Coldest Recorded Winter for Tampa Bay Area?

[cobra2326]

I thought this was interesting:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/tbw/TopNews/PDF/ColdestStartToAnyYear.pdf

[ThunderSRQ]

I knew it...

I've been telling everyone here that, if you disregarded December, this had to be the coldest winter (since literally almost every single day/night was below avg. - anywhere from 5 to 20 degrees - right up thru the beginning of April) so it's very interesting to see the official confirmation.

Thanks...

Tim

[gsn]

December was the lulling WARM CALM, before the $&%@ STORM!

[PalmatierMeg]

I'm certain we had a record-cold winter in Fort Myers area. Even now, temps inch toward normal then fall back to Jan/Feb averages. Stuff is still dying right and left.

[cobra2326]

I'm certain we had a record-cold winter in Fort Myers area. Even now, temps inch toward normal then fall back to Jan/Feb averages. Stuff is still dying right and left.

I think from that article they had Sarasota at almost 1 degree (!) below the average for jan-feb-mar, so it doesn't suprise me that Ft Meyers got nailed too.

[gsytch]

It wasn't so much the COLD nights but the lack of warm days. Living close to the Gulf, by March, the afternoons were just not lifting up. We were stuck in the 60's, and lower 60's, most of the time. I mentioned in an email in Feb that the Gulf would be an issue. After the January freeze(s) the first half, I didn't record below freezing with the closest being 34.9F on 3/4 with a very light frost, but that afternoon was warmer toward 70F...it was a dry air mass radiation chill. It was amazing to watch things just melt - especially when in Feb it looked like some plants were "not so bad" only to fall apart by month's end.

I have now been busy cleaning up, as it has been spring break, but I am exhausted! The leaf litter and weeds are incredible. I've planted KNockout roses, azaleas, and grew my own flowers from seed. My bromeliads are recovering very nicely, having only lost one or two varieties out of about a hundred. That has been the most pleasant surprise. The Foxtails in this area are a mess and probably will not recover...I have one I am hoping for a return. I am also planting Cham..cerifera as I picked up two nice 3 gal full plants for $15 each. I am DONE pushing zones. Of course, next winter will probably be warm! Greg