2009 Year in Review

[spockvr6]

I figured a topic like this would be starting up soon enough, so I went ahead and started it.

2009 has been a dry year for me, as of today, only ~43" of rain.

The absolute low wasnt too terrible at 31.3F (2/5/2009) with 1 hr and 5 minutes below the freezing point. But, the winter months were actually well below normal in average temperature.

Yearly stats from my weather station from Weatherunderground----

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation...;graphspan=year

NOAA weather data summary attached.

Edited December 27, 2009 by spockvr6

[Zeeth]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

[SunnyFl]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Seriously? Wx Underground??

2009 in review: from my POV, any year with no hurricanes hitting FL is a fantastic year.

Low temp, IIRC, was between 35 - 38 and the only cold damage was the burnt bottle palm fronds. Quickly recovered. Only lost a couple of plants to wind. Weatherwise - a very good year.

[spockvr6]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Anyone can put a station on weatherunderground. So, stations improperly installed (like the one you mentioned which obviously does not have any solar shielding on the sensor) can still show up there.

[spockvr6]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Just checked that station and it is wacked out!

The next closest one for you, with more than a few months worth of data is probably "Braden Oaks Area, Bradenton, FL " or perhaps "Foxbrook, Parrish, FL".

[spockvr6]

2009 in review: from my POV, any year with no hurricanes hitting FL is a fantastic year.

Good point!

Low temp, IIRC, was between 35 - 38 and the only cold damage was the burnt bottle palm fronds. Quickly recovered. Only lost a couple of plants to wind. Weatherwise - a very good year.

KSPG (Albert Whitted AP) low for 2009 was 37F on 2/5/09.

[Zeeth]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Just checked that station and it is wacked out!

The next closest one for you, with more than a few months worth of data is probably "Braden Oaks Area, Bradenton, FL " or perhaps "Foxbrook, Parrish, FL".

Thanks, the one in Foxbrook is a little colder than I am because it's more inland, but warmer than Braden Oaks because even though Foxbrook is more inland, it is closer to water, which makes a big difference. I am closer to the gulf, and also about 2 blocks away from the Manatee river, so we are thus warmer. Out at Foxbrook they saw a high of 95 and a low of 29.1, this means we probably saw a low in the low 30's, probably 32-33.

[spockvr6]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Just checked that station and it is wacked out!

The next closest one for you, with more than a few months worth of data is probably "Braden Oaks Area, Bradenton, FL " or perhaps "Foxbrook, Parrish, FL".

Thanks, the one in Foxbrook is a little colder than I am because it's more inland, but warmer than Braden Oaks because even though Foxbrook is more inland, it is closer to water, which makes a big difference. I am closer to the gulf, and also about 2 blocks away from the Manatee river, so we are thus warmer. Out at Foxbrook they saw a high of 95 and a low of 29.1, this means we probably saw a low in the low 30's, probably 32-33.

I have an aunt who lives near there (Palma Sola) out at the end of SR64 and that area rocks! The streets are lined with ancient Royals, magnificient Banyans, etc that you just dont see a little further east.

[Zeeth]

I don't trust the weather underground for my area... It has the yearly high as 125.6F... The low of 26F doesn't seem right either

Just checked that station and it is wacked out!

The next closest one for you, with more than a few months worth of data is probably "Braden Oaks Area, Bradenton, FL " or perhaps "Foxbrook, Parrish, FL".

Thanks, the one in Foxbrook is a little colder than I am because it's more inland, but warmer than Braden Oaks because even though Foxbrook is more inland, it is closer to water, which makes a big difference. I am closer to the gulf, and also about 2 blocks away from the Manatee river, so we are thus warmer. Out at Foxbrook they saw a high of 95 and a low of 29.1, this means we probably saw a low in the low 30's, probably 32-33.

I have an aunt who lives near there (Palma Sola) out at the end of SR64 and that area rocks! The streets are lined with ancient Royals, magnificient Banyans, etc that you just dont see a little further east.

Yeah, west Manatee county is great for growing tender tropicals. We're in a newer spot, so you don't see as many big tropicals. The plants are there, but still small. Climate is about the same though. Sometime in the next year we're buying about a house with about an acre, but it's more inland, so it's colder (google map "twin rivers, parrish, Fl" to see where). There is hope though, one neighbor has about 4 spindles and 1 bottle with about 4-5 feet of trunk, and there are numerous Royals, bottles, christmas palms and 1 or 2 Veitchias scattered throughout the area, so I think the proximity to the river helps a bit. I figure if I plant all the tenders like coconuts on the SW side of the house, and have the more hardy plants like Beccariophoenix alfredii in the cold spots that I can keep everything going, at least until I buy property on one of our barrier islands like Anna Maria or Longboat. By then my parents will have a nice palmy garden though.

