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Floridians....Heads Up


epicure3

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OK, I give up. The garage is full and there is plenty of stuff left outside. What lives lives, what dies dies. Like Meg, my ears hurt! Reminds me of St Louis where I grew up. It's already 38F @ 7:15 Eastern. Everything that croaks will be replaced with hardier species. It may not look like the tropics, but it won't look like frozen crap either! And I'll be able to sleep instead of worry about the weather! I'm sure the Arcontophoenix has no chance of recovering in the spring. Weather geeks (this is a compliment because..."geeks get it done"... quote from Best Buy ad) report 9-18 hours of subfreezing temps. I'm sure they're right. I'm going to be in the market for some stunningly platinum Butias this spring. Anyone know a good source????

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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OK, I give up. The garage is full and there is plenty of stuff left outside. What lives lives, what dies dies. Like Meg, my ears hurt! Reminds me of St Louis where I grew up. It's already 38F @ 7:15 Eastern. Everything that croaks will be replaced with hardier species. It may not look like the tropics, but it won't look like frozen crap either! And I'll be able to sleep instead of worry about the weather! I'm sure the Arcontophoenix has no chance of recovering in the spring. Weather geeks (this is a compliment because..."geeks get it done"... quote from Best Buy ad) report 9-18 hours of subfreezing temps. I'm sure they're right. I'm going to be in the market for some stunningly platinum Butias this spring. Anyone know a good source????

Keith,

You could always plant Trachycarpus. Mine is doing great in the ground - no supplemental heat whatsoever, AND my good friend who lives about 8 miles south of me has (3) of them in the ground with no heat. These are remarkable palms.

Bobby

Long Island, New York  Zone 7a (where most of the southern Floridians are originally from)

AVERAGE TEMPS

Summer Highs  : 85-90f/day,  68-75f / night

Winter Lows     : 38-45f/day,   25-35f / night

Extreme Low    : 10-20f/day,    0-10f / night   but VERY RARE

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Okay I have to ask,where the heck is RAY???

A Florida cold event without his imput, is like baseball without hotdogs!

Hope he didn't OD on his medication? :lol:

RAY???

Oh yeah 39.9F here at 8:00 PM :angry:

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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Okay I have to ask,where the heck is RAY???

A Florida cold event without his imput, is like baseball without hotdogs!

Hope he didn't OD on his medication? :lol:

RAY???

Oh yeah 39.9F here at 8:00 PM :angry:

good question..... I was actually about to call him, but I'm SURE he's working out in the yard - he's probably alot happier since he bought the domehouse.

Bobby

Long Island, New York  Zone 7a (where most of the southern Floridians are originally from)

AVERAGE TEMPS

Summer Highs  : 85-90f/day,  68-75f / night

Winter Lows     : 38-45f/day,   25-35f / night

Extreme Low    : 10-20f/day,    0-10f / night   but VERY RARE

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The best thing I think you can do is pour yourself a good stiff drink and forget about the garden. Tomorrow is another day, and while bad, this pales in comparison to what a Hurricane can do.

Ron

Wellington, Florida

Zone 11 in my mind

Zone 10a 9a in reality

13miles West of the Atlantic in Palm Beach County

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9:00 and 33F. Dew point is 9F. Exciting stuff. I should have taken a picture of some of marginal stuff. NOAA has lowered there forecast to 15F for tonight. What is going to get protected has been protected, but I was planning on a low in the lower 20sF. BIG BUMMER.

I was just starting high school in 1989.

Jason

Gainesville, Florida

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Here in Vero Beach, the mango trees all started flowering around two weeks ago, quite early. So we may have a mango wipeout.

Right now, it looks like we have a replica of the last cold snap. There seems enough air movement to keep ground temperatures up a bit.

