficus aureas turned black.

Jupiter Inlet? I am surprised!

I believe Josh is in Jupiter farms, much further west and no heat Islands. I'm closer to the ocean and river, low of about 35 for me.

[Josh]

I'm about 10 miles inland in Jupiter Farms. This is the coldeset we have been since 1989. The only reason I can think of why it got so cold is the fact that this area is still heavily forested like the old days of Florida. If you look at a google map of Florida you'll notice a dark green patch east of lake okeechobee. I'm almost in the middle of that. It's all protected land and lots of trees and no cement to the north west of me.

[PalmatierMeg]

Digital thermometer in the front yard registered 33 at 6 a.m., 34.7 at 7:15, 37.5 at 8:30 when I left for work. The hi-tech round plastic thermometer taped to a queen palm in the back yard read only 33 at 8:30 a.m. Winds are 20-30 mhp. I left everything wrapped/covered for tonight, not sure if predictions of mid-30s will go up or down. I won't know how everything did until I uncover over the weekend. I hope all that work and potential pneumonia was worth it.

[TikiRick]

As Joe Monkey stated, a tie record this morning for the coldest ever at my garden.....38F.

It's been 9 years and this morning tied the all time record cold. I'll take it over 32 anyday.

We shall see if all of my comforters, bed spreads, sheets, and blankets paid off. Boy was I cold all night!

[bubba]

Cold Hole West Palm Airport predictably reported 33F.,which ties record in 1996.Will's Weather,on an island in the Intracoastal,reported a low of 37F.On my way to work,I talked to the Head Lifeguard at the Beach.He writes the temperatures on the Board.He takes temperatures of both Air and Ocean at 6:30 AM every morning on the beach and reported 41F on the Beach(air) and 71F in the surf at 6:30 this morning. I took pictures and have not seen one melting banyan or coconut yet.We shall see.

[jasons]

Well, it looks like it didn't get quite as cold as I had feared. I see Palm Beach Gardens hit freezing while Pinellas stayed above freezing along with a good chunck on the west coast.

What really gets me is the 34F low in East Naples and 31F on Marco Island. That's a head-scratcher for sure.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

3rd hard freeze of the season, though not as bad as I feared. I did get a 23F reading on a theremometer set to what I figured was the coldest possible site on my property directly under the night sky. The other 2 thermometers were in palm boots or pots and were 27 and 28 respectively. One more night of this s**t and we're home free for a while.

[spockvr6]

Well, it looks like it didn't get quite as cold as I had feared. I see Palm Beach Gardens hit freezing while Pinellas stayed above freezing along with a good chunck on the west coast.

What really gets me is the 34F low in East Naples and 31F on Marco Island. That's a head-scratcher for sure.

I had hoped youd be right about those NW winds though! They switched to NE last night and it was down down down from there! I bottomed a fraction below freezing at 31.3F.

It looks like southern Pinellas (St Pete downtown) bottomed at 37F and other sites away from the water down there were only a few degrees colder than that.

[junglegalfla]

I just took a walk around the yard and I have to say, I think everything looks good. I think the only thing I may lose is my planted philodendron gloriosum. Nothing looks out of the ordinary for this time of year. My mystery dypsis is even showing less frond burn this year. I consider myself blessed (so far)

[SubTropicRay]

I'm starting to think the urban heat island is actually a reality in Tampa Bay. A 47F in Key West would historically have meant 24-25F in Tampa. A NWS spokesperson said this morning that not as much arctic air made it into the region as intially expected. Oh yeah? Tell that to an owner of a non-insulated home in the Conch Republic. The arctic air made it here but the forecast models don't know how to account for cars, concrete, asphault and steel in an area that was much less sprawled out 30 years ago.

[jasons]

Ray, I agree, it is a factor and will be more of one in the future. 31 on Marco Island, yet 34 "upstream" in Naples....that's a pretty good example if you ask me.

[gsn]

Larry wish they had stayed NW for you as the shift didn't help here?

Low here 29.3F, fourth freeze for me, dropped below freezing around 1:15 AM then above freezing at around 8:00AM, 7 hours below freezing.

The disscussion about a freeze around 29F with or without frost, I'll take no frost any day!

A higher temp durning the last event with fairly heavy frost, did way more damage than this dry event did,or so it seems looking around,maybe more will show later? Or maybe there just wasn't much left to damage?

Anyway if they are right about tonights forecast I will have my 5th freeze of the year(that's in 5 weeks mind you),only this time it will probably have a frost component?

Edited February 5, 2009 by gsn

[Eric in Orlando]

I was looking at the U of FL's FAWN site and some really cold lows recorded in inland SW FL;

Immokalee-24

Palmdale-22

Ona-24

Arcadia-22

but Belle Glade-29

Clewiston- 28

west and NW of Orlando

Brookesville 21

Ocklawaha-21

Okahumpka-21

I think these are more rural ag stations but 24 in Immokalee, there are coconuts and royals in town, at least there were a couple years ago when I was there

[jasons]

I've noticed Immokalee has gotten pretty chilly in the last few freezes, even the one last year was pretty cold for them as well compared to other locations in SW FL. I think the difference between urban vs. rural is becoming more pronouced.

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

The temp bottomed out at 35.8 here....a very low tech reading with no canopy. I would guess it was warmer elsewhere under canopy and back by the ponds.

I work for an orchid grower in south Fort Myers, east of RT41....it was 31.5 at 0700, and 29 for about 30 minutes after sunrise......I'm glad i live on the island.