[SunnyFl]

KSPG (Albert Whitted AP) low for 2009 was 37F on 2/5/09.

Sometimes we're only a couple of degrees off from Albert Whitted, other times it's quite a few more. I guess it depends on the nature of the cold snap. My bottle palm was planted in January of 2008 and has a N/E exposure (yeah, not a brilliant location hehe). It didn't have any protection at all. Around our neighborhood, a couple of bottles had some bronze foliage; the adonidias didn't seem hurt. But down on 30th Ave which is downhill from us (about 10 min. away), stuff was totally fried.

Larry, what are your thoughts for this winter? EN is still with us, so it will continue to be wet. But how about temps - you think we may get a freeze?

[popper1]

My Mom lives a block off Palma Sola. The drive on the street is fantastic. The royals, banyans, Delonix and the like are great. She rarely sees temps near 40.

I hate to jinx anything, but with the southern jet behaving as it is, arctic fronts are going to have a rough time getting into central Florida. Even though Florida winters are cooler in El Nino years, due to lower sun levels because of rain and clouds, we don't have to real cold air because the fronts stay to our north. If you have someplace that you can look at past monthly averages for your area look at the temps of past El Nino winter months, it is pretty interesting.

dp

[SunnyFl]

My Mom lives a block off Palma Sola. The drive on the street is fantastic. The royals, banyans, Delonix and the like are great. She rarely sees temps near 40.

I hate to jinx anything, but with the southern jet behaving as it is, arctic fronts are going to have a rough time getting into central Florida. Even though Florida winters are cooler in El Nino years, due to lower sun levels because of rain and clouds, we don't have to real cold air because the fronts stay to our north. If you have someplace that you can look at past monthly averages for your area look at the temps of past El Nino winter months, it is pretty interesting.

dp

That's very interesting about the southern jet - yes, it does seem EN winters are cooler over a longer period (look at the infamous EN spring of 1993, March the 13th was very chilly after the big storm). But it's great if we can avoid a real freeze.

You mention Palma Sola - is this in Bradenton, and if so, is it very near the coast? There are some areas of Manatee that get quite cold, but the closer to the coast or to the river, the temps are much warmer. There are some royals growing in the wild east of I-75, I think in the Palmetto area.

Our climate has changed so much since the 80's - almost certainly it is the heat island effect. According to noaa-radio yesterday morning, the record cold for the other day was set in 1983 - a low of 19F !!

[popper1]

Palma Sola is in Bradenton And it runs along the intercostal. Palma Sola is the last street on the right off of Manatee ave as you get on the bridge to Ana Marie Island.

My brother lives very close to the same area except he is on the north side of Manatee, not the south. His house is up against the the wetlands that abut the Perico Bayou. That is also an very nice area, with a few small nurseries (including a palm nursery) and even a botanical garden. The Palma Sola Botanical Garden is a small not-for-profit park stated by the people that live in that area & sits on the property of the old Manatee County Nursery. It is a small little park, nothing to write home about, but there are many plants there that, while common in south Florida, are not commonly seen is the area.

david

[happ]

Finally tabulated yearly data but couldn't paste the graph onto this post like Larry did Sorry if it is difficult to read.

2009

. . Max . Min . HMax . LMAX . HMIN . LMIN CoolDeg . HeatDeg . Rain

Jan: 74 . 54 . . 88 . . . 55 . . . 66 . . . 44 . . . 104 . . . . 99 . . . . 0.83

Feb: 65 . 50 . . 84 . . . 54 . . . 60 . . . 41 . . . 25 . . . . 179 . . . 6.40

Mar: 71 . 52 . . 87 . . . 63 . . . 61 . . . 46 . . . 32 . . . . 121 . . . . 0.56

Apr: 74 . 54 . . 100 . . 61 . . . 73 . . . 47 . . . 79 . . . . . 90 . . . . 0.12

May: 78 . 59 . . 92 . . . 68 . . . 65 . . . 56 . . . 135 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Jun: 76 . 60 . . 90 . . . 67 . . . 64 . . . 56 . . . 111 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.30

Jul: 88 . 65 . . 96 . . . 83 . . . 72 . . . 60 . . . 383 . . . . 0 . . . . . 0.00

Aug: 88 . 65 . 103 . . . 81 . . .77 . . . 59 . . . 366 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Sep: 90 . 67 . 102 . . . 78 . . .76 . . . 61 . . . 420 . . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Oct: 79 . 60 . . 98 . . . 64 . . . 72 . . . 53 . . . 169 . . . . 18 . . . . 1.81

Nov: 77 . 56 . . 89 . . . 66 . . . 64 . . . 52 . . . 90 . . . . 25 . . . . . 0.04

Dec: 65 . 50 . . 81 . . . 53 . . . 60 . . . 39 . . . 10 . . . . 213 . . . . 4.08

[epicure3]

Finally tabulated yearly data but couldn't paste the graph onto this post like Larry did Sorry if it is difficult to read.

