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Persistent Cold Air in Florida


gsytch

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It was looking rough after midnight before the winds kicked in.

post-200-1263130322_thumb.png

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

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Now they are saying tomorrow will be colder... I guess it depends on the clouds and the wind. I noticed we had a slight breeze and some cloud cover when I looked out at around 6:30 am.

Sounds like tonight might turn out to be the greater danger. We had a continuous breeze and cloud cover down here last night as well, which no doubt helped, but from the way it looks, going to be clear and dry tonight. :angry:

My official low here was 32.8F. Temp is now 33.1 and just barely creeping up. Going to be a hard fight to break 50F again today. Many of our broadleaf plants and bushes (ie. copperleaf) are dropping their leaves this morning. Between that unusually COLD rain all day yesterday, the cold blowing winds, and two weeks of cold now, it is just shocking everything. Hopefully they'll all recover O.K., but all this sure isn't conducive to tropicals. :(

Royal Palm Beach, FL.

USDA Zone 10A/10B Subtropical

26.7 degrees N. latitude

10 miles West of West Palm Beach and the ocean

Avg. yearly rainfall 58 inches

:cool:

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We are going to get some great 'Cold Tolerance' information from this one !

We are all experimenting with this zone pushing. I walked around my yard this morning. Bird Baths under the live oaks are a solid block of ice. I've never seen that before. I've seen water turn to ice under open air but never under canopy.

Oh well...Got Evergreens? :P

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Finally above freezing at 9:00 AM 32.3F

Hell that low last night/this morning of 28.1F felt downright BALMY compared to the 26.3F I had earlier this week!

I'll try to be a 1/2 full glass guy, and call it a warming trend! :lol::mrlooney:

Edited by gsn

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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Bird Baths under the live oaks are a solid block of ice. I've never seen that before. I've seen water turn to ice under open air but never under canopy.

Wow! Even under the canopy. How cold did you get for this to happen? I think down my way the canopy hasn't done as much for us this event, as the winds have been so stiff, so I think just blowing the warmth right on out.

Royal Palm Beach, FL.

USDA Zone 10A/10B Subtropical

26.7 degrees N. latitude

10 miles West of West Palm Beach and the ocean

Avg. yearly rainfall 58 inches

:cool:

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I would consider this an ADVECTIVE event ..at least here on the east coast.... very little advantage for canopy to make much ofa difference... unlike in a radiational event, where canopy does help!

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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I consider this a bad event. I don't care what kind of bad event it was. :rant:

You will get no argument from me Bill! Just answering Zone Tens' question, why canopy didn't seem to help!

Since January 2nd, I have had 4 freezes, 4 nights that didn't freeze but the lows were under 35F, and 1 night that was a heat wave at 37F!

That is 9 days and counting that my low has been under 40F :(

And here I thought I lived in Florida!

Edited by gsn

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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The front yard bottomed out at 34.8 but the back yard thermometer said 31.8! However, based on reports from closeby Forum members, I think the 1st reading is closer to the mark. When I got the paper at 7:30 there were still some clouds in the sky. Perhaps in answer to my hopes and prayers they stuck around long enough to keep the low above predicted 30. Now temp has risen to 40.6 with strong winds. But the low tonight is supposed to be 28, a record I think. When things warm up a touch more (ha!) I'll venture out to view how everything withstood the night. Tonight, though, might result in carnage unless that low comes up a bit. We will be covering as much as possible, still....

BTW, Naples had snow flurries yesterday. Parts of Cape Coral had sleet but not in my area.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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I just took a quick run around the yard. No frost or ice ANYWHERE. Still a fairly good breeze and cloud cover.

That was the case here.....with a caveat!

Around 11PM, there was frost on car rooftops and my neighbors grass. (I dont have any grass :mrlooney: ) I assume that some skyward facing palm leaves up high might also have been frosted to some degree.

When the winds kicked up a few hours later, the frost must have vanished as it was not present in the AM.

However, I am guessing I will see some damage on exposed palms due to the colder temps and possible frost that occurred for a few hours earlier in the evening/morning.

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

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No worries Scott. I'm just all emotional. :rolleyes:

This cold storm is the worst.

Beleive me I know how you feel!

