Big Freeze of 2014 - I just as soon start the thread now

[_Keith]

Now everybody should know that zone 9B does not exist on the northern gulf coast.

Galveston's lowest temp. was 28*F

There are some very small pockets of 9b, but most is 9a at best. Bear in mind though, that zones are averages and every zone has their freak events. 2010 was anything but ordinary.

Just out of curiosity, where would you classify zone 9B in Louisiana? Maybe the southern part of the delta?

There is a small section of the delta listed as 9b, but I am doubtful there. With the heat island effect, I think the New Orleans central area is 9b, but a cool 9b.

[Xenon]

Now everybody should know that zone 9B does not exist on the northern gulf coast.

Galveston's lowest temp. was 28*F

What is its all time record low?

14*F in 1989...single digits (?) in 1899...lowest since '89 has been 27*F...before 2010 there were 13 straight zone 10 winters

[Jimbean]

Now everybody should know that zone 9B does not exist on the northern gulf coast.

Galveston's lowest temp. was 28*F

There are some very small pockets of 9b, but most is 9a at best. Bear in mind though, that zones are averages and every zone has their freak events. 2010 was anything but ordinary.

Just out of curiosity, where would you classify zone 9B in Louisiana? Maybe the southern part of the delta?

There is a small section of the delta listed as 9b, but I am doubtful there. With the heat island effect, I think the New Orleans central area is 9b, but a cool 9b.

I was in New Orleans years ago, it strikes me as a 9A. The vegetation there reminds me of a South Jacksonville or St. Augustine.

[Jimbean]

Now everybody should know that zone 9B does not exist on the northern gulf coast.

Galveston's lowest temp. was 28*F

What is its all time record low?

14*F in 1989...single digits (?) in 1899...lowest since '89 has been 27*F...before 2010 there were 13 straight zone 10 winters

That roughly sounds like Daytona Beach over here, which is a 9B/9A.

[Jimbean]

By looking at the topography of Galveston area, it looks like a good candidate for a warm micro-climate.

[enigma99]

Feel sorry for you guys.. Looking at the forecast here in Cali, there is a slight chance we could get a night below 40 degrees next week. But it looks like all of the cold is back east! Hopefully Spring will be right around the corner

[palm tree man]

I wish you guys well; sorry for the cold front. We have an excellent climate for growing many palms with the exception of these happenings. I am signing off and would like to say goodnight everyone.

[_Keith]

Feel sorry for you guys.. Looking at the forecast here in Cali, there is a slight chance we could get a night below 40 degrees next week. But it looks like all of the cold is back east! Hopefully Spring will be right around the corner

I'll be basking in the sun and warmth of SoCal for the next 3 days starting tomorrow. Sure is gonna be hard to work. No time to see palms, but anyone care to join me for a glass of wine in Santa Ana Tuesday or Wednesday evening?

[palm tree man]

I am not a vegetarian sadly or a vegan which is totally against my hippie persona but I guess I am a paradox and always have been. I desire to join you sir but please order me a nice rare steak as well. Take care Keith.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

The models continue to hint at a de-amplified pattern for the US 7 days out, i.e. more zonal, which means the Southeast should be freeze free. They've been doing that for a while and falling short, but each time the flow is going more and more zonal. For example the West Coast ridge is back but much less intense than before, allowing far Northern California and the Pacific Northwest to go back to normal rainfall accumulations. It's going to break down further, probably won't be March before some real rain shows up for Central and Southern parts of California. Which also means the Southeast should have a warm Spring.

EXTENDED FORECAST DISCUSSION

NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD

1229 AM EST TUE FEB 11 2014

VALID 12Z FRI FEB 14 2014 - 12Z TUE FEB 18 2014

...PROLONGED ACTIVE AND WET FLOW OVER THE NWRN QUARTER OF THE

COUNTRY...

...PATTERN OVERVIEW AND GUIDANCE/UNCERTAINTY ASSESSMENT...

