December 2010 Summary

[spockvr6]

Today was far and away the warmest day of the month for my station, wih a logged high of 79F.

The values for the rest of the month are a bit chillier! The month has ended with an average temperature of 51.2F, which is 2.1F lower than the alltime record for Tarpon Springs of 53.3F (1903). The average high of 61.2F is actually lower than the normal average temperature for the month.

Heres hoping for a better January!

Date TemperatureHighF TemperatureAvgF TemperatureLowF

12/1/2010 74 60 48

12/2/2010 58 49 42

12/3/2010 62 50 43

12/4/2010 67 56 42

12/5/2010 68 63 52

12/6/2010 52 47 39

12/7/2010 50 45 38

12/8/2010 54 46 34

12/9/2010 57 48 42

12/10/2010 58 50 40

12/11/2010 59 49 42

12/12/2010 68 55 45

12/13/2010 50 46 41

12/14/2010 45 39 32

12/15/2010 55 40 30

12/16/2010 65 51 35

12/17/2010 75 61 49

12/18/2010 70 60 53

12/19/2010 58 52 47

12/20/2010 60 47 38

12/21/2010 64 50 41

12/22/2010 68 59 46

12/23/2010 61 56 47

12/24/2010 64 51 40

12/25/2010 71 59 45

12/26/2010 64 49 43

12/27/2010 47 42 34

12/28/2010 48 38 30

12/29/2010 58 42 30

12/30/2010 71 58 42

12/31/2010 79 68 57

Average 61.3 51.2 41.5

[redant]

Well it's official, dec 2010 coldest on record for FL.

Edited December 31, 2010 by redant

[spockvr6]

Well it's official, dec 2010 coldest on record for FL.

Misery loves company

Glad SFL can get in on the action with CFL!

[spockvr6]

Well it's official, dec 2010 coldest on record for FL.

Just checked my average temp for 2010, and it was 70.1F, so I nipped under Moorehaven (the lowest average temp mentioned in the above NWS article. The long term average for Tarpon Springs (period of record 1892-2010) is 72.0F and the NCDC climate normal is 72.7F.

[SubTropicRay]

This was still light years better than last January. It was cold but the minimum temps for me came nowhere close to what happened here one year ago.

[junglegalfla]

I agree Ray. This last cold event was kinder to my garden than last year. Lets just hope that was the last big hurrah!!

[spockvr6]

This was still light years better than last January. It was cold but the minimum temps for me came nowhere close to what happened here one year ago.

For my yard anyway----

Here is data for Jan 2010---

10 nights in the 30's with ultimate low of 30.7F.

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KFLTARPO3&graphspan=month&month=1&day=1&year=2010

And here is data for December 2010----

10 nights in the 30's with ultimate low of 29.5F.

http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KFLTARPO3&graphspan=month&month=12&day=1&year=2010

When I get home I guess Ill see which month was worse as far as my yard goes!

[spockvr6]

And to add insult to injury, 2010 only saw ~42" of rain at my place. God thing for sprinkler systems on reclaimed water!

[Tampa Scott]

Dec 2010 was colder for me than Jan 2010. Data from my weather station for 2010. Jan. 2010 H 80.8F. L 27.4F Avg 53.6 F./ Dec 2010 H 77.3F L 28.6F Avg 51.4F. Avg temp for 2010 was 70.1.

[Alicehunter2000]

Historically when does it normally start getting warmer for Florida....Feb.? ....plants that were moved inside are almost suffering as much as the outside ones.

[spockvr6]

Historically when does it normally start getting warmer for Florida....Feb.? ....plants that were moved inside are almost suffering as much as the outside ones.

For my area, the statistical bottom (with regard to minimum highs and lows) occurs on 1/28 and the warmup starts from there.

[PalmatierMeg]

December was certainly bad for me but it can't hold the proverbial candle to January 2010. I got a whole day icy rain and temps between 35 & 39 on 1/9. I had no chance to protect anything. High next day was in 40s, then down to 28.5F on 1/11. Life pretty much ended then for most of my in-ground tropical palms. Some died immediately, others lingered a while. I had one arctic front after another the rest of Jan, all of Feb and into March. Temps didn't return to "normal" till early April. I don't want to go through that again but the journey began 12/1.

[spockvr6]

When I get home I guess Ill see which month was worse as far as my yard goes!

From what I can tell thus far, my Crotons took about the same beating as last year, maybe a tad worse (becuase some were visibly weakened from last year and might have bit the dust now). With the measured lows of 30 at ~6 ft above ground level, no doubt the Crotons (many of which are 1-5 ft tall) saw something into the upper 20's. The smallest ones maybe even middle 20's (as Ive measured a 4-6F temperature differential between the "official" measurement of 6 ft and ground level under dead calm radiational cooling events). In the meast, it is leaf drop city in my yard right now....but at least they are colorful leaves.