Fla. climate center: 100-119 days>85 F
USDA 1990 hardiness zone 9B
Current USDA hardiness zone 10a
4 km inland from Indian River; 27º N (equivalent to Brisbane)

Central Orlando's urban heat island may be warmer than us

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OK, I give up. The garage is full and there is plenty of stuff left outside. What lives lives, what dies dies. Like Meg, my ears hurt! Reminds me of St Louis where I grew up. It's already 38F @ 7:15 Eastern. Everything that croaks will be replaced with hardier species. It may not look like the tropics, but it won't look like frozen crap either! And I'll be able to sleep instead of worry about the weather! I'm sure the Arcontophoenix has no chance of recovering in the spring. Weather geeks (this is a compliment because..."geeks get it done"... quote from Best Buy ad) report 9-18 hours of subfreezing temps. I'm sure they're right. I'm going to be in the market for some stunningly platinum Butias this spring. Anyone know a good source????

Keith,

I hear you. I think tonight is the end for me too. My beautiful kings and caryota, i'm sure will be goners. It's quite sad really, but they're just to damm big to protect. I covered the little stuff, but if we get down to 22 - 25 two nights in a row, everything is toast.

Oh well! :(

Jason

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I'm sure Ray has all of his stuff protected and he's just trying to forget about it for a while. I wouldn't be as worried myself if I had his kind of canopy and proximity to the heat island.

Either that or he's half way to Pine Island.

Zone 10B, starting 07/01/2013

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41.9F with 27F dewpoint here at about 9:30PM. Winds still seem to be out of the NNW for the most part - they will start turning NNE at some point tonight....why does the NNE turn always seem to happen at the coldest part of the night for me here....pisses me off........(remember, NNE is the worst possible wind direction for my little piece of paradise; folks on the east coast are glad for any easterly compenent to the wind!). This is going to be a cold night here and might just finish the job of the last freezing nights. By the way folks that plan to stay in the low 30s tonight in pinellas, south FL and barrier islands; your stuff will be just fine. Don't worry. It really does take the upper 20s to start killing most zone 10 palms in my observation. You guys are not going to see anything near the the nasty 20s like I have already seen in my area this year. You may see some light cosmetic blemishes on your palms but really, just take a look at some of the pics from my yard from the 27F freeze I had with the last one and be thankful for what you can grow! Unfortunately, I have to be realistic and start to consider growing tougher palms for the most part. I am betting that I can create a damn beautiful, tropical looking palm and 'tropical' garden that can withstand the apparently regular upper 20s that I experience here. Like scott in tampa, I know that lot of my palms could come back and 'survive' here, but after 2 years in a row of looking at damage, I am getting sick of it.

Parrish, FL

Zone 9B

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BTW, on weatherunderground fairchild garden has a weather station. Is it just me or do the temps seem higher for this time at night than they should be to reach forecasted temps. Dewpoints are pretty low.

NW Hillsborough County, FL (Near Tampa)

10 miles east of the Gulf of Mexico

Border of Zone 9b/10a

Lakefront Microclimate

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My damaged palms have until May to start looking presentable or else they are going to the compost pile.... That being said, I am likely to always have clumps of D. lutescens around since even if they get frozen to the ground, they can come back - and they are not likely to get frozen to the ground even with this freeze. Plus it is a real bitch trying to dig out and eradicate clumping plants like bananas, BOPs, clumping palms etc. I have a feeling my bigger roystonea, foxtails and Archontos will make it. I'll leave them even though they take some damage 2 out of 3 years typically. V. arecina is on the bubble - they take yearly damage, but they seem to be wicked fast regenerators - if they survive this and throw a couple healthy fronds by May, I'll leave them. Hyophorbes, adonidia and my one last coconut have taken a beating in my backyard this year - I am actually hoping this next freeze does them in.......so that I can plant more cold hardy palms in their places. Hyophorbes and Adonidia in the front yard have done a lot better so I may leave them if they have a couple healthy fronds by May.

Parrish, FL

Zone 9B

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Man this sucks! That is all I have to say....

but you all should know that we Floridians were about due for it.

Brevard County, Fl

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while bad, this pales in comparison to what a Hurricane can do.

That really puts it into perspective. And Season is less than 4 months away....

