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Potential for Florida Freeze in February


IHB1979

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58 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

I'd say it is smart decision to measure at the coldest place in your yard just to be conservative. I just have mine out on the back porch for now until I get around to actually installing the sensor somewhere. lol

Good idea.  That way, you can plan most of your planting around what will survive in the coldest part of the yard.  If it can survive there, then it should thrive in other parts of the yard.

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The very latest forecast from the NWS shows nothing below 40F over the next week, though I suspect that will change.  Still, I'm not expecting a threat for near freezing temperatures here through Valentine's Day.  After that, the chances for a freeze diminish substantially each week and are extremely unlikely (though not unprecedented) by the beginning of March.

Last February we did get our coldest air of the winter in the last part of the third week in February, so we are not quite out of the woods yet.

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1 hour ago, palmsOrl said:

The very latest forecast from the NWS shows nothing below 40F over the next week, though I suspect that will change.  Still, I'm not expecting a threat for near freezing temperatures here through Valentine's Day.  After that, the chances for a freeze diminish substantially each week and are extremely unlikely (though not unprecedented) by the beginning of March.

Last February we did get our coldest air of the winter in the last part of the third week in February, so we are not quite out of the woods yet.

William,

What is the latest freeze Orlando has experienced, and the earliest too for that matter?

John

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37 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

William,

What is the latest freeze Orlando has experienced, and the earliest too for that matter?

John

Orlando international: Earliest historical freeze is Nov 21, latest is March 17

Orlando Executive airport (one of the warmest spots in Orlando): Earliest historical freeze is Dec 14, latest is Feb 5

 I got this data from the weather underground stations. 

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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3 hours ago, Zeeth said:

Orlando international: Earliest historical freeze is Nov 21, latest is March 17

Orlando Executive airport (one of the warmest spots in Orlando): Earliest historical freeze is Dec 14, latest is Feb 5

 I got this data from the weather underground stations. 

Thanks, Keith.  Here in Corpus Christ, our earliest freeze ever recorded was Oct. 31, 1993, and I think it got all the way down to 28F that day, which this far south and that early in the season is just unheard of.  That would probably be a once in a 300 to 500 year occurrence.  Our last recorded freeze here was Mar. 31, 1987, but I am not sure how cold it got, probably no lower than 31F.  Our average range of when a freeze can occur here though (at the airport of course, well inland from me) is from Dec. 21 to Feb. 3, so in any given year, Corpus Christi only has a window of about a month and half for a freeze, and usually I think the airport averages about 5 or 6 each winter.

John

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Sunday night predicted low: 43F          Then upper 40s most of the week. Highs won't top 70 till next Sat.

This morning's low was 53F but with high winds that cut through you. High 61F. At least the sun is out. Rained well into last night - got 1.1" to add to 1.6" from couple days ago. Average for Feb is 2.2" so we have already exceeded that for the month.

Last night I brought in the new potted palm seedlings I just received from Floribunda because of rain. Tonight the super sensitives join them. Just a couple more weeks of this, I hope.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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I wonder what the predictions are for Central Florida, especially Orlando, Tampa and the coastal areas?  Anyone want to chime in for your part of Florida?

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The wind is really whipping through today. Weather.gov always seems to be the most accurate for my garden, so far they put us at 45˚ tonight, 49˚ Tuesday night, 46˚ Wednesday night and 47˚ Thursday night. Nothing too major, but there's always a chance for that to change. 

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Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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On 2/6/2016, 12:16:15, NorCalKing said:

Exactly. I've said it before, we really never get these arctic outbreaks, or snow for that matter. And btw, there are times that L.A. inland areas will get snow, and we here in the Bay Area are snow free. Latitude loses meaning quickly here. Snow even in the inland valleys is virtually unheard of. You see in California it only gets really cold on very clear nights, with no wind, which of course clear skies do not lend themselves to any kind of precipitation.