2009

. . Max . Min . HMax . LMAX . HMIN . LMIN CoolDeg . HeatDeg . Rain

Jan: 74 . 54 . . 88 . . . 55 . . . 66 . . . 44 . . . 104 . . . . 99 . . . . 0.83

Feb: 65 . 50 . . 84 . . . 54 . . . 60 . . . 41 . . . 25 . . . . 179 . . . 6.40

Mar: 71 . 52 . . 87 . . . 63 . . . 61 . . . 46 . . . 32 . . . . 121 . . . . 0.56

Apr: 74 . 54 . . 100 . . 61 . . . 73 . . . 47 . . . 79 . . . . . 90 . . . . 0.12

May: 78 . 59 . . 92 . . . 68 . . . 65 . . . 56 . . . 135 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Jun: 76 . 60 . . 90 . . . 67 . . . 64 . . . 56 . . . 111 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.30

Jul: 88 . 65 . . 96 . . . 83 . . . 72 . . . 60 . . . 383 . . . . 0 . . . . . 0.00

Aug: 88 . 65 . 103 . . . 81 . . .77 . . . 59 . . . 366 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Sep: 90 . 67 . 102 . . . 78 . . .76 . . . 61 . . . 420 . . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Oct: 79 . 60 . . 98 . . . 64 . . . 72 . . . 53 . . . 169 . . . . 18 . . . . 1.81

Nov: 77 . 56 . . 89 . . . 66 . . . 64 . . . 52 . . . 90 . . . . 25 . . . . . 0.04

Dec: 65 . 50 . . 81 . . . 53 . . . 60 . . . 39 . . . 10 . . . . 213 . . . . 4.08

Is this Los Angeles downtown?

[happ]

Finally tabulated yearly data but couldn't paste the graph onto this post like Larry did Sorry if it is difficult to read.

2009

. . Max . Min . HMax . LMAX . HMIN . LMIN CoolDeg . HeatDeg . Rain

Jan: 74 . 54 . . 88 . . . 55 . . . 66 . . . 44 . . . 104 . . . . 99 . . . . 0.83

Feb: 65 . 50 . . 84 . . . 54 . . . 60 . . . 41 . . . 25 . . . . 179 . . . 6.40

Mar: 71 . 52 . . 87 . . . 63 . . . 61 . . . 46 . . . 32 . . . . 121 . . . . 0.56

Apr: 74 . 54 . . 100 . . 61 . . . 73 . . . 47 . . . 79 . . . . . 90 . . . . 0.12

May: 78 . 59 . . 92 . . . 68 . . . 65 . . . 56 . . . 135 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Jun: 76 . 60 . . 90 . . . 67 . . . 64 . . . 56 . . . 111 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.30

Jul: 88 . 65 . . 96 . . . 83 . . . 72 . . . 60 . . . 383 . . . . 0 . . . . . 0.00

Aug: 88 . 65 . 103 . . . 81 . . .77 . . . 59 . . . 366 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Sep: 90 . 67 . 102 . . . 78 . . .76 . . . 61 . . . 420 . . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Oct: 79 . 60 . . 98 . . . 64 . . . 72 . . . 53 . . . 169 . . . . 18 . . . . 1.81

Nov: 77 . 56 . . 89 . . . 66 . . . 64 . . . 52 . . . 90 . . . . 25 . . . . . 0.04

Dec: 65 . 50 . . 81 . . . 53 . . . 60 . . . 39 . . . 10 . . . . 213 . . . . 4.08

Is this Los Angeles downtown?

No, this is the data from my station. I am located northeast of downtown Los Angeles & west of Pasadena in foothills. Generally this area is warmer than the basin most of the year [esp winter night temps] and cooler than the basin at night during summer. But much cooler than nearby valley locations during summer. It is probably as close to USDA 11 as is possible in California.

[Eric in Orlando]

Summary for the weather station here at Leu Gardens for 2009;

the high was 101F on 6/20

the low was 30F on 2/5

total rain was 56.85"

[spockvr6]

Summary for the weather station here at Leu Gardens for 2009;

total rain was 56.85"

Lucky you!

I ended down over a FOOT less than that!