The typically "soft" palms such as Veitchias/Carpentarias/Dypsis are bronzed to various degrees, but none more than about 50% at this time.

Surprisingly, all my Royals are in pretty good shape with only minor cold displeasure and no really serious burns that I can see. I guess they are tall enough that the air was warmer up there.

[happ]

December in California was significant for rainfall. The cloudy\ wet conditions meant warmer than normal night temps but cooler than normal day temps. Getting over 15 inches\ 381mm at my home in the foothills was phenomenal since normally 3 inches of rain occurs during December. The last 2 days of the month were the coldest for all of 2010. Here's the data from my station:

December 2010

Average Max: 67.1 - Norm: 70F\ 21.1C

Average Min: 53.7 - Norm: 50F\ 10C

Average Mean: 60.4 - Norm: 60F\ 15.5C

Highest Max: 90F

Lowest Max: 55F

Highest Min: 64F

Lowest Min: 41F

Heating degree days: 172

Cooling degree days: 37

Maximums

90’s: 1

80's: 3

70’s: 8

60’s: 11

50’s: 8

Minimums

60's: 3

50’s: 25

40’s: 2

Rainfall: 15.79

Rain days: 10

Rainyear: 20.19 [jul-jun]

[gsytch]

Larry- Funny how I am, what 9 mi N of you, and I had 21" of rain in August alone. There were several rainfalls that month where we received 2"+ just in that storm alone, not including others. It rained 12 straight days at one point, much of which was an inch or more. Then, it shut off abruptly. Right now my biggest concern is getting rid of all this debris. I have nowhere to put it so I am hiring someone to haul it away! The Broms took a real hit this year - worse than last year. I think our frost was heavier even if the temps were warmer. Woke up to 65F this morning, so nice after such cold! Greg

[Steve the palmreader]

Ft Myers FL. recorded it coldest Dec since ever 56.4 Degrees The records have been kept since 1902 The old record was 58.6 in 1935

[Dave-Vero]

What with all the damage, I'm impressed to see my Dypsis carlsmithii unfurling a new leaf, as if nothing had happened. Nothing at all. Acoelorrhaphe, Coccothrinax argentata, Syagrus schizophylla, and Archontophoenix cunninghamiana are looking fine, too. But that Dypsis amazes me. Mature coconuts (2 stories high and upward) in the neighborhood are fried.

[tank]

Historically when does it normally start getting warmer for Florida....Feb.? ....plants that were moved inside are almost suffering as much as the outside ones.

After the first week of March, we shouldn't get any significant cold, but you may get away with the last week of Feb (This is for north Florida). Less than 2 months to go!

So far this winter has been "mild" compared to last winter. the lowest temp I experienced was 22F. Last year the lowest temp was 14F during the terrible two week stretch of freezing temps.

[redant]

The NWS summary states that overall 2010 was the coldest year on record for multiple locations (palm beach county for me) even though we had the most days over 90F on record, that's weird.

[spockvr6]

The NWS summary states that overall 2010 was the coldest year on record for multiple locations (palm beach county for me) even though we had the most days over 90F on record, that's weird.

I just checked my weather station's NOAA report for 2010 and noted the same large number of days above 90F. My station logged 107 days as such, with an absolute maximum of 98.7F on June 24.

The really nasty number I noted on this report was the base 65F heating degree days value. It was 1415! (The cooling degree days were 3032).

I was also apparently short 14.45" of rain in 2010 compared to the long term average.

The months of May and June were the only ones which showed an above average temperature. The worst month was 12.0F colder than average.

Edited January 4, 2011 by spockvr6

[SubTropicRay]

I came home for lunch last January 11th and saw what was a blow torched garden. Whether up against the house, under canopy or out in the open, everything was black as if set on fire. In the 15 years I've lived in this house, I'd never seen anything like it. For now, this winter has done none of that. This December was like last January without the final blow that was January 11th.

[amazondk]

La Niña started to make an impact on the rainfall amount here in December. The average rainfall for December is 225 mms for the month. December 2010 had 301 mms. The daytime temperatures were somewhat lower due to more rain, that is most of the time it did not get above 32 C. The night time temperatures never change anyway always being from 22 to 25 C year around.

dk

[redant]

I came home for lunch last January 11th and saw what was a blow torched garden. Whether up against the house, under canopy or out in the open, everything was black as if set on fire. In the 15 years I've lived in this house, I'd never seen anything like it. For now, this winter has done none of that. This December was like last January without the final blow that was January 11th.