 

Here is an example of how rare snow is here in Livermore (where I live)...And we are in a much colder area, than SF proper. The historical data shows only once that measurable snow has ever been recorded.

http://www.elivermore.com/photos/Hist_lvr_weather.htm

I know your area very well. I lived in Stockton 1981-1997, 1999-2002, 2005, 2011-2012; I lived in Albany 2002-2003, and in Berkeley 2003-2004; I lived in Fairfield from 2012-2015. Non-mountain Northern California is functionally snow-free. And the Berkeley hills are as moderate as Santa Barbara in terms of winter lows, but NorCal never has enough warmth and sun in the winter :-( 

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For the moment, Forecast here is identical to what Keith had suggested for Palmetto varying only by a couple degrees. Lowest temp for the week looks vary between 41 and 45F, depending on Accuweather or Underground's forecasts. Highs hover around 60-65 early week, then return to around 70.. maybe low/mid 70s by Saturday/Sunday.. Models right now aren't all that encouraging for a big warm up.. Hopefully that changes. It would be nice to see an end to this ..80 one day, 60 the next type of pattern. If you like it cold?.. head north.:winkie:

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19 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

For the moment, Forecast here is identical to what Keith had suggested for Palmetto varying only by a couple degrees. Lowest temp for the week looks vary between 41 and 45F, depending on Accuweather or Underground's forecasts. Highs hover around 60-65 early week, then return to around 70.. maybe low/mid 70s by Saturday/Sunday.. Models right now aren't all that encouraging for a big warm up.. Hopefully that changes. It would be nice to see an end to this ..80 one day, 60 the next type of pattern. If you like it cold?.. head north.:winkie:

Excellent advice!  But I like growing tropical palms and orchids, so I am torn.  Practical indoor setups are doable for a larger orchid collection, but not so much for palms, unless wealthy.

I really can live with the summers here as long as the rainy season pattern is in full swing.  What I really can't stand (like older folks in windy 10F weather) are those dry, sunny heat waves we get in the summer where it is 95-98F with 12 hours of full sun and no clouds, let alone rain.

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Looking pretty chilly all week. Below normal temps until the weekend, but nothing below the low 40's, hopefully nothing lower.

Lived in Cape Coral, Miami, Orlando and St. Petersburg Florida.

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The forecast is for 40 here Friday morning, but it looks like the daily high won't be in the 70s again until Saturday. 

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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4 hours ago, Yunder Wækraus said:

I know your area very well. I lived in Stockton 1981-1997, 1999-2002, 2005, 2011-2012; I lived in Albany 2002-2003, and in Berkeley 2003-2004; I lived in Fairfield from 2012-2015. Non-mountain Northern California is functionally snow-free. And the Berkeley hills are as moderate as Santa Barbara in terms of winter lows, but NorCal never has enough warmth and sun in the winter :-( 

Actually we are getting a real nice stretch. 72 today, and 7 of the next 10 days 70+ :)

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4 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

For the moment, Forecast here is identical to what Keith had suggested for Palmetto varying only by a couple degrees. Lowest temp for the week looks vary between 41 and 45F, depending on Accuweather or Underground's forecasts. Highs hover around 60-65 early week, then return to around 70.. maybe low/mid 70s by Saturday/Sunday.. Models right now aren't all that encouraging for a big warm up.. Hopefully that changes. It would be nice to see an end to this ..80 one day, 60 the next type of pattern. If you like it cold?.. head north.:winkie:

I agree, Nathan.  I wish all those who like it cold would move north and leave all the south for those of us who like it warm.  I get so tired of people bitching about the heat here in the south (normal heat even in the summer is what I am talking about, not the record breaking off the charts climate change heat that is occurring nowadays in many areas).

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3 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Excellent advice!  But I like growing tropical palms and orchids, so I am torn.  Practical indoor setups are doable for a larger orchid collection, but not so much for palms, unless wealthy.

I really can live with the summers here as long as the rainy season pattern is in full swing.  What I really can't stand (like older folks in windy 10F weather) are those dry, sunny heat waves we get in the summer where it is 95-98F with 12 hours of full sun and no clouds, let alone rain.

I think those kind of days are becoming more common with climate change.  Here in Corpus Christi and throughout South Texas for that matter, we used to have showers and thunderstorms periodically throughout the spring and summer, but not anymore.  Now we have prolonged abnormally hot and very dry periods without so much as a quick afternoon shower, and then last year, we went from the tail end of the WORST DROUGHT in Texas' history to the WORST FLOODING all within a span of 8 months!  That is absolutely unheard of!  And now we are getting dry again.

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One time I talked with a new student from West Palm Beach who said that he loved that it actually got cool here in N. FL- he was like "It's hot all the time down there, even in the winter."

I think it's the UNUSUAL heat in winter in the south that people are not liking as much, although I don't immediately link it directly to climate change. I mean, a few decades ago it was the cold weather that was the big talk in places like Central and South FL. I wouldn't be surprised if we are just cycling back to a warming phase, even if that cycle is buried within the larger movement of climate change.

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Colder than expected here tonight, just 43.1 right now. Seems like there's an above average climate difference in the bay area tonight.

