Heatwave!

[JohnAndSancho]

4 minutes ago, Xenon said:

I see tons of rain in your area, no way it misses you?! 

We got rain! Things are wet! 

[Collectorpalms]

NOTHING SINCE MAY

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?TX

[JohnAndSancho]

6 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

NOTHING SINCE MAY

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?TX

Did you get any rain yet Ryan? We just got another thunderstorm....of course while I was walking the dog. 

[Xenon]

Got another 0.5" this evening, finally feeling like summer 

 

[JohnAndSancho]

5 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Got another 0.5" this evening, finally feeling like summer 

 

Dunno how much we got, but it's wild to see humidity and temps below 100 before 11pm 

[Collectorpalms]

Nothing. Here. 0.0 is official at airport for July. Had a few of those clouds. 

[UK_Palms]

Panic stations here in the UK with 105-110F highs in a few days it seems. Temps up to 113F possibly in southwest London going by the GFS model. We’re only 3-4 days away now so this will probably verify! Even northern England at 54N has 41-42C / 108F potentially. Overnight lows of 29-30C / 85F for central London at 51N going by GFS.

It is exceptionally dry here too with 0.0 inches for July and only 1.4 inches of rainfall in the past 4.5 months since March 1st. Only 6 inches of rain since last November so an average of 0.6 inches per month over past 8 months. Extreme drought conditions with catastrophic heat to come now. Wildfire risk is extreme. Multiple fires burning away here in my county as I type this.

I took this photo of my lawn last night…

The native ferns in the woods are dying here due to drought. Worst is clearly yet to come. London and southeast England running at full blown warm-summer Med (Csb) conditions this summer. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by UK_Palms

[Swolte]

1 hour ago, UK_Palms said:

Panic stations here in the UK

Been following. Very serious. You're literally going to have people die.

Although we've been hitting those temperatures for weeks now, breaking records for months on end (never get used to it with the humidity here), at least we have an infrastructure used to deal with heat. The risk for power outages does scare me here if this weather continues. Store some bottled water in case you guys get water quality problems (we're even on a boil warning here now). Take care and keep us posted! 

No luck here with rain here. I am on the south end of College Station and had some very close calls with rain but no luck. Very frustrating to radar some spotty thunderclouds head your way and dissipate a few miles from your thirsty garden. Yesterday felt almost cruel as I had that on 3 occasions. *shakes fists at weather gods*  

[Chester B]

1 hour ago, Swolte said:

Been following. Very serious. You're literally going to have people die.

Although we've been hitting those temperatures for weeks now, breaking records for months on end (never get used to it with the humidity here), at least we have an infrastructure used to deal with heat. The risk for power outages does scare me here if this weather continues. Store some bottled water in case you guys get water quality problems (we're even on a boil warning here now). Take care and keep us posted! 

No luck here with rain here. I am on the south end of College Station and had some very close calls with rain but no luck. Very frustrating to radar some spotty thunderclouds head your way and dissipate a few miles from your thirsty garden. Yesterday felt almost cruel as I had that on 3 occasions. *shakes fists at weather gods*  

 Very true. Here in Oregon during our heat dome in June 2021, 96 people died with hundreds dead spread between Oregon, Washington and BC.   And we are much hotter than the UK and most years see triple digits  The elderly and less affluent, homeless were hit the hardest  

 

[Ryland]

Even here in relatively safe Manchester it is looking like the records will be broken.  The temperatures are only astonishing for where on the planet they are occurring - at lower latitudes this is not uncommon, or even normal.  I think the biggest problem is we don't have air conditioning in this country, for the most part.  I'm lucky enough to have a cellar (with lots of spiders!) and I'm seriously considering sleeping in it!  Last week when it got to 28.5ºC, overnight lows above 21ºC for two consecutive nights, the house didn't drop below 24ºC, which is pretty ghastly for sleeping.  Cellar never went above 20ºC even during the heat of the day 

[JohnAndSancho]

9 hours ago, Swolte said:

No luck here with rain here. I am on the south end of College Station and had some very close calls with rain but no luck. Very frustrating to radar some spotty thunderclouds head your way and dissipate a few miles from your thirsty garden. Yesterday felt almost cruel as I had that on 3 occasions. *shakes fists at weather gods*  

HuntsVegas got .3" yesterday and a brief sprinkle today.  That brings our total for the last 2 1/2 months or so to .3", but it's cooled things off enough for me to vibe with my patio palms without sweating violently. 