But it's so hard to think of losing beautiful trees and palms to one night of unusual cold. We tried to protect stuff, but my husband ran out of time, and I'm sick. So he's hauling in the potted plants and put some sheets over the rest. Basically our cold-protection plan is to hope and pray :lol:

Here, it's between 45-46. The NWS' latest update at 8pm still has our low at 33. I believe that's quite optimistic!

Keith said:

I'm sure the Arcontophoenix has no chance of recovering in the spring. Weather geeks.... report 9-18 hours of subfreezing temps. I'm sure they're right. I'm going to be in the market for some stunningly platinum Butias this spring. Anyone know a good source????

It's such a shame to have to give up on the beautiful Archontos and tropicals. Wow, that has to hurt. When is that Freeze-Pruf stuff supposed to go on the market? Meanwhile, S/E Chapter has a meeting in Savannah soon - anything that'll grow there would be a piece of cake in Jax. Also, CFPACS members have been known to offer the bodacious B eriospatha, even more cold-tolerant than capitata. greener, too.

St. Pete

Zone - a wacked-out place between 9b & 10

Elevation = 44' - not that it does any good

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It's all over but the cryin'.

Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

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Ray,,

Your ALIVE! :lol: Came out of the hole to let us know your okay, thanks!

You mean we weren't supposed to be CRYING yet?

Hey if I look at it optimistically I was below freezing by 9:30 PM the second night of the recent event, holding steady at 36.4F at 10:00 tonight!

Maybe....naw , nevermind wishful thinking!

Scott

Titusville, FL

1/2 mile from the Indian River

USDA Zone COLD

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Here's the last report before bedtime. I placed a thermometer on a plastic trash can about 30" off the ground on the coldest site on my property (I think). Its exposed directly to the night sky. It's currently reading 30F and it's 10:09. The other two are reading 35 and 38. The winds are nearly calm so I'm going for the coldest night since I moved here in March 2005. My biggest hope is that my Livistona collection (decora, saribus, drudei, and nitida) come through with nothing more than cosmetic damage. I have the same hopes for the two Acoelorrhaphe and the Arenga engleri in my yard. If it stays above 20, I should be OK. Once all this (insert your favorite expletive here) weather passes, I'm going to be purchasing some nice Mule palms, Silvery Pindos, Silvery Serenoa, as well as some nice Ceratozamia (from Tom Broome) to use as yard decorations. Then when it gets cold and nasty, I take a hot soak in the tub, drink a Margarita and think "I'm sure glad I don't have to protect anything tonight! Oh and I may be able to see the silver lining...at least the damn weeds won't be overwintering! :D

Bobby, Trachycarpus will not grow here. The soil isn't to their liking because it's absolutely filled with nematodes that find Trachycarpus wonderful appetizers! Therefore, as they are exposed to the persistent heat and rainfall of summer, they stunt, then eventually struggle to a slow and pitiful death. They might be OK in a pot. There are beautiful Trachycarpus in South Louisiana and in Houston, but the are growing in tight clay soils that the nematodes don't like. I can't replicate those conditions here. Ironically, they are no more suited to my yard than the Coconuts!

One more thought. Anyone up for some cold screening of the Arcontophoenix genus? I keep seeing reports of some super hardy specimens growing naturally in Australia. That tells me that at least some have their cold hardy genes turned on. The way I figure it, if you try enough of them (probably thousands) there might be a few outstanding individuals in the bunch.

Good night everyone. I'll report from the Florida arctic tomorrow morning. By the way, I've really enjoyed the Palmtalk community tonight! Hope we are all pleasantly surprised by the lows tomorrow morning.

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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Keith, I think we will be growing the same things after this event. I dnt even try to push some stuff you guys in Jax have tried.

Trachys do great here in our clay, no problems with nematodes here, dont even know what one is. lol

im sticking to my sabals and native needles, minors, and coonties.

I need to find a L. nitida to add to my Livistonia collection, supposedly one of, if not the hardiest?