02072016.thumb.jpg.1a6174072249e1bfb47b6

 

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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2 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

I agree, Nathan.  I wish all those who like it cold would move north and leave all the south for those of us who like it warm.  I get so tired of people bitching about the heat here in the south (normal heat even in the summer is what I am talking about, not the record breaking off the charts climate change heat that is occurring nowadays in many areas).

As much as i scratch my head when it comes to those who are really enjoying all these cool spells, and actually would want it cooler.. i'll be the first to admit that while heat  itself isn't a big deal during the summer, i am glad that i won't miss the May till September, constant humidity.. As hot as 100-105F with a 25-30% humidity can be, that is a cake walk in the park compared to every day basically spent between 89- 96F+ 75- 80+% humidity.. At least for me personally. As far as what Palmsorl points out, yes.. those stretches where we don't get rain during the rainy season are worse. At least if you get a good storm around sunset, it takes the bite out of the soupy air for a little bit.

That being said, i was surprised how much more i had to water compared to what id anticipated. Kind of frustrating standing in the yard watering stuff while watching a good storm fall apart right before reaching us many times last year. No doubt variability in rainfall distribution in any monsoonal climate is normal but something about the pattern just seems off lately.. In any event, once temps reach 115F.. that is just HOT.. no matter what. On the other hand, nights like that do make for some great road cruising, looking for Reptiles or other night critters. That reminds me, gotta start looking at Snake hooks..

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51 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

Colder than expected here tonight, just 43.1 right now. Seems like there's an above average climate difference in the bay area tonight.

02072016.thumb.jpg.1a6174072249e1bfb47b6

 

Cool pocket of air in St. Pete tonight too... 

02072016_stpete.thumb.jpg.8bbff838988fc5

These temps obviously aren't low enough to really be concerned about, but I'd be very interested to understand why the cold spots are showing up. At first I thought it might be something with the wind but it is calm tonight. I'm really not understanding why NE St Pete would be cooler than a large part of Tampa... Anyone with a stronger meteorology background know what's up?

 

Edited by RedRabbit

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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One more screenshot of that cool patch cutting through central Pinellas County:

02072016_stpete2.thumb.jpg.c66f71345a2ef

We dropped pretty quick in my area, but sorta stabilized at 42. A mile NW of me is showing 38 on Wunderground... Not trying to make a big deal over these temps because they're not going to harm anything, but I'd just like to understand what accounts for fairly large temp differences tonight.

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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2 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

Colder than expected here tonight, just 43.1 right now. Seems like there's an above average climate difference in the bay area tonight.

02072016.thumb.jpg.1a6174072249e1bfb47b6

 

Wow, look at that 39F!  What a cold pocket to the east of Brandon.

 

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2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

As much as i scratch my head when it comes to those who are really enjoying all these cool spells, and actually would want it cooler.. i'll be the first to admit that while heat  itself isn't a big deal during the summer, i am glad that i won't miss the May till September, constant humidity.. As hot as 100-105F with a 25-30% humidity can be, that is a cake walk in the park compared to every day basically spent between 89- 96F+ 75- 80+% humidity.. At least for me personally. As far as what Palmsorl points out, yes.. those stretches where we don't get rain during the rainy season are worse. At least if you get a good storm around sunset, it takes the bite out of the soupy air for a little bit.

That being said, i was surprised how much more i had to water compared to what id anticipated. Kind of frustrating standing in the yard watering stuff while watching a good storm fall apart right before reaching us many times last year. No doubt variability in rainfall distribution in any monsoonal climate is normal but something about the pattern just seems off lately.. In any event, once temps reach 115F.. that is just HOT.. no matter what. On the other hand, nights like that do make for some great road cruising, looking for Reptiles or other night critters. That reminds me, gotta start looking at Snake hooks..

Nathan,

I must admit that the humidity is starting to get to me here from May through Sept., especially the older I get, but it's just the price I have to pay to live in an area I can grow Coconut Palms and other lush tropical and where I can have mild winters.  The cold still gets to me more though than the summer humidity.

John

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1 hour ago, RedRabbit said:

Cool pocket of air in St. Pete tonight too... 

02072016_stpete.thumb.jpg.8bbff838988fc5

These temps obviously aren't low enough to really be concerned about, but I'd be very interested to understand why the cold spots are showing up. At first I thought it might be something with the wind but it is calm tonight. I'm really not understanding why NE St Pete would be cooler than a large part of Tampa... Anyone with a stronger meteorology background know what's up?