[amh]

Had about a tenth of an inch last night, which is better than nothing.

Finally getting over my bad heat exhaustion/mild heat stroke. 

[Collectorpalms]

First 15 days of July tie hottest month ever recorded here... zero rain forecast for the next 7 days. Zero for the month so far.

[JohnAndSancho]

Mosquitoes are back, after the rain. I can either feed them or I can sit in my comfortable cold apartment that reeks of my neighbors weed. 

 

I'm not anti weed, but have a little respect. It's midnight, I guess I should cook a bunch of fish to get my revenge. 

[Collectorpalms]

I was working outside for a friend lifting heaving things. I had a barf bag just incase I had to throw up. Heat makes me sick if my body temperature goes too high. it was only 100 today, coolest for the next 7-10 days.

Nothing in the clearance section worth it when I went to Lowes. Butia still 89$

[JohnAndSancho]

Looks like we're back to triple digits and no foreseeable rain here in SE TX.  

[amh]

Only 100 today, but I've gone nocturnal with my watering so its only high 80's and humid.

[Collectorpalms]

My coastal form Sabal Uresana looking blue after 111F.

[Collectorpalms]

Random castor beans sprouted everywhere from 2-3 years ago. They don’t transplant once sprouted. Just hope to get seed. The very fried palm is my JXS. Say a little prayer it makes it another 2 months of miserable heat and humidity.

maybe it’s the shade? Light Fertilizer didn’t help. 

[Collectorpalms]

Toasted Alaho Alocasia and bleached Sago on southwest side. Just 3-4 hours of evening’s sun. 

[Collectorpalms]

“Sun” caladiums. Lol no water could save them. They actually won awards for sun tolerance. They went down in the heat, not so much the sun, that was just the killer. Florida growing fields rarely ever gets over 100F. More like 95F.

[amh]

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

Random castor beans sprouted everywhere from 2-3 years ago. They don’t transplant once sprouted. Just hope to get seed. The very fried palm is my JXS. Say a little prayer it makes it another 2 months of miserable heat and humidity.

maybe it’s the shade? Light Fertilizer didn’t help. 

I think a lot of your problems is the water, but this years heat and sun is even bleaching my native yucca and cactus. It would be nice to have a growing season again, its only been 3 years since the last one.

[Collectorpalms]

8 hours ago, amh said:

I think a lot of your problems is the water, but this years heat and sun is even bleaching my native yucca and cactus. It would be nice to have a growing season again, its only been 3 years since the last one.

Think its time to throw in the towel for this season.. just way too early. Just toss the uglies and put down compost, something that does not require water! There is nothing, I mean nothing in the 16 day forecast to give a single break. Now the fire risk is bad... Soil moisture for Brazos county its nearly 0.  The lowest in the State. I saw trees starting to go this evening driving.

I guess it bad elsewhere around the globe, its all relative. Ireland at 90 was a 100 year record.

[Swolte]

9 hours ago, amh said:

I think a lot of your problems is the water, but this years heat and sun is even bleaching my native yucca and cactus. It would be nice to have a growing season again, its only been 3 years since the last one

Hear hear! Man, I have a young garden and only really got into it 3/4 years ago. I can't remember catching a break. Every year there's been something. Either record breaking cold and/or heat and/or flooding! 

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

Think its time to throw in the towel for this season.. just way too early. Just toss the uglies and put down compost, something that does not require water! There is nothing, I mean nothing in the 16 day forecast to give a single break. Now the fire risk is bad... Soil moisture for Brazos county its nearly 0.  The lowest in the State. I saw trees starting to go this evening driving.

I have started to triage care. Will be putting up more shade structures this week. Losing about a plant every few days and keeping notes on ones that do well (so I can get more from that genus).

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

The very fried palm is my JXS. Say a little prayer it makes it another 2 months of miserable heat and humidity.

Painful to see. Somewhat surprising as well as mine seems to be OK (younger specimen). I mean, its not really showing much growth but it does look better.  

~ S   

Edited July 19, 2022 by Swolte

[Collectorpalms]

36 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Hear hear! Man, I have a young garden and only really got into it 3/4 years ago. I can't remember catching a break. Every year there's been something. Either record breaking cold and/or heat and/or flooding! 