Cosmetically, now looks worse then last year on the SE coast. Many non palm tree totally defoliated that last year held most of there canopy and coconuts toasted right up to the beach. Many browned up and frizzed palms that last year stayed green.

[spockvr6]

I came home for lunch last January 11th and saw what was a blow torched garden. Whether up against the house, under canopy or out in the open, everything was black as if set on fire. In the 15 years I've lived in this house, I'd never seen anything like it. For now, this winter has done none of that. This December was like last January without the final blow that was January 11th.

Cosmetically, now looks worse then last year on the SE coast. Many non palm tree totally defoliated that last year held most of there canopy and coconuts toasted right up to the beach. Many browned up and frizzed palms that last year stayed green.

After looking at some pics I took of Jan 2010, I am now inclined to agree with Ray in that Jan 2010 was worse than Dec 2010 in this neck of the woods (regardless of what the weather statistics from my station say).

The below photos are what my front yard looked like on Jan 17, 2010. Its doesnt look anywhere near this bad now.

[spockvr6]

Even these red tipped Cocoplums (FL natives to boot) were killed last January. Boy was I bummed about losing these as they made a great hedge.

[_Keith]

I came home for lunch last January 11th and saw what was a blow torched garden. Whether up against the house, under canopy or out in the open, everything was black as if set on fire. In the 15 years I've lived in this house, I'd never seen anything like it. For now, this winter has done none of that. This December was like last January without the final blow that was January 11th.

Cosmetically, now looks worse then last year on the SE coast. Many non palm tree totally defoliated that last year held most of there canopy and coconuts toasted right up to the beach. Many browned up and frizzed palms that last year stayed green.

After looking at some pics I took of Jan 2010, I am now inclined to agree with Ray in that Jan 2010 was worse than Dec 2010 in this neck of the woods (regardless of what the weather statistics from my station say).

The below photos are what my front yard looked like on Jan 17, 2010. Its doesnt look anywhere near this bad now.

And your place is still beautiful.

[gsytch]

Larry- Very similar to what damage I have...lots of browning on tops. My Broms really took a hit in the front, but we had so much frost that it even got under the pine/palm canopy. However, your place still looks wonderful :-)).........G Now - when is all this going the other way to above normal temps? ya know the "what goes down must go up" philosophy?

[sonoranfans]

I came home for lunch last January 11th and saw what was a blow torched garden. Whether up against the house, under canopy or out in the open, everything was black as if set on fire. In the 15 years I've lived in this house, I'd never seen anything like it. For now, this winter has done none of that. This December was like last January without the final blow that was January 11th.

Cosmetically, now looks worse then last year on the SE coast. Many non palm tree totally defoliated that last year held most of there canopy and coconuts toasted right up to the beach. Many browned up and frizzed palms that last year stayed green.

After looking at some pics I took of Jan 2010, I am now inclined to agree with Ray in that Jan 2010 was worse than Dec 2010 in this neck of the woods (regardless of what the weather statistics from my station say).

The below photos are what my front yard looked like on Jan 17, 2010. Its doesnt look anywhere near this bad now.

Larry, I am really liking your arrangements. I can only imagine what it looks like now after the recovery. I look forward to seeing more pics of your yard in the recovered state, it will very likely influence future plans for mine.

[spockvr6]

Larry- Very similar to what damage I have...lots of browning on tops. My Broms really took a hit in the front, but we had so much frost that it even got under the pine/palm canopy. However, your place still looks wonderful :-)).........G Now - when is all this going the other way to above normal temps? ya know the "what goes down must go up" philosophy?

Greg-

This is the damage from last January 2010. This December 2010 did not cause anywhere near as much browning. The Royals which are beat up in the above are fine now.

[spockvr6]

quote] Larry, I am really liking your arrangements. I can only imagine what it looks like now after the recovery. I look forward to seeing more pics of your yard in the recovered state, it will very likely influence future plans for mine.

It looks not as good!

As mentioned elsewhere I had some issue with the HOA president and as a result agreed to remove everything between the sidewalk and street, besides the two Sabals at the driveway corners and the Queen.....one of the downsides of living in an HOA area.

But, I am starting to rework things now and hope to have it looking the way it did in 2009 in a few months.

[gsytch]

Good for you then. While not as bad as last year, my front took a beating this year..oddly. I have a huge Cardboard Palm barely touched from last year that got fried last week. It was nowhere as cold for nowhere as long. I am still doing more cold hardy plantings as I am tired of cleaning up. I spent the past week cleaning debris up, of various sorts including freeze damage. It prevents me from enjoying or improving anything. G~

NOW MORE CHILL but thankfully not the brunt of the cold!