I have never/ever seen this long of a cold/cool spell in my 50 years in Florida!

Not the coldest I have seen, but definately the longest stretch 9 days and counting, and it ain't over!

Well it is pretty much over in my yard for zone 10 palms... :lol:

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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Even in the still cold morning air, I can already smell that unmistakable DEAD FOLIAGE smell.........

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

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Last night was the worst for my area it seems. 25 degrees was my low (thank goodnness) but the duration of freezing temps is over 11 hours! My anecdotal evidence is worse as well. My dogs water dish is frozen over (the first time) and the water faucet that I have been running at night is frozen solid (now I hope that my irrigation system isn't damaged :angry: ). It is still freezing outside at 9:30 am. Wind is still blowing out of the north at around 10 mph. Skys are clear.

Absolute lows for my area are not the issue now.........duration of freezing temps night after night is.

This might be coming yall's way down state tonight. I hope not.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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I'm seeing spotting on my baby foxtails, seagrape, and Pseudophoenix. My Beccariophoenix alfredii's don't like this weather, but they will manage. My Butiagrus is like one of those Canadians you see during this time of year. We're all shivering at this unbelievably long and cold cold spell, but they're wearing shorts and t-shirts talking about going to the beach and getting some sun in this wonderful weather.

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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Even in the still cold morning air, I can already smell that unmistakable DEAD FOLIAGE smell.........

I totally forgot about that smell of dead foliage until you mentioned it! After the freeze in LA in 89, that is all I could smell as well. I have lived all my life in southern California and it was the only time I could recall that the water in my hose froze solid! Good luck tonight guys! Hopefully this will be over tomorrow and you begin to warm again. Maybe it won't be as bad as predicted tonight!

BobSDCA

San Diego

Sunset Zone 23, 10a

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only 29f for a low here, but 12 hrs below freezing which could be a record for duration. The skies never really cleared here, that the only anomaly I can see. Minimal damages were to palms already hit so far. Still have 2 more nights to get thru, clear now so if winds die down we can expect severe frost forming tomorrow morn. But so far so good for here; urban heat island in full effect ...

- dave

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Last night was the worst for my area it seems. 25 degrees was my low (thank goodnness) but the duration of freezing temps is over 11 hours! My anecdotal evidence is worse as well. My dogs water dish is frozen over (the first time) and the water faucet that I have been running at night is frozen solid (now I hope that my irrigation system isn't damaged :angry: ). It is still freezing outside at 9:30 am. Wind is still blowing out of the north at around 10 mph. Skys are clear.

Absolute lows for my area are not the issue now.........duration of freezing temps night after night is.

This might be coming yall's way down state tonight. I hope not.

David,

Your underground sprinklers (I assume that's what you're referring to) should be ok - depending on how far down the pvc pipes are - (mine are about 1ft down)... Up here we usually flush them out around november and turn them back on again in late march. I was told by the guy who maintains mine that, in order for them to freeze, it has to go down to about 15f and STAY there for 3 or 4 days. Some people here never turn them off.

Bobby

Long Island, New York  Zone 7a (where most of the southern Floridians are originally from)

AVERAGE TEMPS

Summer Highs  : 85-90f/day,  68-75f / night

Winter Lows     : 38-45f/day,   25-35f / night

Extreme Low    : 10-20f/day,    0-10f / night   but VERY RARE

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My thermometer is in the sun now so its giving a wacked reading. As far as damage so far this is what has happened:

Pritchardia pacifica - unprotected but near my front overhang - minor spotting and right where the segments occur at the end of the fronds, that has browned. Not surprising.

Veitchias - same ones 20-30% leafburn, I am beginning to think its the AC unit blowing forced air right up on them.

Adonidia merrillii "Yellow" Emerging frond that was yellow is now much darker, I hope that pulls through. It was only a 3 gallon.

E. ituriensis - the tops of a few leaflets took burn, they are in a cold area

I see about 5% tipburn on about a dozen plants but I had to look hard. Things which look great for now:

Bottles

Spindles

Bindles

Tahina

Neoveitchia

Cyphophoenix

Satakentia

Kentiopsis

Itaya!

