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Texas Cold


Ed in Houston

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Here in Portland, TX. (about 5 miles across the bay from downtown Corpus Christi), we had our final light freeze last night, with a low of 31. We have had an exceptionally cold January 10th through February 10th timeframe, with 6 freezes being recorded, all here in February, and the only times this entire winter we have seen freezes. Mind you, we only AVERAGE 1 to 3 freezes a year here, due to our proximity to the coast, if we get a freeze at all. Its been a tough go here, and I know alot of people have lost tender tropical vegetation around here due to the extreme amount of freezes.

Other cities of interest so far this winter:

--------------------------------------------

Brownsville, TX. 5 freezes (all in Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 2.3

Harlingen, TX. 6 freezes (all in Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 3.7

McAllen, TX. 5 freezes (all in Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 2.2

Bayview/Port Isabel 5 freezes (all in Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 1.1

Corpus Christi Intl. 12 freezes; 9 this year (1 Nov, 2 in Dec, 9 in Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 5.8

Houston Intercontinental 22 freezes; 16 this year (1 Nov, 5 Dec, 5 Jan, 11 Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 18.0

San Antonio 21 freezes; 14 this year (1 Nov, 6 Dec, 3 Jan, 11 Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 22.0

Austin Bergstrom 41 freezes; 27 this year (1 Nov, 13 Dec, 15 Jan, 12 Feb) NWS Yearly Average: 18.7

Ian

Cool data and welcome to Palmtalk! I believe I've met you on another forum(I'm Zone13)..

:) Jonathan

Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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Hey Jonathan! Yes, with your link you had in another post, I ended up here at Palmtalk. Thanks for the welcome! Looks like we are in for a nice warmup. Will hit around 65 today, 45 tonight. Low 70s tomorrow, mid 50s tomorrow night. Then we are forecast to stay around 75 for the rest of the week with lows from 58-64.

Looks like your area is in for a big warmup as well. Its nice to live near the coast!

Ian

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Add yet another freeze for the southern Houston suburbs, albeit a very light freeze. Here is a screenshot from about 7a this morning from a local weather station about a mile from my house.

post-1385-007981100 1297604842_thumb.jpg

Ironically, my sister, who lives in DC, sent me an article a few weeks ago about the rare freezing fog that they had one morning. The article went on to say that freezing fog is only common in places like Anchorage, AK and Siberia, and very rarely happens in the DC area. This winter, mostly February, has been absolutely full of abnormalities. On a positive note, I did learn a new word; pogonip. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_fog

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In SE Houston it was 32 with a moderate frost in most areas. While driving in the area, I saw "steam boiling" from the local bayous and it was quite eerie. On the southern edege of Ellington AFB there is a very large field of short grass. There was a huge expanse of ground fog that was about 6 feet in depth that was freezing on the grass and was very wintry looking.

Ed in SE Houston

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  • 2 weeks later...

It appears nearly 30% of landscape material here in the western edge of Houston is dead or cold damaged. Hibiscus, Ixora, and Majesty Palms are toast. Agapanthus, Queen Palms, Gardenias, most Oleanders and Fountain Grass are defoliated. Even Cordyline australis, Cycas revoluta, Livistona sp. and Washingtonias are showing damage...

:( Jonathan

Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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In the last couple of days it has become apparent that the cold damage in SE Houston is worse than I had suspected also. I believe that this is because the weather had been mild up until the cold spell of early February, unlike last year when it was cold for a month before the hard freeze hit. No damage to my washy hybrids and other hardy palms, but my queen has only the spear left undamaged. Pygmy and majesty are getting peroxide but they look pretty bad.

Ed in SE Houston

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It appears nearly 30% of landscape material here in the western edge of Houston is dead or cold damaged. Hibiscus, Ixora, and Majesty Palms are toast. Agapanthus, Queen Palms, Gardenias, most Oleanders and Fountain Grass are defoliated. Even Cordyline australis, Cycas revoluta, Livistona sp. and Washingtonias are showing damage...

:( Jonathan

Hibiscus and Ixoras are pretty much dead at 30F. But for the queens to defoliate like that really sucks.. Well, at least those in TX are warm now unlike CA

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It appears nearly 30% of landscape material here in the western edge of Houston is dead or cold damaged. Hibiscus, Ixora, and Majesty Palms are toast. Agapanthus, Queen Palms, Gardenias, most Oleanders and Fountain Grass are defoliated. Even Cordyline australis, Cycas revoluta, Livistona sp. and Washingtonias are showing damage...

:( Jonathan

Hibiscus and Ixoras are pretty much dead at 30F. But for the queens to defoliate like that really sucks.. Well, at least those in TX are warm now unlike CA

They come back from the roots even if it gets below 20 degrees though...

-Krishna

-Krishna

Kailua, Oahu HI. Near the beach but dry!

Still have a garden in Zone 9a Inland North Central Florida (Ocala)

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It appears nearly 30% of landscape material here in the western edge of Houston is dead or cold damaged. Hibiscus, Ixora, and Majesty Palms are toast. Agapanthus, Queen Palms, Gardenias, most Oleanders and Fountain Grass are defoliated. Even Cordyline australis, Cycas revoluta, Livistona sp. and Washingtonias are showing damage...

:( Jonathan

Hibiscus and Ixoras are pretty much dead at 30F. But for the queens to defoliate like that really sucks.. Well, at least those in TX are warm now unlike CA

They come back from the roots even if it gets below 20 degrees though...

-Krishna

True, but I doubt they would ever flower if they kept dying down like that

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Before 2010, we had a string of very mild winters with lows usually only down to 28F or so. People were attempting some pretty marginal plants in Houston, large Hibiscus, Ixora, Jatropha, King Palms, Majesty Palms and Bird of Paradise were quite common. There were even fruiting Mangoes and Starfruit as well as trunking Royal and Foxtail Palms in the heat island. Decent sized Ficus too. Pygmy Date Palms were almost as common as Washies. All of that is gone, we can barely grow Queens now!angry.gif

Jonathan

Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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It appears nearly 30% of landscape material here in the western edge of Houston is dead or cold damaged. Hibiscus, Ixora, and Majesty Palms are toast. Agapanthus, Queen Palms, Gardenias, most Oleanders and Fountain Grass are defoliated. Even Cordyline australis, Cycas revoluta, Livistona sp. and Washingtonias are showing damage...

:( Jonathan

Hibiscus and Ixoras are pretty much dead at 30F. But for the queens to defoliate like that really sucks.. Well, at least those in TX are warm now unlike CA

They come back from the roots even if it gets below 20 degrees though...

-Krishna

True, but I doubt they would ever flower if they kept dying down like that

Mine do...

Depends on the cultivar. Some hibiscus are back to 6-8' tall and covered in flowers by August. Ixora take a bit longer.

-Krishna

-Krishna

Kailua, Oahu HI. Near the beach but dry!

Still have a garden in Zone 9a Inland North Central Florida (Ocala)

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