South Padre Island

[Xenon]

I'm thinking of buying land here, but unsure of the climate, any suggestion's?

[epicure3]

USDA says 9b but I would have to believe that it is a 10b most years.

[Zeeth]

I'd say it is somewhere between 10a and 10b most years, but every once in a while, cold hits it bad and they get a 9a-9b winter, so coconuts there will grow for a while, but they will die of cold in the really cold years. South Florida was warm enough for coconuts to not die in '89, but South Padre largely wasn't. This is what I've heard anyway.

[Jimbean]

I don't know much detail about Texas, but I remember back when members on this forum were doing a comparison between Florida and Texas, I estimated that South Padre Island temperature-growing conditions would be comparable somewhere between Cocoa Beach and New Smyrna Beach. I really don't know that for sure though.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Jimbean

[Rafael]

I would say it is a SIN to grow cocos nucifera overthere!

Edited January 26, 2010 by rafael

[happ]

Maybe check to see what kind of temps occurred on Padre Island over the past month would help considering it was likely as cold in Texas as it has been in decades. Anywhere in Texas is more vulnerable than Florida for arctic air masses.

[galveston1602]

SPI is usually a solid 10a but can easily hit 9a in a bad event (100 yr event) I think it was 89 when almost all Washingtonia robusta's were fried down in the valley.

We hit 25 in Galveston earlier this month yet SPI was hovering at about the freezing mark. thats a huge difference considering those same temps were in deep south florida at about the same time.

[PalmGuyWC]

Aside from the climate, it should not be overlooked that SPI is very vulnerable to hurricanes. A strong storm surge could sweep across the entire island. Most palms don't like salt water.

Dick

[Palehorse]

Aside from the climate, it should not be overlooked that SPI is very vulnerable to hurricanes. A strong storm surge could sweep across the entire island. Most palms don't like salt water.

Dick

Up the coast we were hit by hurricane Ike's storm surge followed by a brutal drought and heat wave. The only plants that survived were the Washintonias, Sabals, Canary Island Dates, and salt cedar.

[richtrav]

SPI recorded 32 this past January. I don't know if I would have the courage to live right there on a barrier island, between hurricane threats and the salt burn I don't think it's worth it just for a couple of degrees. It's still pretty warm around the much safer area of Bayview, which had 30 this winter. And yes the winter temperatures are similar to Central Florida's though the absolute lows are usually slightly higher due to the tendency for most cold fronts to come in cloudy (not this year unfortunately). So while most winters are fine but the "Big One" can clean us out of anything really tropical; in fact '89 killed coconuts and mangroves as far south as the Soto la Marina area

[DoomsDave]

I recall that someone posted pics a while back of literally a FOOT (30 cm) of snow in Corpus, which is near SPI.

The problem is that there's no barrier to the cold air all the way to the high Arctic. Blue northers can be nasty . . . .

BUT that part of Texas is very nice, all things considered. I lived there a while back in 1979.

[floridasun]

cocoa beach is def a 10b in all years, often in cocoa beach its warmer than 60 mile south, its warmer than other barrier islands....i dont know why but it is.

[Jimbean]

cocoa beach is def a 10b in all years, often in cocoa beach its warmer than 60 mile south, its warmer than other barrier islands....i dont know why but it is.

We both live in the same county, yet I will have to disagree. I suppose if you take averages, then yes, most of Brevard county is zone 10; but in the end, the average minimum is not the defining factor of zone in subtropical climates.

[floridasun]

have you been to the barrier islands lately? things are barly damaged... and its been cold

[Jimbean]

have you been to the barrier islands lately? things are barly damaged... and its been cold

I know.

This is my map:

It could use some tweaking, but so far, it is the best.

[Jimbean]

I would like to see someone from Texas make a zone map for their subtropical climate.

[floridasun]

thats good but it dosnt work for all years, orlando deserves a at least a solid 9b dont you think? it seems like indian river county did better on the mainland than we did, but only near the river.

Edited March 1, 2010 by floridasun

[Jimbean]

thats good but it dosnt work for all years, orlando deserves a at least a solid 9b dont you think?

