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

Crazy microclimate in East Austin (not the good kind)


DreaminAboutPalms

Recommended Posts

This morning when I woke up at 5AM it was 41 degrees in North Austin where I live near the domain, I drive out to Manor 15 miles or so east off 290 to golf and it is 34 degrees at the manor weather station and 32 right outside the clubhouse. I begin talking with this other member who lives on the course in the shadowglen neighborhood off hole #11, and he has the app on his phone connected to a temperature gauge in his backyard.

He began explaining to me how the area around his house is significantly colder than the temperature at the clubhouse, and he showed me this mornings temperature reading of 25.6 at 6:37AM, and showed me weather data for the whole month revealing he hit 18 degrees on January 2nd when weather station reported 25 in manor and it was 28 at my apartments. Last winter during Uri he recorded -2 degrees while manor station recorded 4 degrees and it was 7 at my apartments. He claims that he has hit the teens or lower every year he has lived there (10 years) 

Less than a mile away on the other side of the course is a newly installed queen palm with 15 feet of trunk that looks flawless 

This area is the lowest elevation in Austin area which would be my guess as to why this happens. 

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

This morning when I woke up at 5AM it was 41 degrees in North Austin where I live near the domain, I drive out to Manor 15 miles or so east off 290 to golf and it is 34 degrees at the manor weather station and 32 right outside the clubhouse. I begin talking with this other member who lives on the course in the shadowglen neighborhood off hole #11, and he has the app on his phone connected to a temperature gauge in his backyard.

He began explaining to me how the area around his house is significantly colder than the temperature at the clubhouse, and he showed me this mornings temperature reading of 25.6 at 6:37AM, and showed me weather data for the whole month revealing he hit 18 degrees on January 2nd when weather station reported 25 in manor and it was 28 at my apartments. Last winter during Uri he recorded -2 degrees while manor station recorded 4 degrees and it was 7 at my apartments. He claims that he has hit the teens or lower every year he has lived there (10 years) 

Less than a mile away on the other side of the course is a newly installed queen palm with 15 feet of trunk that looks flawless 

This area is the lowest elevation in Austin area which would be my guess as to why this happens. 

I call this the "sacrificial lamb" - the area(s) that collect all of the cold air so a few appropriately situated areas can enjoy a slightly more favorable climate.

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone 1990: 9a  2012: 9b  2023: 10a | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a

30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

This morning when I woke up at 5AM it was 41 degrees in North Austin where I live near the domain, I drive out to Manor 15 miles or so east off 290 to golf and it is 34 degrees at the manor weather station and 32 right outside the clubhouse. I begin talking with this other member who lives on the course in the shadowglen neighborhood off hole #11, and he has the app on his phone connected to a temperature gauge in his backyard.

He began explaining to me how the area around his house is significantly colder than the temperature at the clubhouse, and he showed me this mornings temperature reading of 25.6 at 6:37AM, and showed me weather data for the whole month revealing he hit 18 degrees on January 2nd when weather station reported 25 in manor and it was 28 at my apartments. Last winter during Uri he recorded -2 degrees while manor station recorded 4 degrees and it was 7 at my apartments. He claims that he has hit the teens or lower every year he has lived there (10 years) 

Less than a mile away on the other side of the course is a newly installed queen palm with 15 feet of trunk that looks flawless 

This area is the lowest elevation in Austin area which would be my guess as to why this happens. 

This is very common in the more arid and hilly areas of south and central Texas. I am zone 8A, just north of Bexar county and have seen 15F at my house under canopy during this warm, La nina winter.  Cold, still air sinks into low lying areas and radiational cooling amplifies the low. Look at the forecast dew points to get an idea of how cold an area can get.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was in Austin a couple months ago and the rolling hills and oaks reminded me of the south S.F. Bay Area where I grew up.  As a kid I would walk up and down those hills.  In winter after the sun set in the early evening I could feel the temperature drop as I hiked down towards the bottom of a gully.  The change was dramatic and fast.  Then the warmup happened as I walked up the other side.  It would happen over and over.  As a kid I wasn't thinking about how cold air sinks but I couldn't help notice it and I never forgot the feeling.

  • Like 2
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...