MODESTLY AMPLIFIED LOWER 48 FLOW GRADUALLY DEAMPLIFIES INTO NEXT

WEEK. FLOW ALOFT IS BROADLY DEFINED BY A WARMING WRN US RIDGE AND

COOLING/UNSETTLING EAST-CENTRAL US TROUGHING INTO THE

WEEKEND...WITH THIS PATTERN THEN SHIFTING GRADUALLY EWD AS

UPSTREAM PACIFIC FLOW WORKS INTO THE WEST. THE MODELS OFFER RUN

TO RUN CONTINUITY ISSUES WITH SENSIBLE WEATHER FOCUSING WEATHER

SYSTEMS EMBEDDED IN A MORE CONSISTENT LARGER SCALE FLOW

EVOLUTION...BUT THESE ISSUES HAVE LESSENED SOMEWHAT RECENTLY AND

NOW LEND NEAR AVERAGE PREDICTABILITY.

[Ed in Houston]

Went past a Palm Nursery by the Austin, Texas airport today. They had a low of 12F. Their palms looked like Keith's, but they were the more hardy varieties that were toasted.

I made the drive from Houston to Austin the other day also. The palms I saw along the way, mostly W. Robusta, looked OK until I got near the Austin airport. There they looked pretty badly burned, maybe dead. In Austin these palms looked OK. I expect the low around much of Austin was about 20. The area just east of Austin where the airport is located is a cold spot. It reminds me of the Archbold station in Florida that Walt mentioned in his post.

Ed in Houston

[Walt]

Walt thats good info thanks! I assume when you say your mature royal was fried...it came back? That's encouraging considering you had multiple nights in the low twenties.

Yes, my royal came back fine, but it took two years to regrow a full crown. Same goes for most of my other mature palms that were totally defoliated. Like many other royal palm growers in marginal climates similar to mine, once a royal gets some trunk it can survive short duration low temperatures down into the low 20s, possibly a little lower.

[Walt]

Walt, really sorry about your losses this year. Didn't realize you got that cold down in the peninsula this year.

Keith they are not calling for anything below freezing over here....will check again tonight hopefully no more this year we really need a break.

,

I'm bumming out today ... spear pulled on the largest trunk of my A. Wrightii and all the spears pulled on R. excelsa. This winter just keeps on giving......sucks.20140210_171719.jpg20140210_171707.jpg

No, no losses this year, that was in 2010. Specifically, December of 2010 (although January of 2010 was almost as bad).

[Walt]

Now everybody should know that zone 9B does not exist on the northern gulf coast.

Galveston's lowest temp. was 28*F

There are some very small pockets of 9b, but most is 9a at best. Bear in mind though, that zones are averages and every zone has their freak events. 2010 was anything but ordinary.

Just out of curiosity, where would you classify zone 9B in Louisiana? Maybe the southern part of the delta?

There is a small section of the delta listed as 9b, but I am doubtful there. With the heat island effect, I think the New Orleans central area is 9b, but a cool 9b.

While in the US Navy stationed in Key West, Florida (my last duty station before getting out), my ship steamed up to New Orleans for the 1971 Mardi Gras (1971). I can't be sure of the exact dates now (we were there several days), but I think we were arriving slightly after February 20th, and I noticed (on the MIssissippi River banks) many of the trees starting to show new green growth. Of course, I knew nothing about USDA plant hardiness zones back then. What I did know was that the climate had to be notably milder than at my first duty station that was Norfolk, Va., and possibly Charleston, S.C. (at least north Charleston) which was my second duty station. Charleston, S.C., down by the water is probably very similar to New Orleans proper. It was in Charleston that I saw my first Butia capitata, Canary Island date, and Washingtonia robusta palms (1968). There were some nice trunked Butia capitata palms (although I had no idea what species they were) on base, and I thought at the time they looked far too tropical to be growing there. It wasn't until I moved to Florida in 1997 that I learned of Butia capitata's hardiness.

[_Keith]

The craziness continues. Yeah, this ain't a normal winter, at all.

[Alicehunter2000]

Unbelievable.....that sucks. What kind of temps you experiencing?

[palm tree man]

Keith, I can't even believe that is real man! It is colder than usually for sure here but you guys are getting some really awful weather. Sorry man.