 

That is weird, but I am still trying to figure out why my yard is a cold pocket over here in Corpus Christi, even though I am only .6 a mile from the Laguna Madre.  Even though my yard is usually milder than the airport which is much further inland for the morning low, it is still cooler here than the immediate surrounding area around my place.

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53 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

One more screenshot of that cool patch cutting through central Pinellas County:

02072016_stpete2.thumb.jpg.c66f71345a2ef

We dropped pretty quick in my area, but sorta stabilized at 42. A mile NW of me is showing 38 on Wunderground... Not trying to make a big deal over these temps because they're not going to harm anything, but I'd just like to understand what accounts for fairly large temp differences tonight.

Look at the 14F difference from 43F to 57F just above the "burg" part of Saint Petersburg, and that only represents a mile or two difference!  Very weird indeed.

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Colder than expected tonight here in Winter Park, north of Orlando too.  I was driving home at about 7:45 pm tonight and the car thermometer read 54F and I thought, no biggie, tonight will be 40F (as forecast) at the very lowest.  Well looking at the temperature differences in the area weather stations on Wunderground, it is ridiculous how much variation in temperature there is.  My yard thermometer read 40F as of 20 minutes ago.  A downtown Orlando station is at 51F (most in and really close to downtown are 46-49F) while the NW Orlando suburbs range from 36-44F.  If you move your location on the map well to the south and SE of Orlando it is just as cold (35F-44F) as the rural areas to the N and NW of town.  So, as far as the urban heat island effect downtown, I'd say there is a bare minimum of roughly a 5-8F difference between the core of downtown and rural areas well outside the city.  I know there are other factors at work (elevation, proximity to water, etc.) besides human civilization dictating the temperature variation tonight, but I'd say the difference due to the heat island could actually be more like 10-12F.  I need to find a way to save the images of the temperature maps like RedRabbit so I can actually post (picture is worth 1,000 words).

While I have all the orchids, potted tropical palms and other tender exotics in the greenhouse, I didn't cover or protect a single thing.  I thought that most nights this week would be just a bit to mild to actually cover stuff.  My betel nut might be toast.  I plan to cover it (and a few others) tomorrow and leave it that way for at least the next week.  Could be too late!  Also, it was kind of surreal walking in the 40F cold past a healthy in-ground Cyrtostachys (the hybrid) just now.

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I do not have a background in meteorology, I've just been an avid weather enthusiast for 20+ years.  The temperature differences within a given area tend to be greatest on calm nights just like tonight, when maximum radiational cooling can occur.  Almost completely unmixed by surface winds, the cold air can "pool" in lower elevation spots, and areas artificially heated by urbanization show evidence of all the heat put off, as higher temperatures resulting from less effective radiational cooling.  Also, areas bordering bodies of water such as lakes and the ocean are kept warmer by the heat given off by the warm water, and this effect rapidly diminishes and ceases with greater distance from a given body of water (whereas, with higher wind speeds, the warming effect, particularly from really large bodies of water, can be carried further from the source.  So, for example with calm winds, the temp. at St. Pete Beach might be 56F, while the temperature 5 miles away in the middle of the Tampa Bay Peninsula is 40F.  On a similar night with 15-20 mph winds, the temperatures might be more like 55F St. Pete Beach and 52F at aforementioned inland location.  When the winds are not calm (or nearly so) the air in a given area tends to mix together, leading to a generally more homogenous temperature distribution that changes gradually with changes in latitude and other geographical factors.  It is really complex and there is much more to it than my vague descriptions above.  Anybody with a degree in meteorology care to shed some better light on the subject?

As we speak, the temperature on the Tampa Bay Peninsula itself ranges from 36F to 56F!  Meanwhile, the temperature is still 40F on my thermometer under oak canopy and 34F(!) in the open part of the back yard in the grass at ground level (note, this thermometer placement is such that it will likely record the lowest reading possible in the immediate area).  I might get a reading in the 20s out of it tonight.  Though even if it does technically register a low in the 20s, that does not mean that I will say it got in the 20s at my house.  For one, my tropical palms would mostly be defoliated if it did and they won't be.  Also, official temperatures are not measured at ground level.

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Dropped like a rocket since 2am currently 38F. Much colder than anticipated or forecasted! ;)

Begonias are my thing. I've been growing and selling them for three decades, nearly two in Tampa Bay. NPR is an bhour N of St Pete, coast

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Houston cools down on nights with light winds typically like this:

A screen shot from this morning.

houston1.jpg.fb7a0c25ff7de571e9cf7f9ea7d

Typically downtown and east towards the Bay and then S.E. toward Galveston stays the warmest.