All Zamias

Christian Faulkner

Venice, Florida - South Sarasota County.

www.faulknerspalms.com

 

Μολὼν λάβε

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I consider this a bad event. I don't care what kind of bad event it was. :rant:

DSC05195.jpg

OMG. Delray Beach??

William -ouch - I hope those pinangas will be alright... but with that ice.... ??

Sheesh. What a sad sight.

I was up early today to check for ice in the birdbath, but it was just water.

Damage report - for today.....

Bottle - to early to tell, it's still in the palm cage.

Spindle - looks the same as before (not great for the last 2-3 months - possible boron deficiency).

Baby red latan palm - flecking on all fronds, which aren't quite as green.

Potted-up juvie veitchii, left on north side of house, no canopy - spotting/streaking on leaves.

New potted up hibiscus hybrid - some flecking on leaves.

Baby pink alpinia in a pot, accidentally got left outside - all leaves except a couple of new ones folded and dried- it may make it. it may not.

Triangle teddies, lutescens, leptocheilos (juvie) all in the ground, and a neglected heliconia in a pot, all seem fine. Crotons in the ground all seem fine except a few losing some color.

Tonight - for the gulf coast it will be worse. This is from the NWS:

post-94-1263141860_thumb.jpg

St. Pete

Zone - a wacked-out place between 9b & 10

Elevation = 44' - not that it does any good

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I see about 5% tipburn on about a dozen plants but I had to look hard. Things which look great for now:

Bottles

Spindles

Bindles

Tahina

Neoveitchia

Cyphophoenix

Satakentia

Kentiopsis

Itaya!

All Zamias

Christian, were any of those palms protected at all? There's some very sensitive stuff on that list.

St. Pete

Zone - a wacked-out place between 9b & 10

Elevation = 44' - not that it does any good

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Well, two 22 degree nights are behind me, and one more to go, so I guess that means two more cold ones in FL. Good luck folks.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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I consider this a bad event. I don't care what kind of bad event it was. :rant:

Ice on Pinangas in my front yard.

DSC05192.jpg

This junk belongs in my beverage, not on my palms... :(

DSC05195.jpg

My guess is your irrigation system must have gone off last night or this palm was under a clogged gutter that was dripping on it all night.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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The light snow and sleet in Southwestern Florida ought to be noted as only the second time in history in South Florida.

Brevard County, Fl

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The question is what effect this long term cold will have on the vast tropicals in this area. Coconuts, Manillians,Travelers Veitchias, Spindles, Bottles, Areca Cathetus,et al.... No freeze but really cold stuff that these tropicals got way more than a dose of? How long will it take to observe the likely destruction?

What you look for is what is looking

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Not warming up at all! 39.8F at 1pm with a stiff NW breeze. That may be a saving grace if it keeps up tonight, but I've seen them die down just before dawn and the temp plummet! I feel like I have CABIN FEVER IN FLA because, other than covering and cehcking, I've barely been outside in a week..and school starts tomorrow...there will be kids in shorts for sure, and they'll be complaining their cold! Dah! Lets pray....ok, done...for that NW wind! Greg :D

Begonias are my thing. I've been growing and selling them for three decades, nearly two in Tampa Bay. NPR is an bhour N of St Pete, coast

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The question is what effect this long term cold will have on the vast tropicals in this area. Coconuts, Manillians,Travelers Veitchias, Spindles, Bottles, Areca Cathetus,et al.... No freeze but really cold stuff that these tropicals got way more than a dose of? How long will it take to observe the likely destruction?

Last year in Loxahatchee the damage was apparent almost immediately. Of course it got down to 28deg w/ frost. Amazingly from what I could see nearly all of the bigger palms survived and looked decent by the end of the summer. I am sure there will be lots of latent damage of the zone push stuff that looks ok right now. My bigger fear is that our normal nasty cold fronts are still on the horizon.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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Yeah, the dripper on my 2nd story window planter thought it would be funny to burst a line. I'm not laughing. <_<

Oh that does hurt. Self inflicted damage is the worst. I am so glad I did not plant any of the palms I got from you a while back. They are all inside my house enjoying around the clock 70deg weather.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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The question is what effect this long term cold will have on the vast tropicals in this area. Coconuts, Manillians,Travelers Veitchias, Spindles, Bottles, Areca Cathetus,et al.... No freeze but really cold stuff that these tropicals got way more than a dose of? How long will it take to observe the likely destruction?

