Freeze 2007

[happ]

This morning was a somber awakening for many palm gardeners in California  

In-fact, only Pacifica [near San Francisco] recorded a minimum above 40F & many areas normally considered frostless dropped perilously close to freezing w/ many broken records.

Was this arctic event worse than Dec 1990?  Personally, I don't think so when all the data is collected.  But that's no solace for those who lost a fortune in plants.  Hopefully most palms will recover  

It is still cold though the NWS has cut back on freeze warnings in most of SoCal though a frost advisory is still in effect in San Diego/Orange counties & freezing conditions will likely occur in much of NorCal again tonight.  A high wind warning has been issued for Los Angeles county but widespread 30's are forecast so many areas are still vulnerable.

In-fact, today remained quite cold across the state in spite of clear skies.  Very few areas reached 60F contrary to yesterday's forecast  

It appears most weather services [esp the NWS] under-estimated this Arctic outbreak so medium range forecasts should be taken lightly, afraid to say.  

It is below 50F @ 9:00PM almost everywhere in Cali so the predicted warming really hasn't occurred.  If & where the wind picks up then frost will be unlikely again.

Good luck everyone  

[epicure3]

(happ @ Jan. 15 2007,00:12)

QUOTE

This morning was a somber awakening for many palm gardeners in California  

In-fact, only Pacifica [near San Francisco] recorded a minimum above 40F & many areas normally considered frostless dropped perilously close to freezing w/ many broken records.

Was this arctic event worse than Dec 1990?  Personally, I don't think so when all the data is collected.  But that's no solace for those who lost a fortune in plants.  Hopefully most palms will recover  

It is still cold though the NWS has cut back on freeze warnings in most of SoCal though a frost advisory is still in effect in San Diego/Orange counties & freezing conditions will likely occur in much of NorCal again tonight.  A high wind warning has been issued for Los Angeles county but widespread 30's are forecast so many areas are still vulnerable.

In-fact, today remained quite cold across the state in spite of clear skies.  Very few areas reached 60F contrary to yesterday's forecast  

It appears most weather services [esp the NWS] under-estimated this Arctic outbreak so medium range forecasts should be taken lightly, afraid to say.  

It is below 50F @ 9:00PM almost everywhere in Cali so the predicted warming really hasn't occurred.  If & where the wind picks up then frost will be unlikely again.

Good luck everyone  

Happ...can I open my eyes now? Is the bad, mean, thing gone yet?

[happ]

Its waning and none too soon  

Very bad news for citrus/vegetable producers and certainly as many days as 1990.  In fact I will post the temps of each year to compare.  For NorCal this was a considerable loss.  Queen palms in Chico & north must be ash by now  

How bad this frost/freeze stands up to 1990 will be answered by the damage to Huntington & subtropical gardens.  Anyone know how bad things are at Huntington?

Tonight will still be cold but more areas will remain above 40F & 60's widespread tomorrow.  In-fact it should become quite warm toward the end of the week.  Just like it was before the freeze!  

[epicure3]

(happ @ Jan. 15 2007,21:56)

QUOTE

Its waning and none too soon  

Very bad news for citrus/vegetable producers and certainly as many days as 1990.  In fact I will post the temps of each year to compare.  For NorCal this was a considerable loss.  Queen palms in Chico & north must be ash by now  

How bad this frost/freeze stands up to 1990 will be answered by the damage to Huntington & subtropical gardens.  Anyone know how bad things are at Huntington?

Tonight will still be cold but more areas will remain above 40F & 60's widespread tomorrow.  In-fact it should become quite warm toward the end of the week.  Just like it was before the freeze!  

Thanks, Happ. I hope you post the comparison numbers. I never got my answer to just how bad the 1990 freeze was. I was living in NY and never got the low down on that horrible and notorious time. Just how cold did it get and for how long?

[happ]

(epicure3 @ Jan. 15 2007,23:17)

QUOTE

(happ @ Jan. 15 2007,21:56)

QUOTE

Its waning and none too soon  

Very bad news for citrus/vegetable producers and certainly as many days as 1990.  In fact I will post the temps of each year to compare.  For NorCal this was a considerable loss.  Queen palms in Chico & north must be ash by now  

How bad this frost/freeze stands up to 1990 will be answered by the damage to Huntington & subtropical gardens.  Anyone know how bad things are at Huntington?

Tonight will still be cold but more areas will remain above 40F & 60's widespread tomorrow.  In-fact it should become quite warm toward the end of the week.  Just like it was before the freeze!  

Thanks, Happ. I hope you post the comparison numbers. I never got my answer to just how bad the 1990 freeze was. I was living in NY and never got the low down on that horrible and notorious time. Just how cold did it get and for how long?

Just compiled this interesting information that all the more demonstrates paradoxes/subtleties of elevation/proximity to ocean/wind :

Amazing comparisons that suggest 1990 was far worse except [& that's a "big except"] large surrounding regions that experienced far worse from this freeze.  

Just posted this data on another topic.

Chronology of the freeze:

Minimums:

>>>>>>>>>Thurs >>Fri >>Sat > Sun >Mon

San Francisco 40F >40F >> 39F >>37F >36F    

Los Angeles > 55F  47F  >>39F >>36F > 36F

San Diego >>51F >52F >>45F >>36F >35F

[ZoneTenNut]

Couple interesting articles on damage to CA. agriculture from this cold snap.

My Webpage

My Webpage

[SunnyFl]

Yesterday's St. Pete Times reported that at least 70% of CA's citrus crop was ruined.

Just hope that what happened to Central FL citrus won't happen in CA.  Way back when, there were citrus groves throughout the state.  You could drive through the groves, with trees bearing hundreds of nice round oranges, it was wonderful to see..............

After a couple of freezes in the awful 80's, the citrus industry moved south.  Now - up in Central FL - there are only a few straggling citrus trees - tiny remnants of those beautiful old groves of decades past.  Instead there are big developments   .......and a super-congested interstate  

Let's hope it doesn't happen in CA.

[epicure3]

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 17 2007,07:08)

QUOTE

Yesterday's St. Pete Times reported that at least 70% of CA's citrus crop was ruined.

Just hope that what happened to Central FL citrus won't happen in CA.  Way back when, there were citrus groves throughout the state.  You could drive through the groves, with trees bearing hundreds of nice round oranges, it was wonderful to see..............

After a couple of freezes in the awful 80's, the citrus industry moved south.  Now - up in Central FL - there are only a few straggling citrus trees - tiny remnants of those beautiful old groves of decades past.  Instead there are big developments   .......and a super-congested interstate  

Let's hope it doesn't happen in CA.

Well, that's already happened to S. Calif. citrus. Not the freezes, but the development. Just took all the groves from the farmers and put up houses and freeways.

[happ]

I'm showing my age but I remember when groves [including olives] covered much of the San Fernando/San Gabriel valleys all the way out to San Bernardino/Riverside.  Orange county was "oranges;" now there's hardly any left.  Even San Diego county had large groves of avocado/citrus that are now houses/freeways.

Only Ventura county & Coachella/Imperial valleys still have large groves of fruit/date trees & vegetables.

The citrus industry in California is primarily up north in the San Joaquin valley and parts of the Sacramento valley.  But even there it is smaller acreage each year.

Progress, I guess.

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

South America will eventually rule when it comes to citrus production. Citrus is not profitable in socal, due to water and labor costs, as well as insurance, EPA regs, etc. Citrus in the SJ valley is propped up with subsidized water from Bureau of Reclamation. Even at that, So America will still prevail someday. Look at the OJ label...