Ed in Houston

 

 

 

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Good morning.  As predicted, we are beginning our slide into more realistic numbers. Just think, it's only Monday so if you're still feeling smug, give it time.  :angry: 

Daytona Beach - 33, 34 

Fort Myers – 40, 42 (Thu, Fri)

Gainesville – 28, 29

Jacksonville – 26, 26

Melbourne – 38, 33

Miami – 49, 47 (Brrrrrrrrrrr you  might need socks)

Naples – 45, 41

Orlando – 38, 35

Panama City – 28, 28

Pensacola – 33, 33, 33 (Tue, Wed and Thurs)

Sarasota – 42, 38 (Thurs, Fri)

Tallahassee – 27, 25

Tampa – 38, 42 (Thurs, Fri)

Vero Beach – 35, 39 (Thurs, Fri)

West Palm Beach - 43, 41

Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

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I was at 45 this morning in Indian Harbour Beach. A West Melbourne co-worker reported frost on her windshield and open lawns west of I95.

Here's my outlook as of this morning. Will be watching that Thursday forecast. Still time to improve...or slide colder. :huh:

NOAA, Unisys, WU

Monday 66/44, 65/45, 66/44

Tuesday 65/42, 62/45, 56/43

Wednesday 64/43, 62/42, 59/42

Thursday 57/46, 58/38, 58/49

Friday 65/53, 65/42, 67/53

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It was 44F here intown at Leu Gardens and 40 at my house in Altamonte Springs.

This week looks cool but not bad. I'm enjoying the coolness as it will be 90F again soon. 

NWS is showing lows of 44 for Mon, 41 Tues, 38 Wed, and 40 for Thurs. and 50 for  Fri. Back to a high 70 on Sat.

 

Eric

Orlando, FL

zone 9b/10a

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Actual low: 48F           Predicted: 43F      I'll take it

Weekly prediction per local TV station:

Mon    66/54

Tues  64/47

Wed   62/43

Thur   63/43

Fri   69/50

Sat  72/48

Below average but not drastically so. Had to balance out that record high Dec. somehow.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Remember to ignore whatever your local TV station or NWS office is saying for the moment.  They use the GFS numbers for their predicted lows but always go a bit less drastic....until that specific night is upon us.  They then set their lows to match the GFS.  I've seen it too many times and is true more often than not. 

By the way, next Monday and Tuesday mornings look to be getting colder as well and may eclipse this week's cool snap.  That light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train...:bemused: 

Tampa, Interbay Peninsula, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10A

Bokeelia, Pine Island, Florida, USA

subtropical USDA Zone 10B

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   This morning , 2-8-16 , I had to go to a project in New Smyrna Beach , which is about 15 miles south of my home in Holly Hill , a

little town amongst the 7 separate cities that make up the immediate Daytona Beach area.

It was darkish when I left here , and about 40 even in my canopy.

  In NSB , on the mainland side , and just west of US1 , but in a tree-y area there was a goodly bit of frost , both on house tops , and on the

ground in low areas or open areas .

I'll be repeating the trip tomorrow morning .

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6 hours ago, SubTropicRay said:

Remember to ignore whatever your local TV station or NWS office is saying for the moment.  They use the GFS numbers for their predicted lows but always go a bit less drastic....until that specific night is upon us.  They then set their lows to match the GFS.  I've seen it too many times and is true more often than not. 

By the way, next Monday and Tuesday mornings look to be getting colder as well and may eclipse this week's cool snap.  That light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train...:bemused: 

I haven't seen signs of that here in my local weather sources, but when you speak about weather I listen. Will pay attention. Not surprised local TV news stations hedge their forecasts. They're so flippy-dippy focused on wowing snow birds and tourists with the notion of "perfect" FL weather. Never before lived in an area so intent on contemplating its own navel and braying the results to the world. Self-important and self-obsessed. BTW, the whole month of Feb. is devoted to worshipping at the altar of the Almighty Edison. Stand back, Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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In the FL Panhandle we've been having consistent N. FL winter weather with temps around freezing fairly regularly the last few weeks; only maybe 3 times it has dipped in the 20's the entire winter. Have been using a jacket a lot lately. After the unbelievably warm November and early December, I'm actually liking it. Hasn't gotten below equivalent of 9b, and at the same time, the consistently colder temps are providing some good chilling hours for many of the deciduous things up here. Really wacky winter messes them up; in the 2006-2007 winter I remember the bradford pears trying to bloom in January.