This is what I'm wondering as well. This cold weather has lasted so long, that it makes you think about just what is going to give up. Of the palms in my yard, the one that consistently shows the most cold damage is my Betelnut. It about 20-25 feet tall and pretty much in the open. :(

1:50pm and only 46.4. And to add further insult, they keep broadcasting freeze and wind chill warnings from 7:00pm tonight till 10:00am tomorrow morning. They're predicting extreme western areas of Palm Beach County to reach into mid 20's to low 30's near the coast. Guess we'll see where I fall in this range. Hope that Lake O. heat island kicks in for us over in my next of the woods.

Royal Palm Beach, FL.

USDA Zone 10A/10B Subtropical

26.7 degrees N. latitude

10 miles West of West Palm Beach and the ocean

Avg. yearly rainfall 58 inches

:cool:

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The question is what effect this long term cold will have on the vast tropicals in this area. Coconuts, Manillians,Travelers Veitchias, Spindles, Bottles, Areca Cathetus,et al.... No freeze but really cold stuff that these tropicals got way more than a dose of? How long will it take to observe the likely destruction?

This is what I'm wondering as well. This cold weather has lasted so long, that it makes you think about just what is going to give up. Of the palms in my yard, the one that consistently shows the most cold damage is my Betelnut. It about 20-25 feet tall and pretty much in the open. :(

1:50pm and only 46.4. And to add further insult, they keep broadcasting freeze and wind chill warnings from 7:00pm tonight till 10:00am tomorrow morning. They're predicting extreme western areas of Palm Beach County to reach into mid 20's to low 30's near the coast. Guess we'll see where I fall in this range. Hope that Lake O. heat island kicks in for us over in my next of the woods.

Betel nuts get nasty looking but they always seem to come back strong. Very similar to Pritchardias.

As for tonight, the cloud cover is also way more then they predicted at this time, so if it can stick around, its a better thing then us reaching our projected highs and having clear skies.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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I see about 5% tipburn on about a dozen plants but I had to look hard. Things which look great for now:

Bottles

Spindles

Bindles

Tahina

Neoveitchia

Cyphophoenix

Satakentia

Kentiopsis

Itaya!

All Zamias

Christian, were any of those palms protected at all? There's some very sensitive stuff on that list.

I will get some pictures before sunset, but yes, the damage has been mostly windburn. They were protected up until last night. Some of them already looked ratty as I had hardened them off to the area they were going to be planted, but for the most part they look healthy.

Christian Faulkner

Venice, Florida - South Sarasota County.

www.faulknerspalms.com

 

Μολὼν λάβε

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I see about 5% tipburn on about a dozen plants but I had to look hard. Things which look great for now:

Bottles

Spindles

Bindles

Tahina

Neoveitchia

Cyphophoenix

Satakentia

Kentiopsis

Itaya!

All Zamias

Christian, were any of those palms protected at all? There's some very sensitive stuff on that list.

I will get some pictures before sunset, but yes, the damage has been mostly windburn. They were protected up until last night. Some of them already looked ratty as I had hardened them off to the area they were going to be planted, but for the most part they look healthy.

Can I hope/assume then that palms are capable of some degree of "hardening off"? I was wondering if that was possible for them. Does that extend to some extent to more tropical palms? I would like to think that the last couple of cold weeks conferred some advantage that carries through rest of the winter.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Don't look now, but the HIGHEST temp in Florida is Key West at 52F! That is the highest in the entire state...who'da thunk it could ever happen? I just pulled up Havana, Cuba and they are only 57F!!!!! Yes, that far south is still in the 50's! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh Greg

Begonias are my thing. I've been growing and selling them for three decades, nearly two in Tampa Bay. NPR is an bhour N of St Pete, coast

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43* at 4:28 pm. We didn't make it to the 50's today... maybe tomorrow. I think we might have made it up to 45* at one point. Still about 10 degrees higher than yesterdays high!

Zone 9 Central Florida

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Low of 24°F for Orlando predicted tonight. Good luck to all; protect your palms well.

Frank

 

Zone 9b pine flatlands

humid/hot summers; dry/cool winters

with yearly freezes

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