It does, according to me.

it seems like indian river county did better on the mainland than we did, but only near the river.

Acknowledged, but this event was particularly bad for Brevard county. Even so, my zone map pretty much still held up.

[floridasun]

okay according to me it dosnt. sorry im not being sarcastic but ORLANDO IS NOT NOT NOT ZONE 9A. why dont you just say its 7 if its 9a. and i suposse im zone 8a.

Edited March 2, 2010 by floridasun

[Jimbean]

Dark brown 11A

Brown 10B

Red 10A

Yellow 9B

Orange 9A

Blue/green 8B

[Xenon]

Dave: Corpus is at 28N, SPI is at 26N. Corpus is about half way between Houston, and Brownsville/SPI. Corpus is 200 miles to the north..maybe you're reffering to NPI?

Happ: SPI logged 32f.

-Jonathan

Edited March 2, 2010 by Xenon

[Xenon]

Finally found a weather station on the island, here are the lows for the last 3 years.

2010: 32F

2009: 38F

2008: 42F

Avg: 37.3F

There's only been 2 significant freezes since 1989 in the RGV, 2010, 2004(100 year snowfall), and 1996. SPI probably saw a low of 31F in 2004 and 32F in 1996. Other then that a solid 10b climate!

Jonathan

[spockvr6]

Finally found a weather station on the island, here are the lows for the last 3 years.

2010: 32F

2009: 38F

2008: 42F

Avg: 37.3F

There's only been 2 significant freezes since 1989 in the RGV, 2010, 2004(100 year snowfall), and 1996. SPI probably saw a low of 31F in 2004 and 32F in 1996. Other then that a solid 10b climate!

Jonathan

The best way to know a nice 10b area is Coconuts! Youll see them everywhere.

[spockvr6]

Finally found a weather station on the island, here are the lows for the last 3 years.

2010: 32F

2009: 38F

2008: 42F

Avg: 37.3F

There's only been 2 significant freezes since 1989 in the RGV, 2010, 2004(100 year snowfall), and 1996. SPI probably saw a low of 31F in 2004 and 32F in 1996. Other then that a solid 10b climate!

Jonathan

The best way to know a nice 10b area is Coconuts! Youll see them everywhere.

IMO the lower 10a fringe areas just wont support Coconuts long term. I know.....Ive tried!

[Xenon]

Texas isn't like Florida, you won't see fields and fields of field grown coconuts. We can't get them shipped from Mexico or Florida either, so where else can you get coconuts? All of the cocos I saw last summer on the island looked fine, and a few were fruiting. Large Ficus and Pandanus too. Probably a similar climate to St. Pete Beach or Cocoa Beach. As soon as you cross the border they line the beaches with cocos...which is less then 40 miles south.

Jonathan

Edited December 24, 2010 by Xenon

[Takil-Explorer]

Well maybe you should move 40 km south then! Or a bit more. Mexico has very nice old colonial places. Some finca with land for growing cocos!

Viva Mexico!

Alexander

[DavidLee]

I would survey the area and look for old zone 10 palms. Look at their health as well. Use the link below to help out. Weather Stations are helpful but not the best indicator. In cold weather events one place varies to another. Sometimes weather stations are posted on bouys or out on piers. That doesnt give you a accurate picture of the local climate. That helps fisherman not you growing palms. I wouldnt suggest moving to Mexico either. Everybody know there is a war down there. Alot of people already died there in the past few years including Americans. I would go alot further south than that like costa rica or panama. You wouldnt have to ever worry about a freeze in those places. Also going over the border doesnt mean you will be immediately in a frost free paradise.

If you are looking for Coconut Palms you can find them on ebay. Search for Jamaican Tall. That variety can take little more cold than the dwarf types. Only downside they more susceptible to lethal yellow. Some survived 20 degrees in Clearwater in the 1989 freeze. Some died too. I hope this helps. Good luck. Also the second link is to a Hawaiian nursery that ships coconut sprouts.

http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/index.php/Palmpedia:PALMPEDIA_SURVIVABLILITY_INDEX

http://www.gaiayoga.org/nursery/coconut_palms.html