Reclaimed water filled the gap though...and then some

[spockvr6]

Finally tabulated yearly data but couldn't paste the graph onto this post like Larry did Sorry if it is difficult to read.

2009

. . Max . Min . HMax . LMAX . HMIN . LMIN CoolDeg . HeatDeg . Rain

Jan: 74 . 54 . . 88 . . . 55 . . . 66 . . . 44 . . . 104 . . . . 99 . . . . 0.83

Feb: 65 . 50 . . 84 . . . 54 . . . 60 . . . 41 . . . 25 . . . . 179 . . . 6.40

Mar: 71 . 52 . . 87 . . . 63 . . . 61 . . . 46 . . . 32 . . . . 121 . . . . 0.56

Apr: 74 . 54 . . 100 . . 61 . . . 73 . . . 47 . . . 79 . . . . . 90 . . . . 0.12

May: 78 . 59 . . 92 . . . 68 . . . 65 . . . 56 . . . 135 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Jun: 76 . 60 . . 90 . . . 67 . . . 64 . . . 56 . . . 111 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.30

Jul: 88 . 65 . . 96 . . . 83 . . . 72 . . . 60 . . . 383 . . . . 0 . . . . . 0.00

Aug: 88 . 65 . 103 . . . 81 . . .77 . . . 59 . . . 366 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Sep: 90 . 67 . 102 . . . 78 . . .76 . . . 61 . . . 420 . . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Oct: 79 . 60 . . 98 . . . 64 . . . 72 . . . 53 . . . 169 . . . . 18 . . . . 1.81

Nov: 77 . 56 . . 89 . . . 66 . . . 64 . . . 52 . . . 90 . . . . 25 . . . . . 0.04

Dec: 65 . 50 . . 81 . . . 53 . . . 60 . . . 39 . . . 10 . . . . 213 . . . . 4.08

Something is wrong with your raingauge happster There are too many zeros in there!

[Eric in Orlando]

Summary for the weather station here at Leu Gardens for 2009;

total rain was 56.85"

Lucky you!

I ended down over a FOOT less than that!

Reclaimed water filled the gap though...and then some

don't let the amount fool you, it is always too uevenly distributed. There was plenty of dry time in 2009. When it gets hot. a 3" rainfall and .30" rainfall keeps the sandy soil moist about the same amount of time.

[happ]

Finally tabulated yearly data but couldn't paste the graph onto this post like Larry did Sorry if it is difficult to read.

2009

. . Max . Min . HMax . LMAX . HMIN . LMIN CoolDeg . HeatDeg . Rain

Jan: 74 . 54 . . 88 . . . 55 . . . 66 . . . 44 . . . 104 . . . . 99 . . . . 0.83

Feb: 65 . 50 . . 84 . . . 54 . . . 60 . . . 41 . . . 25 . . . . 179 . . . 6.40

Mar: 71 . 52 . . 87 . . . 63 . . . 61 . . . 46 . . . 32 . . . . 121 . . . . 0.56

Apr: 74 . 54 . . 100 . . 61 . . . 73 . . . 47 . . . 79 . . . . . 90 . . . . 0.12

May: 78 . 59 . . 92 . . . 68 . . . 65 . . . 56 . . . 135 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Jun: 76 . 60 . . 90 . . . 67 . . . 64 . . . 56 . . . 111 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.30

Jul: 88 . 65 . . 96 . . . 83 . . . 72 . . . 60 . . . 383 . . . . 0 . . . . . 0.00

Aug: 88 . 65 . 103 . . . 81 . . .77 . . . 59 . . . 366 . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Sep: 90 . 67 . 102 . . . 78 . . .76 . . . 61 . . . 420 . . . . . 0 . . . . 0.00

Oct: 79 . 60 . . 98 . . . 64 . . . 72 . . . 53 . . . 169 . . . . 18 . . . . 1.81

Nov: 77 . 56 . . 89 . . . 66 . . . 64 . . . 52 . . . 90 . . . . 25 . . . . . 0.04

Dec: 65 . 50 . . 81 . . . 53 . . . 60 . . . 39 . . . 10 . . . . 213 . . . . 4.08

Something is wrong with your raingauge happster There are too many zeros in there!

It really is a marginal desert climate when you can count all the winter storms on one hand! Larry, how did you paste your data to the site?

[Kathryn]

I had lots of rain in 2009 - 79 inches (200 cm) versus a normal of 65 inches (165 cm), 26 inches (66 cm) of which fell in December. April, May and June had less than half the normal amount with August and September having twice the normal amount.

[spockvr6]

Larry, how did you paste your data to the site?

Printed it out and scanned it

My program wasnt allowing me to copy and paste it.