[_Keith]

Unbelievable.....that sucks. What kind of temps you experiencing?

Stayed just above freezing. But everything is wet, and they are sticking to a forecast low of 30 tonight. What a freak winter. I have seen almost as many ice storms this year alone as in the rest of my life cumulative, and I am not a spring chicken.

[Xhoniwaters1]

I certainly hope this isn't the new trend for the winters ahead. It looks like parts of South Carolina and Georgia might get close to a foot of snow in some places.

[Tropicdoc]

If this is the new trend I am giving up on a tropicalesque garden and investing in a vaction home in the tropics. This is ridiculous. Keith, some old-timers here in Houma are telling me this is the worst winter they can remember.... so its not just you. We stayed in the 40s yesterday and weatherbug has us at 36 tonight. Still cold though.

[Alicehunter2000]

Not supposed to go below freezing here...just upper 30's...but that was a helluva storm we had last night and this morning. Big low pushing up from the gulf is keeping temps above 32...maybe the Gulf is beginning to win.

[_Keith]

And again this happens while I am traveling on business. Nothing like finally getting home and walking into a busted up garden, over, and over, and over.

[Jimbean]

I certainly hope this isn't the new trend for the winters ahead.

I guess we are all going to have to wait and see.

Hopefully life goes on!

[Dakotafl]

I certainly hope this isn't the new trend for the winters ahead. It looks like parts of South Carolina and Georgia might get close to a foot of snow in some places.

The big climate "experts" are always going to say things every year to get people worried about something, i remember in 2004 when they were saying that we would have greatly more active hurricane seasons and instead it's been quiet.

I guess we just have to wait and see but life will go on.

[gsytch]

The next week or ten days will see some warming across most of the country, including my area in Tampa Bay. A break. The later we get into Feb, the less likely a freeze. It looks like the third consecutive freeze-free year here. Cold. YES! But no freezes. Another 1.2" of rain in yesterday's cold front, and today was breezy, 50's, not a lot of sun. Tonight 42F anticipated, chilly. I can see that next week's 80F temps will lead to some new growth on my palms, since they are nicely watered in. Perhaps the first fertilizing can happen.

[amazondk]

It seems like everynight lately on the Brazilian national news there are pictures of people stranded in airports in the States, roads a mess, people dying in the cold, etc. I have been putting off my plans of going to Montana now due other reasons than weather. Maybe next week I will go. I hope that the cold fronts go through by then. Since to get to Montana from Florida you have to connect through various airports, and many have been in the middle of the weather confusion. So, maybe putting off a little more my trip would be good. Here in my part of the world the skies have been dumping a lot of rain. But, that is normal, it is the rainy season, It looks like another front from the north is moving in.

dk

[Alicehunter2000]

Don, just remember when you get to the States is "yes" and not "si" at the airports ..... I had a difficult time with that after only 2 years in Puerto Rico. Took me about a day to not automatically respond that way. Have fun on your visit.

[Shirleypalmpaws]

It seems like everynight lately on the Brazilian national news there are pictures of people stranded in airports in the States, roads a mess, people dying in the cold, etc. I have been putting off my plans of going to Montana now due other reasons than weather. Maybe next week I will go. I hope that the cold fronts go through by then. Since to get to Montana from Florida you have to connect through various airports, and many have been in the middle of the weather confusion. So, maybe putting off a little more my trip would be good. Here in my part of the world the skies have been dumping a lot of rain. But, that is normal, it is the rainy season, It looks like another front from the north is moving in.

dk

Don, come to Florida this March and wait out the rest of the weather to go to Montana! Here's some fun stuff to do:

Mark your calendars now for 2 exciting events next month at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne. Saturday, March 1 is the date for the 2014 FIT Botanical Fest. Come join CFPACS and other plant vendors for the premiere plant festival on the Space Coast. On Saturday, March 29, CFPACS will have our spring meeting at the historic FIT Botanical Garden. Stay tuned for details on both of these events. (Source.)

Shameless plug…!

