Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Weather Guys - FYI


Dypsisdean

Recommended Posts

When I am away from home, I constantly monitor my buddy's weather station down the road. It is on the Kona side of the Big Island at about 1000 ft elevation. I thought some of you might find it interesting.

http://www.turquoise.net/~cmoss/weather/Cu...Vantage_Pro.htm

animated-volcano-image-0010.gif.71ccc48bfc1ec622a0adca187eabaaa4.gif

Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa Dean!  Looks like the heaters were on this AM!  A low of 56.7F with a monthly low of 55.8F.  

Do you need some rope lights for the Lipsticks?  If so, Ive got plenty.....real cheap!

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder what the temperature was at sea level at the same time.  I notice also that the annual temperature never reached 30°C/86°F at 1000m either.  Sounds like a very comfortable climate, but not as fast for growth maybe as a slightly lower elevation.  What would you say is the optimum elevation for growth? obviously you wouldn't want temperatures too much higher.  Is the rainfall fairly consistent in that part of the Island? probably a more important factor for growth, given that the temperatures will be fairly amicable anyway.

]

Corey Lucas-Divers

Dorset, UK

Ave Jul High 72F/22C (91F/33C Max)

Ave Jul Low 52F/11C (45F/7C Min)

Ave Jan High 46F/8C (59F/15C Max)

Ave Jan Low 34F/1C (21F/-6C Min)

Ave Rain 736mm pa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(Neofolis @ Feb. 16 2007,03:25)

QUOTE
 I notice also that the annual temperature never reached 30°C/86°F at 1000m either.  

From what Bo has mentioned, at his elevation it almost never gets above 30C/86F (nor below about 15C/59F). So, these readings seem consistent with that.

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Temps fall between 3-5 degrees for every 1000 ft in elevation. In Kona you can drive from sea level to 1 mile high in about 20 mins, and you can watch the thermometer drop by the minute as you drive.

The rainfall also changes rapidly as you drive up the relatively steep slope of the volcano from around 10-14 inches yearly at sea level to 40-60 inches average at 1500-3500 ft. In the 4 years I have been there (I live at 2200 ft), it has ranged from 35 inches to 105 inches.

animated-volcano-image-0010.gif.71ccc48bfc1ec622a0adca187eabaaa4.gif

Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dean,

See why I don't understand California weather! :;):

For every 1000 feet of elevation in Hawawii, it DROPS 3 to 5 degrees.That is the opposite of so cal  up to a point, ( hills,mountains,)right? ???

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scott,

Again you have no clue.  :P

As you go inland in SoCal and rise slowly in elevation it does get warmer. But this is almost entirely because you are leaving the cooling effects of our cold ocean water. And the inland valleys are still warmer than the surrounding mountain tops.

All things being equal (which they seldom are), it too cools as you rise in elevation in SoCal. This phenomenon is just more pronounced in the tropics. The reverse is also true and one of the reasons Death Valley is so hot below sea level.

animated-volcano-image-0010.gif.71ccc48bfc1ec622a0adca187eabaaa4.gif

Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scott-

This topic you are discussing is very complex.  I have seen some literature from various college agriculture departments which have studied the effects of elevatioon when it comes to air temperature (especially with regard to the gradients and stratification layers that develop) and it is by no means rudimentary, never mind throwing in variables like cold air drainage through a myriad of canyons like in southern Cal.

Larry 

Palm Harbor, FL 10a / Ft Myers, FL 10b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Larry,

You are so right, and when reading your comments I realized I needed to make a very important clarification. That is, when I said the inland valleys were warmer than the surrounding mountains, I hope most realized I meant in the daytime. At night in winter, it's a different "animal."

animated-volcano-image-0010.gif.71ccc48bfc1ec622a0adca187eabaaa4.gif

Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55.8F is "Frigid"

Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just happened to come across this topic (I don't often check the weather stuff), and as ignorant as I am about a lot of these issues, I do know that Dean's statement "all things being equal" (Post#8), is the key to this whole issue about the temp dropping 3 degrees for every 1000 ft of elevation change. Mauna Kea is a perfect example. 13792 ft tall (4200m). 13.7 x 3 = 41 degrees cooler (or colder!) on the summit than down by the ocean, at any given time. And that's probably pretty close to the truth. Anyone who has hiked up Mt. Whitney in California will know the same holds true there.

What happens in different micro-climates (various valleys and ridges), with it being colder in the valley than on the ridge a couple of hundred feet up is an entirely different issue. But don't ask me to explain! :P  (But I'm sure someone can...)

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BGL,

I would explain that phenomenon for you, but Dean says I'm CLUELESS but at least I am not HOPELESS!  :P

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a reply I made to a question from Matt in SD attempting to explain temperature and elevation....

(elHoagie @ Jan. 18 2007, 10:23)

QUOTE

(Matt in SD @ Jan. 18 2007,10:23)

QUOTE
Ineresting points Jack,

Since you seem  to have a good grasp of this stuff I have a question that has bugged me since I've lived here.

I'm from Oregon, and growing up I was always told (and observed it to be true) that the higher you go the colder it gets.  When it was near freezing, you woudl see that the frost formed at the tops of the hills and not at the bottoms.  This was true nearly all the time, and when it wasn't, we called it a "temperature inversion" and tended to get freezing rain.  

Down here in SoCal, it seems that "temperature inversions" are the norm, and people seem comfortable with the logical explanation that cold air sinks so the low spots are colder.  

So why is it that in Oregon (and Hawaii too) the standard temperature progression is a decrease of temperature (I think 2 degrees per 1000 ft or so) with altitude, while in SoCal, at least for the first couple thousand feet, there is very commonly an opposite relationship.  

I'm guessing from your previous post that it's probably because in Oregon and Hawaii there tends to be wind, and generally complete mixing of the air from the upper layers down.  But it's still funny that that most people seem comfortable that both scenarios "make sense".

Matt

Matt,

I wouldn't say I have a good grasp on most of this stuff.  But, I've always been interested in weather/climate and I've studied it quite a bit.  Anyway, your question has been on my mind for a while, and I've come up with a what seems like a reasonable explanation.

 

In coastal Oregon (and Hawaii) the air tends to very humid and the skies are cloudy.  Also, the ground tends to be wet.  All of these things mean there isn't a lot of temperature difference between day and night.  I can explain why if anyone is interested.  Anyway, if there isn't much change in temperature from day to night, there isn't much of a temperature gradiant to promote the flow of cold air to "low spots", and the air that is flowing isn't that cold.  Also, water vapor in the atmosphere and cloud cover tend to help the atmospheric temperature equilibrate, similar to wind.  

The adiabatic lapse rate (usually between 0.6 and 1.0 degrees C per 100 m) works the same way in Oregon as in SoCal.  So does the fact that cold air currents pool the cold air in low spots.  It's just a matter of which effect is stronger.  In SoCal, on dry clear nights, the cold air currents have much more of an effect than the lapse rate.  But, in Oregon and Hawaii, the lapse rate tends to be much more important than the cold air currents.

Even in SoCal, the lapse rate is the stronger effect sometimes.  Think of when a storm comes through with lots of clouds and moisture.  There is always a "snow level" quoted at some elevation.  

You're also correct about the wind.  With wind there's no temperature gradiants and no cold air flows...

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...