Luke

Tallahassee, FL - USDA zone 8b/9a

63" rain annually

January avg 65/40 - July avg 92/73

North Florida Palm Society - http://palmsociety.blogspot.com/

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The big nasty has started.....winds shifting from the NW to NE.....its always downhill from here!

Larry 

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

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I am in Zone 9a and planted to my Zone. This is a non-event for me. I'll sleep tight.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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I am in Zone 9a and planted to my Zone. This is a non-event for me. I'll sleep tight.

Ill do the same Keith. None of this worries me all that much, but it is interesting to chat about it.

Larry 

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

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Say it ain't so!

Record temperatures expected? 26°F overnight low in Orlando? Also, add tomorrow night to the list (29°F). Good night all, and good luck.

Frank

 

Zone 9b pine flatlands

humid/hot summers; dry/cool winters

with yearly freezes

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I am in Zone 9a and planted to my Zone. This is a non-event for me. I'll sleep tight.

Ill do the same Keith. None of this worries me all that much, but it is interesting to chat about it.

Ironically, the most exploritory palms I have are from you. The majesty, which is under a Live Oak canopy will not even notice the low of 30 tonight, now will the L. saribus which is more exposed. I can't say thanks enough, but here I say thanks again.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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I am in Zone 9a and planted to my Zone. This is a non-event for me. I'll sleep tight.

Ill do the same Keith. None of this worries me all that much, but it is interesting to chat about it.

Ironically, the most exploritory palms I have are from you. The majesty, which is under a Live Oak canopy will not even notice the low of 30 tonight, now will the L. saribus which is more exposed. I can't say thanks enough, but here I say thanks again.

Well, if it's only going to get down to 30 in a 9a zone, of course you'll sleep tight! :lol: As for the potentials for 20's in borderline 10a areas, this freeze is a little more troubling over here. Would you sleep so well if your forcast hinted at upper teens? :mrlooney:

Eric

St. Petersburg, FL

www.myspace.com/koolthing78

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Yeah Keith! lol :P "Pushing Zone 9a into 9b, till reality snaps me back."

what the lowest youve experienced so far this winter?

30 as a low, pfshhhh....I slept fine last night with 27.9 as a low. its already 28 somthing at 12:30am and has been dropping about 1 degree per hour.

that air is cold!

Luke

Tallahassee, FL - USDA zone 8b/9a

63" rain annually

January avg 65/40 - July avg 92/73

North Florida Palm Society - http://palmsociety.blogspot.com/

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I am in Zone 9a and planted to my Zone. This is a non-event for me. I'll sleep tight.

Ill do the same Keith. None of this worries me all that much, but it is interesting to chat about it.

Ironically, the most exploritory palms I have are from you. The majesty, which is under a Live Oak canopy will not even notice the low of 30 tonight, now will the L. saribus which is more exposed. I can't say thanks enough, but here I say thanks again.

Well, if it's only going to get down to 30 in a 9a zone, of course you'll sleep tight! :lol: As for the potentials for 20's in borderline 10a areas, this freeze is a little more troubling over here. Would you sleep so well if your forcast hinted at upper teens? :mrlooney:

To tell you the truth, I would. For many years I ran out and covered all kinds of things. I froze in the middle of the night, while it was raining, in super insulated coveralls putting lights and covers all over the place. I did this for years, not exaggerating. I am done with that. Life is too short.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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Somehow we're still at 30.9F here in spring hill. I've got PVC structures built around my A. cunninghamiana, wodyetia and bottles. They take about 5 minutes each to set up and are well worth it! Everyone is getting very depressed on here, but what gives? We get a freeze like this every what, 10 years? I say, take the time to protect the sensitive stuff. It's worth it to lose sleep 2 nights a year IMO...

I'm going to move the thermometer under them now to make sure the wind doesn't blow them off @ 20F! It's about 45 under them right now (complete with heaters) :)

Jon

Brooksville, FL 9a

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5:30am and 35.3F. Very cold, but breathing a sign of relief it hasn't gotten down to what was being predicted. Still a ways to go though till sun up, so keeping my fingers crossed.

Royal Palm Beach, FL.