I have started to triage care. Will be putting up more shade structures this week. Losing about a plant every few days and keeping notes on ones that do well (so I can get more from that genus).

Painful to see. Somewhat surprising as well as mine seems to be OK (younger specimen). I mean, its not really showing much growth but it does look better.  

~ S   

I have another other in the ground that is mixed lineage but mostly Jubaea and Syagrus, that is fine. It is in rather deep shade. Patrick's put out good growth in May, ate up the oldest leaves and has stalled in a bad state. Never had an issue with syagrus ever, so its the Jubaea that is not liking me. I have never done the sharpy mark thing to see growth but I might do it to see my next move.

Maybe because its in a pot, it cant cool down, the soil temp may be baking it since my house never goes below 80-85 at night. It likely 90 to 100 all day in a pot even in shade.

[amh]

13 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

I guess it bad elsewhere around the globe, its all relative. Ireland at 90 was a 100 year record

Just look at the temperature anomalies for Alaska, eastern Russia, India, and most of the Africa. We're broiling, but they are abnormally cool for this season. 

[amh]

14 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Think its time to throw in the towel for this season.. just way too early. Just toss the uglies and put down compost, something that does not require water! There is nothing, I mean nothing in the 16 day forecast to give a single break. Now the fire risk is bad... Soil moisture for Brazos county its nearly 0.  The lowest in the State. I saw trees starting to go this evening driving.

I guess it bad elsewhere around the globe, its all relative. Ireland at 90 was a 100 year record.

These are  probably the worst overall drought conditions I have seed, but relatives in the Kerrville area have had less than an inch of rain this year. 

You now know why I never plant annuals. 

13 hours ago, Swolte said:

Hear hear! Man, I have a young garden and only really got into it 3/4 years ago. I can't remember catching a break. Every year there's been something. Either record breaking cold and/or heat and/or flooding! 

I have started to triage care. Will be putting up more shade structures this week. Losing about a plant every few days and keeping notes on ones that do well (so I can get more from that genus).

Painful to see. Somewhat surprising as well as mine seems to be OK (younger specimen). I mean, its not really showing much growth but it does look better.  

~ S   

It has been a bad few years: 2020, Hot, dry la Nina summer, 2021, February below 0F, summer 30+ inches of rain, late summer/fall return of la Nina, 2022 extremely hot, dry la Nina summer + omega block + what ever is next? I do not want a return of the late 80's or early 90's, but the cold is better than 1950's drought conditions. I have lost many plants this year and will likely loose a lot more.

Edited July 19, 2022 by amh

[Swolte]

KBTX Weather (local station) did a segment on the situation for those interested in weather changes in a (case study of a) town in central Texas (beware of comparisons to Sudan...): https://www.kbtx.com/2022/07/19/what-2022s-unprecedented-heat-really-means-brazos-valley/ 

21 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

I have another other in the ground that is mixed lineage but mostly Jubaea and Syagrus, that is fine. It is in rather deep shade. 

Interesting, mine (see pic) is actually getting quite some good overhead dappled shade (especially when the sun is at its highest point).

~ S

 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Swolte

[JohnAndSancho]

I'm admittedly a newb. I didn't even think about plants before the 2020 shutdown. I bought a Majesty palm to add color to my new apartment, and that's where it started.

 

I've lived in Texas since 2009. I've seen a couple dry summers, but this is just bonkers. Most of my summers here were Florida-esque where you could set your watch to the daily 3-4pm thunderstorm. 

 

This time last year I was complaining about my apartment manager not cleaning out our gutters and my palms drowning (there's a YouTube)

 

Now I'm dragging multiple gallon jugs at 9pm to keep palms alive. 

[Collectorpalms]

1 hour ago, Swolte said:

KBTX Weather (local station) did a segment on the situation for those interested in weather changes in a (case study of a) town in central Texas (beware of comparisons to Sudan...): https://www.kbtx.com/2022/07/19/what-2022s-unprecedented-heat-really-means-brazos-valley/ 

Interesting, mine (see pic) is actually getting quite some good overhead dappled shade (especially when the sun is at its highest point).

~ S

 

 

Since we are doing night shots…last picture you can see where it was trunk cut. 