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2 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I haven't seen signs of that here in my local weather sources, but when you speak about weather I listen. Will pay attention. Not surprised local TV news stations hedge their forecasts. They're so flippy-dippy focused on wowing snow birds and tourists with the notion of "perfect" FL weather. Never before lived in an area so intent on contemplating its own navel and braying the results to the world. Self-important and self-obsessed. BTW, the whole month of Feb. is devoted to worshipping at the altar of the Almighty Edison. Stand back, Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln.

That's funny, Meg, but so true.  The same is true over here but for a different reason than weather.  The local powers that be and the local media for the last 3.5 years since I moved here have been BRAGGING like a lion roaring about how great the local Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend economy and job market are, despite the fact that our homeless rate is growing by leaps and bounds and there was a record high number of over 50,000 applicants for housing assistance for only 1,000 available spaces!  the city was blown away by that number and it had never been anywhere close to that number.  The propaganda is so thick you could choke on it!  Anyway, our local weathermen have been predicting lows higher than I knew they were going to be with clear skies, low wind, and VERY LOW humidity and dew points.  I guess they are trying to impress the Winter Texans who come down here and to the Valley for the winter.

John

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18 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Look at the 14F difference from 43F to 57F just above the "burg" part of Saint Petersburg, and that only represents a mile or two difference!  Very weird indeed.

Usually temperatures are pretty uniform because conditions aren't really that different. Very very strange to see such profound differences last night.

15 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

I do not have a background in meteorology, I've just been an avid weather enthusiast for 20+ years.  The temperature differences within a given area tend to be greatest on calm nights just like tonight, when maximum radiational cooling can occur.  Almost completely unmixed by surface winds, the cold air can "pool" in lower elevation spots, and areas artificially heated by urbanization show evidence of all the heat put off, as higher temperatures resulting from less effective radiational cooling.  Also, areas bordering bodies of water such as lakes and the ocean are kept warmer by the heat given off by the warm water, and this effect rapidly diminishes and ceases with greater distance from a given body of water (whereas, with higher wind speeds, the warming effect, particularly from really large bodies of water, can be carried further from the source.  So, for example with calm winds, the temp. at St. Pete Beach might be 56F, while the temperature 5 miles away in the middle of the Tampa Bay Peninsula is 40F.  On a similar night with 15-20 mph winds, the temperatures might be more like 55F St. Pete Beach and 52F at aforementioned inland location.  When the winds are not calm (or nearly so) the air in a given area tends to mix together, leading to a generally more homogenous temperature distribution that changes gradually with changes in latitude and other geographical factors.  It is really complex and there is much more to it than my vague descriptions above.  Anybody with a degree in meteorology care to shed some better light on the subject?

As we speak, the temperature on the Tampa Bay Peninsula itself ranges from 36F to 56F!  Meanwhile, the temperature is still 40F on my thermometer under oak canopy and 34F(!) in the open part of the back yard in the grass at ground level (note, this thermometer placement is such that it will likely record the lowest reading possible in the immediate area).  I might get a reading in the 20s out of it tonight.  Though even if it does technically register a low in the 20s, that does not mean that I will say it got in the 20s at my house.  For one, my tropical palms would mostly be defoliated if it did and they won't be.  Also, official temperatures are not measured at ground level.

Last night it started getting cool at my place around 9pm going from about 50f to 42f by midnight. After midnight it inched lower to 40.4f when I left for work at 7:20am. Gsytch mentioned that the temperature dropped like a rock beginning around 2am which I find very interesting. It seems like the "cold air pools" last night hit certain locals first and eventually permeated throughout a wide part of the region. Some areas never even cooled off like the University of Tampa which read 51f. I work in downtown Tampa and I saw a 9 degree difference on the car thermometer from the time I left home to the time I arrived at the office... The difference in temperature was wild, as you said it ranged from 36f to to 56f in the Tampa peninsula which usually has a fairly uniform temperature. I noticed in coastal areas of Pinellas County like N St. Pete, Gulfport, and South Pasadena made it into the low 40s and there were even some readings in the 30s. Needless to say, that is really unexpected to see temps there lower than downtown Tampa. 

Edited by RedRabbit

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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16 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

I need to find a way to save the images of the temperature maps like RedRabbit so I can actually post (picture is worth 1,000 words).

All I'm doing is pressing PrtSc and pasting into Microsoft Paint. I made it a point to check out Orlando last night too and there was no shortage of weirdness there either.

  • Upvote 1

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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