Rusty

[palmsOrl]

I just did a walk around of my yard and my impression is that this was a bit worse than the one a couple weeks ago for me here in Maitland. My "worst case scenario" thermometer located in the coldest spot in my yard registered 26 F for a low and it shows. My palms and other tropicals show damage consistent with 29ish. I have a large patch of ginger that got next to no damage for the last freeze but looks mostly fried this time. My large carpies received 20-40% burn whereas no damage last time. Prestoea looks mostly fried too, but everything will come back just fine. I'm not worried about tonight as it seems during these radiational events the developed areas stay significantly warmer (NWS forcast for tonight is 30). My wimpy Bizzie looks about 75% defoliated from last night and from 2 weeks ago, whereas my 15 foot A. triandra is showing no obvious damage unprotected. I Can't believe Tallahassee got to 14 F, I guess that puts an end to most zone 9 plants with any size (queens etc).

-Michael

[epicure3]

I was looking at the U of FL's FAWN site and some really cold lows recorded in inland SW FL;

Immokalee-24

Palmdale-22

Ona-24

Arcadia-22

but Belle Glade-29

Clewiston- 28

west and NW of Orlando

Brookesville 21

Ocklawaha-21

Okahumpka-21

I think these are more rural ag stations but 24 in Immokalee, there are coconuts and royals in town, at least there were a couple years ago when I was there

At 24, I wouldn't think that they could survive. Are they pretty large?

[Eric in Orlando]

They were good sized.

Back when I was in high school, our church group worked on Habitat for Humanity houses in Immokalee in summer 1985. This was a few months after the Jan. 1985 freeze, the 2nd of the 3 infamous record '80's freezes in FL. It had to be low to mid 20s there. There were big royals, coconuts, and pandanus then. They had a good amount of damage but were growing back. The mango trees had moderate canopy damage but were growing back as were ficus.

[Davidl]

Eric I don't know who is getting those temps for clewiston but that is not correct because they were much warmer than that like maybe 35+. Also palmdale was 29 degrees not 22 and I saw that other reading as well but its not correct. I noticed that the noaa site said it was going to be 26 in moore haven and it was 32 but on there web site it was showing 26 so Im not sure I can trust any of there readings for my area. Also belle glade was warmer than clewiston.

Edited February 5, 2009 by Davidl

[SunnyFl]

I'm starting to think the urban heat island is actually a reality in Tampa Bay. A 47F in Key West would historically have meant 24-25F in Tampa. A NWS spokesperson said this morning that not as much arctic air made it into the region as intially expected. Oh yeah? Tell that to an owner of a non-insulated home in the Conch Republic. The arctic air made it here but the forecast models don't know how to account for cars, concrete, asphault and steel in an area that was much less sprawled out 30 years ago.

Ray, I'm fairly certain the urban heat effect is counteracting some of this arctic air. Even back in the eighties, Pinellas wasn't nearly as built up, nor was there as much air traffic or car traffic as there is now. As you said, when the cold air mass blasts its way even into the keys, that's an Event. And I don't know why the NWS person was saying that there wasn't as much arctic air as expected - this sentiment was definitely NOT in evidence in this morning's fcast discussion. And speaking of models, no, I doubt there's any way the manmade elements can be initialized into them to the extent of the effects those elements have.

Our minimum was 35, so believe me, that was one huge sigh of relief - because we didn't do any protection of in-ground plantings. This morning, the bottle & spindle look good; hope they still will look this good tomorrow.

Rusty in the Flats wrote:

I work for an orchid grower in south Fort Myers, east of RT41....it was 31.5 at 0700, and 29 for about 30 minutes after sunrise......I'm glad i live on the island

Hey Rusty! Yes, it's good you do, can't imagine that area ever freezing, and it's such a cool place - are you still growing the catechu?

[floridagrower]

I just did a walk around of my yard and my impression is that this was a bit worse than the one a couple weeks ago for me here in Maitland. My "worst case scenario" thermometer located in the coldest spot in my yard registered 26 F for a low and it shows. My palms and other tropicals show damage consistent with 29ish. I have a large patch of ginger that got next to no damage for the last freeze but looks mostly fried this time. My large carpies received 20-40% burn whereas no damage last time. Prestoea looks mostly fried too, but everything will come back just fine. I'm not worried about tonight as it seems during these radiational events the developed areas stay significantly warmer (NWS forcast for tonight is 30). My wimpy Bizzie looks about 75% defoliated from last night and from 2 weeks ago, whereas my 15 foot A. triandra is showing no obvious damage unprotected. I Can't believe Tallahassee got to 14 F, I guess that puts an end to most zone 9 plants with any size (queens etc).

-Michael

You'd be wrong. I only recorded 23 and I think Luke got 21. Even young queens and robustas look fine everywhere so far as of this afternoon. I do realize the damage hasn't been fully realized yet. Nothing is fried however. In a completely unrelated event we did lose one of our famous queens this week when a hotel manager had it removed. I can confirm it was green when it was chainsawed to the ground. This makes me so sick! This queen would easily rival and trump some of the best queens in central Florida. I will contact this manager in the morning and report back with his excuse!

[gsn]

Just to play devils advocate.

Seems to me the heat island effect is a factor,however I would think that it would be much more of a factor in a radiational event ,than an advective event(ie.windy)! This was an advective event.

Is my brain frozen or does that sound logical?

Edited February 5, 2009 by gsn