[_Keith]

High / Low (°F) Precip. % Day

Feb 14 Mostly Cloudy 67°/40° 10 % Sat
Feb 15 Sunny 61°/49° 0 % Sun
Feb 16 Partly Cloudy 68°/56° 20 % Mon
Feb 17 Partly Cloudy 73°/57° 20 % Tue
Feb 18 Cloudy 71°/57° 20 % Wed
Feb 19 Partly Cloudy 74°/59° 0 % Thu
Feb 20 Partly Cloudy 77°/61° 20 % Fri
Feb 21 Scattered T-Storms 74°/62° 40 % Sat
Feb 22 Scattered T-Storms 70°/48° 60 % Sun
Feb 23 Partly Cloudy 57°/42° 20 % Mon

Last Updated Feb 14 10:34 a.m. CT

Finally some heat on the way, but look out there on day 10. With this crazy year you got to what Day 11 will reveal.

[enigma99]

High / Low (°F) Precip. % Day

Feb 14 Mostly Cloudy 67°/40° 10 % Sat

Feb 15 Sunny 61°/49° 0 % Sun

Feb 16 Partly Cloudy 68°/56° 20 % Mon

Feb 17 Partly Cloudy 73°/57° 20 % Tue

Feb 18 Cloudy 71°/57° 20 % Wed

Feb 19 Partly Cloudy 74°/59° 0 % Thu

Feb 20 Partly Cloudy 77°/61° 20 % Fri

Feb 21 Scattered T-Storms 74°/62° 40 % Sat

Feb 22 Scattered T-Storms 70°/48° 60 % Sun

Feb 23 Partly Cloudy 57°/42° 20 % Mon

Last Updated Feb 14 10:34 a.m. CT

Finally some heat on the way, but look out there on day 10. With this crazy year you got to what Day 11 will reveal.

Reliability of forecasts really drop after 3 days so I wouldn't worry about it

[_Keith]

As you will see, our local ag folks are quite conservative and not very imaginative when it comes to palm. I know Allen. He's a great guy. I will shoot him a response tomorrow after I take some pictures of my own. - kt

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/news_archive/2014/february/headline_news/Louisiana-palm-trees-suffer-from-cold-weather-.htm

News Release Distributed 02/14/14

Louisiana palm trees suffer from cold weather

Freeze damage on a queen palm. (Photo by Allen Owings)

Windmill palm on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. (Photo by Tom Pope)

By Allen Owings
LSU AgCenter horticulturist

HAMMOND, La. – Palm trees have become increasingly popular in Louisiana home landscapes recently, and this resurgence mainly can be attributed to the lack of severely cold weather over the past 30 years.

Some of us remember the winters of the early 1980s and late 1980s that resulted in considerable damage to palms around the state. More recently, the winter of 2010 damaged palms with several nights in the upper teens in south Louisiana. And now, this year’s significant cold weather has done it again around the state.

With temperatures in the lower teens on several occasions in north Louisiana and even the upper and mid-teens in some locations in south Louisiana, palms have been damaged, and a good numbered have been killed.

The species of palms you have in the landscape, the locations where they are planted and their condition before cold weather set it will determine how much your palms may have been damaged. Queen, sabal, Canary Island, Sylvester, Mediterranean fan and cabbage palms, along with some other species, are showing cold damage. Even more cold-hardy palms, such as windmills, have damage. Also, you can see considerable brown foliage on sago palms, which is not a palm but a member of the cycad family.

Palms have a central growing point (bud or heart) at the top of the plant where the fronds emerge. This growing area is exposed to weather conditions. People typically wrap a palm trunk in burlap or frost-protection blanket to prevent cold damage, but this does no good. The growing point where fronds originate is the area that must be protected from cold weather.

Fronds on even some of the more cold-tolerant palms have been damaged by this winter’s cold weather. So, what should you do?

If a portion of a frond is still green, leave it on the plant. Be sure to keep the fronds on the plant as long as possible. It takes palms a considerable amount of time to produce new foliage after old foliage is damaged.

We need to be extremely patient with damaged palms. Palms usually start their season’s growth long after other shrubs and trees start their spring growth flushes. A sign that a palm is dead is when the spear leaf in the center of a palm canopy can be pulled out of the bud or heart. If palms do start regrowth by early summer, it is possible that the new, emerging fronds will be misshapen.

