We got the winds Sunday and Monday, then they die down and now its frost.  I was out about 7am doing my loop with the dog, and frost was on all the rooftops in NW Leucadia east of the train tracks, and west of the 5 freeway.  We went south to Leucadia Blvd, and were on the same ridgeline that Jungle Music sits on and were still seeing frost on rooftops. I am at a lower elevation at 72', even though the "bottom" of the ridge is still west of me at the Coast Highway, before it rises back up again west of PCH.  I know I am colder than the higher elevations in my neighborhood, but  I thought when I got back up to the ridgeline above the freeway, the frost would dissipate. It didn't.  None seen forming on plants, but it was clear to see on the rooftops.  I have an open area in my backyard, and the thermometer there bottomed out at 30F this morning, while the rest of the yard with a little canopy for protection bottomed at 36F.  Haven't lived in this house long enough to know how low things can get, but I'm hoping that is close to the bottom.  I'm curious if other parts of So Cal were hitting close to their winter lows last night.

7 hours ago, Tracy said:

We got the winds Sunday and Monday, then they die down and now its frost.  I was out about 7am doing my loop with the dog, and frost was on all the rooftops in NW Leucadia east of the train tracks, and west of the 5 freeway.  We went south to Leucadia Blvd, and were on the same ridgeline that Jungle Music sits on and were still seeing frost on rooftops. I am at a lower elevation at 72', even though the "bottom" of the ridge is still west of me at the Coast Highway, before it rises back up again west of PCH.  I know I am colder than the higher elevations in my neighborhood, but  I thought when I got back up to the ridgeline above the freeway, the frost would dissipate. It didn't.  None seen forming on plants, but it was clear to see on the rooftops.  I have an open area in my backyard, and the thermometer there bottomed out at 30F this morning, while the rest of the yard with a little canopy for protection bottomed at 36F.  Haven't lived in this house long enough to know how low things can get, but I'm hoping that is close to the bottom.  I'm curious if other parts of So Cal were hitting close to their winter lows last night.

That's pretty crazy, would've assumed a suburb of San Diego couldn't get that cold. I stayed there for a week in the fall, pretty little town!

It was 38F here this morning, but no frost. I'm about 6 miles from the coast, 500ft elevation on a west-facing hillside above a canyon that drains to the ocean. The lowest I've ever seen here in 3 years was 37F. There was a bit of frost on top of the car then, but nowhere else. I have a Calyptrocalyx in the ground that seems to be surviving (barely), but I still can't grow coconuts.

1 hour ago, Pando said:

It was 38F here this morning, but no frost. I'm about 6 miles from the coast, 500ft elevation on a west-facing hillside above a canyon that drains to the ocean. The lowest I've ever seen here in 3 years was 37F.

We must get a lot of cold air coming down the Bataquitos Lagoon here.  I lived 3 miles north in Carlsbad, just a little further east and a little higher elevation since 1988 and only saw temps like this in 2007.  Last year I was in this house, but the winter was exceptionally mild.  My Dypsis marojejya has officially bitten the dust here.  It survived fine here last year and two winters before that in Carlsbad, but the previous cold spell at the end of December seems to have done it in.

10 minutes ago, Tracy said:

We must get a lot of cold air coming down the Bataquitos Lagoon here.

Yup, that's where the canyon below me drains into (I'm up from Palomar Airport Rd). This winter is pretty bad compared to last year, long drawn-out cold average temps for 2 months now, doesn't want to warm up during the day at all. I've lost a few smaller palms as well that easily survived last year.

Edited February 3, 201610 yr by Pando

Tonight is cold for me too. Already in the upper 30s... at least it is really going to warm up starting next week. C'ya cold!

The last 2 nights have been on the cold side. The temp dropped to 39F and frost on the roofs in the neighborhood.

For this winter, I have had 5 frosts to date. Last year I don't remember any frost!

By the way, I am about 6 miles from the coast.