USDA Zone 10A/10B Subtropical

26.7 degrees N. latitude

10 miles West of West Palm Beach and the ocean

Avg. yearly rainfall 58 inches

:cool:

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Somehow we're still at 30.9F here in spring hill. I've got PVC structures built around my A. cunninghamiana, wodyetia and bottles. They take about 5 minutes each to set up and are well worth it! Everyone is getting very depressed on here, but what gives? We get a freeze like this every what, 10 years? I say, take the time to protect the sensitive stuff. It's worth it to lose sleep 2 nights a year IMO...

Yeah, it IS worth it. I just don't have any decent cold-protection methods at the ready. How did you construct your PVC structures that you can set up in 5 minutes? I'd love something like that Just In Case.

At 5:30 we were still holding onto 36.2, just 3F less than Albert Whitted. They keep warning that temps could drop again, I guess even after sunrise. Parts of Lee & Pinellas could have freezing temps for a couple of hours, hope we don't.

Edited by SunnyFl

St. Pete

Zone - a wacked-out place between 9b & 10

Elevation = 44' - not that it does any good

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Parts of Lee & Pinellas could have freezing temps for a couple of hours, hope we don't.

Its going to be close for me.......~33F now with a dewpoint of 11F!?!??! Ill bet Ill bottom ~30F as weve still got a few hours to go.

The winds stayed NE all night, so the temp plumetted. But, these really could have been alot worse. I can see that, outside of south Pinellas (39F), everyone around Tampa Bay, and even parts north, are not that far off temp-wise (30-35F)due to the NE wind direction. The cold hole Vandenberg AP station (the coldest official station in Tampa area) is still showing 30F.

It looks like Orlando is generally hanging around 28-30F, which isnt too bad considering some outlets were showing forecasts in the lower 20's.

Edited by spockvr6

Larry 

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

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6:36am and been holding for quite awhile now at 35.1F. Starting to get light out, so just waiting for the sun now, to do some quick warming up. According to the local TV station, record for this date in WPB was 33F. Right now doesn't look like we will even tie it, but we'll see.

Royal Palm Beach, FL.

USDA Zone 10A/10B Subtropical

26.7 degrees N. latitude

10 miles West of West Palm Beach and the ocean

Avg. yearly rainfall 58 inches

:cool:

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Looks like the Keys are within ~5F of all time records......

Upper Keys seem to be in the low low 40's, mid Keys middle 40's, while lower Keys are upper 40's. I think the all time low for Key West is 43F, and theres a station there now showing 47F.

Larry 

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

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34.4F at 6:41 with a dew point of 14.7!

At 6:50 it's 35.3 in one part of the yard, 36 in another. I think we'll squeak through this - the temp could fall a bit more though.

Larry wrote:

Upper Keys seem to be in the low low 40's, mid Keys middle 40's, while lower Keys are upper 40's. I think the all time low for Key West is 43F, and theres a station there now showing 47F.

Good Morning, Larry - well I'm not going to complain then, if I have 35-36 when the upper keys have "low low 40's." Looking at the map you posted, just amazing how far south the mid-30's went. And Ryan posted from S. Broward - at 5:30 his temp was 35 when ours was 36.2.

St. Pete

Zone - a wacked-out place between 9b & 10

Elevation = 44' - not that it does any good

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34.4F at 6:41 with a dew point of 14.7!

At 6:50 it's 35.3 in one part of the yard, 36 in another. I think we'll squeak through this - the temp could fall a bit more though.

I think central south Pinellas will squeek by, but up my way (in my yard at least, as locations a tad bit further west are a few degrees warmer) looks like its going to fall just on the wrong side of that magic 32 number!

At 7AM around the county----

Central/South Pinellas

North Pinellas

Edited by spockvr6

Larry 

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

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Well...I can say Ive officially frozen! At 709AM, my station logged 31.9F!

Larry 

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

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Not as bad as forecast here in Mandarin. 23, 28 and 30 on my 3thermometers. The 23 was on a thermometer directly exposed to the night sky. I feared much worse!

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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