Even though they suffered some damage, one of the most cold-hardy palms you can plant in Louisiana is the windmill palm. This species can be grown across the state and is one that can be planted in more northern locations.

Windmill palms are cold-hardy to 15 to 20 degrees and can tolerate lower temperatures for short times. Windmill palms are not considered as “sexy” as some of the newer species being used, but their durability should be given high consideration when selecting landscape palms for Louisiana.

Windmill palms have average heights of 15 to 25 feet but can be as tall as 40 feet. Trunks are slender, and mats of dark brown, hair-like fibers coat the trunk on younger palms. Windmill palms like ample water but don’t do well in extremely moist soils or standing water. Low, poorly drained areas will significantly slow growth of windmill palms. They have high drought tolerance and moderate salt tolerance.

If you want to replace cold-damaged palms this year, plan to plant in early summer. Ideally, palms should be planted at the hotter times of the year. Root growth on palms is different than other landscape plants. Root growth in Louisiana is best in June, July and August – times of the year when many other plants are not growing new roots. Palms also benefit from annual fertilization in early summer.

You can see more about work being done in landscape horticulture by visiting the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station website. Also, like us on Facebook. You can find an abundance of landscape information for both home gardeners and industry professionals at both sites.

Rick Bogren

[amazondk]

Don, just remember when you get to the States is "yes" and not "si" at the airports ..... I had a difficult time with that after only 2 years in Puerto Rico. Took me about a day to not automatically respond that way. Have fun on your visit.

Thanks, Dave. The main problem that I have when I get to the States is to try not apply the Manaus road rules when driving. People get somewhat upset if you do. Even in South Florida which does have it's share of crazy drivers.

Thanks Shirley. I will not have time for much as I have to see my supplier in Naples and take care of some other business matters in South Florida. The trip to Montana is to see my parents. I just check the forecast for the next ten days for Great Falls, MT and the highs are in the 40s F. Which is not too bad. But, since weather always changes who knows. For the most part the bad weather of this year has gone east of there. It was minus 30 F week before last though.

dk

[_Keith]

Every other week, as if on queue here it comes. Spring is trying to arrive, but winter just won't go away.

Winter Storm Seneca Forecast: Blizzard Conditions Possible...

[palm tree man]

I agree Keith it was over 80 degrees here today and has been in the 70's since the horrible happening that we dare not speak its name of from January. The grass is growing the deciduous trees are starting to bud. From my youth on the farm we would be tilling the soil and preparing to plant right now. I always trust nature and often consult the local weather media. Neither are right 100% of the time but using all the given information you can attempt to justly prepare.

[Alicehunter2000]

The winter that won't go away......supposed to be 37 and then 36 degrees Wed. and Thur. night this week. Hope it doesn't go any lower.

[_Keith]

The winter that won't go away......supposed to be 37 and then 36 degrees Wed. and Thur. night this week. Hope it doesn't go any lower.

Crazy, isn't it. Butt better than where I am now. Lows of 12 and 6 coming next few nights.

[palm tree man]

It seems to be lingering on and on and on and on. The deciduous tree are starting to bud though so fear not it will nog be much longer.

[Alicehunter2000]

The winter that won't go away......supposed to be 37 and then 36 degrees Wed. and Thur. night this week. Hope it doesn't go any lower.

Crazy, isn't it. Butt better than where I am now. Lows of 12 and 6 coming next few nights.

Please tell me you are not at home.

[_Keith]

The winter that won't go away......supposed to be 37 and then 36 degrees Wed. and Thur. night this week. Hope it doesn't go any lower.

Crazy, isn't it. Butt better than where I am now. Lows of 12 and 6 coming next few nights.

Please tell me you are not at home.

Just got back from Ohio. Now that is one cold place. I shall not complain again for a while about being cold.

[palm tree man]

Yeah, I was in Upstate New York years ago for a short time and I am thankful for those folks that can stand it up there. Snow is really pretty to look at but I wouldn't want to live anywhere were it consistently snowed every year. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........