4 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

The last 2 nights have been on the cold side. The temp dropped to 39F and frost on the roofs in the neighborhood.

For this winter, I have had 5 frosts to date. Last year I don't remember any frost!

No frost at my house last winter either, but very nearby a couple of times.  It is the first frost I have seen this extensive in this area running nearly two miles parallel to the beach and all less than 1/2 mile from the ocean.  Sounds like you must have some protection (canopy) and/or elevation like Pando does.  My lack of canopy in the coldest spot is likely also a complicating factor.  I always thought the north side of my house would get colder at night, but that is where my neighbor's mature plantings hang over my fence holding in some heat.  During the day it never heats up as much as the south side, so that's the only thing I can think of that protects that area.

I am just around the corner from Palm Tree Jim's.  The past 48 hours have been the worst so far this winter for me.  Lots of frost damage on non-palms.  Time will tell how the palms faired.

The last two nights have been down to around 32f.  The January freezes were worse, as there was ice in the birdbath where as the last two nights have been ice free.

urrrggggg

2 hours ago, trioderob said:

urrrggggg

My words weren't so polite when I stepped outside into that cold Monday morning.... but I won't repeat them.  I see we are due for some more clear nights, and felt some light northeast winds already this evening.  Where is my marine layer???

The last few nights have been very pleasant......and the daytime highs are creeping up!

The long range forecast appears to be in our favor at this point. 

However, some more rain would be great.

I was out of town all last week but between the cold and the hot, my garden has taken a serious beating. This is brutal.

On February 2, 2016 at 22:23:52, Tracy said:

We must get a lot of cold air coming down the Bataquitos Lagoon here.  I lived 3 miles north in Carlsbad, just a little further east and a little higher elevation since 1988 and only saw temps like this in 2007.  Last year I was in this house, but the winter was exceptionally mild.  My Dypsis marojejya has officially bitten the dust here.  It survived fine here last year and two winters before that in Carlsbad, but the previous cold spell at the end of December seems to have done it in.

I missed this my first read through. That's interesting about your Marojejyi. I have four in the ground and we've had some cold nights. While I was gone last week I recorded a low of 34. The three in shade haven't missed a beat and are going strong. The one in half day sun got beat up at the end of last summer and is about ready to give up the ghost, but it seems to me that's heat more than cold. We'll see. 

On 2/8/2016, 10:52:19, Matt in OC said:

That's interesting about your Marojejyi. I have four in the ground and we've had some cold nights. While I was gone last week I recorded a low of 34. The three in shade haven't missed a beat and are going strong. The one in half day sun got beat up at the end of last summer and is about ready to give up the ghost, but it seems to me that's heat more than cold.

It is also possible that something else killed mine and I wrongly attributed it to the cold.  I always had problems with it being top heavy and weak at the roots.  We had a couple of windy spells, and despite having it partially staked in the pot, its possible that some of the roots were damaged.  I had a few potted plants tip over during those winds, including some that are not top heavy.  Amazing how quickly the weather has changed and now we are so hot during the day and relatively warm at night for this time of year.

7 minutes ago, Tracy said:

It is also possible that something else killed mine and I wrongly attributed it to the cold.  I always had problems with it being top heavy and weak at the roots.  We had a couple of windy spells, and despite having it partially staked in the pot, its possible that some of the roots were damaged.  I had a few potted plants tip over during those winds, including some that are not top heavy.  Amazing how quickly the weather has changed and now we are so hot during the day and relatively warm at night for this time of year.

I'll say!  It feels like summer and the nights are hovering around 60F over here, that's incredible for February.  I have a few plants that really take off when the night time temp stays above 55F and everything seems full speed ahead right now.

6 hours ago, nachocarl said:

I'll say!  It feels like summer and the nights are hovering around 60F over here, that's incredible for February.  I have a few plants that really take off when the night time temp stays above 55F and everything seems full speed ahead right now.

So true!

This really gives my plants a jump start heading into spring.