Cones opening early with mild dry Autumn

[Tracy]

Autumn 2021 has been mild here in Southern California, and it appears from a very unscientific, anecdotal basis that some of the Encephalartos cones are cracking open earlier than normal this year.  I'm seeing it about a month earlier on a few species of Encephalartos and was discussing the experience with a grower that has seen similar things this year.  My Encephalartos laurentiaunus was the first to have cones crack and be ready for pollination early.  Now I have an Encephalartos horridus that is about 4-5 weeks earlier than it has ever opened in the past.  It will receive it's second dose of blue arenarius pollen from one of Braden's plants today.  

Only one prior cone on my E horridus x woodii, so limited to one prior data point, but it should crack the two cones it has any day now which will be about a month ahead of when I pollinated it last year.  Any others seeing a similar phenomenon with their Encephalartos cones here in Southern California?