Xenon 2,509 Report post Posted February 12, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
txsizzler 0 Report post Posted February 12, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xenon 2,509 Report post Posted February 12, 2011 I got kicked today after a year on that forum because I didn't meet the age limit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
txsizzler 0 Report post Posted February 12, 2011 lol... you gotta be kidding me... I didn't realize CD had such restrictions. All well. Ian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
war_eagle 2 Report post Posted February 13, 2011 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. 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed in Houston 322 Report post Posted February 13, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xenon 2,509 Report post Posted February 21, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed in Houston 322 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
enigma99 623 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kailua_Krish 588 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
enigma99 623 Report post Posted February 22, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xenon 2,509 Report post Posted February 25, 2011 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! Jonathan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kailua_Krish 588 Report post Posted February 25, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