[Collectorpalms]

2 hours ago, Swolte said:

KBTX Weather (local station) did a segment on the situation for those interested in weather changes in a (case study of a) town in central Texas (beware of comparisons to Sudan...): https://www.kbtx.com/2022/07/19/what-2022s-unprecedented-heat-really-means-brazos-valley/ 

Interesting, mine (see pic) is actually getting quite some good overhead dappled shade (especially when the sun is at its highest point).

~ S

 

 

Woah, Khartoum (world's hottest capital city. Literally!!)

[JohnAndSancho]

We got a (brief) heavy storm at work. I expected to come home to blown over palms and a soaked Patio Squad, since my apartment is literally just on the other side of the freeway. 

 

NOPE. Didn't even rain at the house. 

[JohnAndSancho]

1 hour ago, JohnAndSancho said:

We got a (brief) heavy storm at work. I expected to come home to blown over palms and a soaked Patio Squad, since my apartment is literally just on the other side of the freeway. 

 

NOPE. Didn't even rain at the house. 

Stink water marinating. Time to summon flies. 

[Collectorpalms]

Welp, I think we did it here, hottest July ever which also ties for the hottest month ever. Also second driest two month period. Hottest ever mean overnight temperature. 

Lost my tallest Livistona Chineses and a 22 year old Mediterranean palm. A nearby Filifera Hybrid ( was posted on forum) dropped dead, and saw another dead Med.

My big back yard Canary is struggling.

Bring on August and September.

[JohnAndSancho]

It's raining close enough that my knees hurt, I can see lightning, and I smell rain. 

 

No rain here. 

[Swolte]

On 7/31/2022 at 9:18 PM, Collectorpalms said:

Welp, I think we did it here, hottest July ever which also ties for the hottest month ever. Also second driest two month period. Hottest ever mean overnight temperature.

Yeah pretty brutal. Here's some more killer stats:
https://www.kbtx.com/2022/08/01/official-you-just-experienced-brazos-valleys-hottest-july-record/

On 7/31/2022 at 9:18 PM, Collectorpalms said:

Lost my tallest Livistona Chineses and a 22 year old Mediterranean palm. A nearby Filifera Hybrid ( was posted on forum) dropped dead, and saw another dead Med.

My big back yard Canary is struggling.

Bring on August and September.

Dangit, that is rough!

By September, I estimate to have lost probably over 20% of what I had growing but I haven't lost a single palm. The vast majority of palms, however, have been in a dormant stage this entire spring/summer. I keep growth charts but I can already see that this year is a loss for growth with a few notable exceptions such as my B Armata, Robusta, and Sabal Bald head (I have a few more that just started pushing fronds).

I get the sense you got a stronger urban heat island effect that is probably an advantage in the winter but it turns into a oven these summers. I am also on a north slope (very low steep incline, though) which hurts me in winter but it may be working to my advantage now.

Anyway, I still haven't received a single drop of water from the heavens (and I have no drip or spray irrigation in place). I was on the phone trying to draw inspiration from my brother (who did food-production research in places like Niger!!) earlier today discussing suitable trees to plant.  On the upside,  it does look like August is more normal. I have had a few frustratingly close calls with rain and we did break the never ending string of triple digit weather. We may even face a higher than 50% chance of rain this Friday and I heard some rumors of hurricane season ramping up.  Fingers crossed!

[JohnAndSancho]

I heavily watered all of my patio squad last night, so naturally we're having a nice shower right now. 

 

On 8/8/2022 at 10:11 PM, Swolte said:

The vast majority of palms, however, have been in a dormant stage this entire spring/summer. I keep growth charts but I can already see that this year is a loss for growth with a few notable exceptions such as my B Armata, Robusta, and Sabal Bald head (I have a few more that just started pushing fronds).

 

Wild. Mine are exploding with growth. 

[Foxpalms]

London set for mid 90s till Monday. Saturday is  forecasted to go above 100f in the warmer parts of London. 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Foxpalms

[Las Palmas Norte]

On 8/10/2022 at 4:38 PM, Foxpalms said:

London set for mid 90s till Monday. Saturday is  forecasted to go above 100f in the warmer parts of London. 

 

I've noticed when we get these above average hot summers, it's followed by a colder than average winter. 

[Foxpalms]

6 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

I've noticed when we get these above average hot summers, it's followed by a colder than average winter. 

It depends if the winters low pressure or high pressure as the lack of clouds make colder nights, then if it's combined by winds coming from the north normally make a freezing night here.