Polar Vortex 2022...... who's ready?

[Sabal King]

How is everyone feeling about next week\weekend.. Seems like NTX may get spared the worst of it this time around and the lows appear to be higher than the lows we got here in January 2021.

[Allen]

So far it's showing me as pretty cold.  I'm bummed

[Sabal King]

4 minutes ago, Allen said:

So far it's showing me as pretty cold.  I'm bummed

 

Holy cow!!!  Look at the lows on Thursday and Friday......

[Jtee]

That’s some scary weekend temps

[DTS]

lol

[Zoltan]

you can use utility light if you need warmer protection but not the led .they are chep maybe 15$ at walmart  you just have to pay attention not to put so close to plant due it can burn. it runs on hallogen light 50w to 500W and it put out plenty heat ,just be safe 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Zoltan

[kinzyjr]

We desperately need an east to west mountain range across the top of the continent.

[Xerarch]

1 hour ago, kinzyjr said:

We desperately need an east to west mountain range across the top of the continent.

If we had that I'd be growing anything I wanted!

[Foxpalms]

3 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

We desperately need an east to west mountain range across the top of the continent.

I also wouldn't mind if the UK had a mountain range separating southern and northern England to block the freezes events here. The freeze events on the east coast of the US also seem to restrict what could otherwise be grown there. At the same latitude as you the southern parts of the canary Islands, there are zone 13a microclimates. I wonder how hard to would be to construct a mountain range for both places!

Edited December 16, 2022 by Foxpalms

[amh]

I'm seeing some scary predictions for next week. I'm accustomed to seeing mid to low teens in my 8A climate, but I'm always 5 to 10 degrees colder than what is forecast. Looks like it might be Palmageddon 2: Electric Boogaloo.

[Banana Belt]

Just more of the same.  But the sun is nice when its out.

[Swolte]

Luckily I didn't burn all my fleece and frost blankets! Ugh... I was really hoping for a mild winter. It doesn't look disaster-like yet for central Texas (predictions 20F, last I checked, which probably means 15F for my cold microclimate).  Not sure if I'll wrap my Canariensis, for example....

Edited December 16, 2022 by Swolte

[bgifford]

Looks like Seriously cold for me. Might run some extra supplemental heat in my Washy Protection Boxes.

[DAVEinMB]

Looks like I'm gonna see 25 as a low next Friday. Was 75 here yesterday...

[NBTX11]

I’m not seeing anything other than standard cold winter weather. Coldest forecasted low is around 27. Nothing out of the ordinary…yet. Just not seeing any worrisome weather yet in forecast. Will keep monitoring 

[Ivanos1982]

nothing I hate more than these polar vortex things that happen. Canada needs to keep their cold up there. We don't want it down here. haha keeping a close eye as the forecasts really are all over the place with this one.

[southpacific73]

Kinzyjr, Foxpalms I have the Rocky Mountains and the coastal mountains protecting Vancouver, BC. I still get hit with arctic air so they don’t help as much unless you are in the southern latitudes where the sun isn’t as weak as up here! Here’s my temps for this upcoming cold snap.

[Foxpalms]

13 hours ago, amh said:

I'm seeing some scary predictions for next week. I'm accustomed to seeing mid to low teens in my 8A climate, but I'm always 5 to 10 degrees colder than what is forecast. Looks like it might be Palmageddon 2: Electric Boogaloo.

This years winter doesn't seem to be good anywhere. Firstly Australia and New Zealand had a cold winter, then Europe, then the US west coast and now the US east coast.Lots of Palmageddon events seem to be happening this year.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Foxpalms

[teddytn]

Seems too early in the winter to get single digits here in TN. That usually occurs if it’s going to in late January/ February. I really hope this isn’t the start of a really long cold winter…..

[Allen]

54 minutes ago, teddytn said:

Seems too early in the winter to get single digits here in TN. That usually occurs if it’s going to in late January/ February. I really hope this isn’t the start of a really long cold winter…..

For us it is going to be like 2018 in the way that they don't know how far the cold air can come.  So we could be 5F or 15F depending on that.  I wrapped some small Trachy palms today and wrapped the mule.

[South Carolina palms]

10 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

Looks like I'm gonna see 25 as a low next Friday. Was 75 here yesterday...

Same here in Charleston. Im worried about my queens and especially my foxtails, thinking about going out and buying propane heaters for them 

[GregVirginia7]

Well? Been talking real big about how I want to protect less and already find myself being dragged to protect the Chamaerops…which I will do starting tomorrow…😂…gotta do whatcha gotta do…😏…the big ones (Trachy and Brazoria) the Trachy has been through the worst NOVA has to offer so far in its eight years in-ground so not a big worry…the baby Trachy will be tucked away in its wrapped and lit tomato cage…the Brazoria always got a bit of protection but too big now so we’ll see how its eight years of establishment have secured it in my zone…everything else, Sabal minors, McCurtain, Needles…all excellent unprotected palms here. Not sure of the duration of the cold but it’ll be one of those sub freezing day and night episodes for a bit and haven’t had one of those in quite a while around here…will also get all the crowns treated with copper fungicide tomorrow as well…hope we have a white Christmas!

[jwitt]

Next weekend is worse?

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by jwitt

[Arecaceus]

We just got through it in Western Europe (it's not even over yet). Brace yourself! Might get ugly. Hope for you all that it doesn't though!

[DAVEinMB]

3 hours ago, South Carolina palms said:

Same here in Charleston. Im worried about my queens and especially my foxtails, thinking about going out and buying propane heaters for them 

Foxtails yea i would protect, the queens should be alright.  Last year this queen made it through 19F with a trash bag over it. However it was not the greatest protection method, still needed some help to keep on keeping on after the cold had passed. The previous winter it saw 24F (iirc) a couple times with no protection and was fine. 

[BeyondTheGarden]

That queen being close to the house sure helps.  I have a small Phoenix roebleinii up by my house that has come through 22f and still looks great so far.  I don't think that would be the case if it was out by its lonesome, in the yard somewhere.  

[EJPalm05]

Looks like a freeze on christmas of all days!

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by EJ NJ

[steve617]

Suppose to be low of 9 degrees here in East Tennessee on the 23rd. I think sub freezing till the 26th. Today I'll have to start my protecting process.

[teddytn]

20 hours ago, Allen said:

For us it is going to be like 2018 in the way that they don't know how far the cold air can come.  So we could be 5F or 15F depending on that.  I wrapped some small Trachy palms today and wrapped the mule.

Same here, I gathered supplies early like you suggested. Went out today and wrapped all the trachys. I’ve got buckets ready to throw over all the small sabals that are going into their first winter. 

[steve617]

I also wrapped my trachycarpus fortunei with a 100 mini incandescent lights.

[CiprianS]

I have no idea what to do. I will probably lose my Bizzies and my Canaries since I am not in the area to wrap them up…damn.

[JohnAndSancho]

Last year I just threw a flannel sheet over my Washy and brought everything else inside... And I've spent all year nursing it back to health. My Queen exploded this summer and is currently like 9 ft tall, so I'm 0% prepared unless I plop it in my office. 

[amh]

So far my forecast is 15F for Thursday night and 19F for Friday night, but I am seeing 12F for Thursday on the models. I can handle Thursday night, but Friday is my big concern with no wind or clouds and a predicted dew point of 4F. Everything is coming in the house Wednesday.

Can we just go ENSO neutral next year?

Edited December 18, 2022 by amh

[amh]

5 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Last year I just threw a flannel sheet over my Washy and brought everything else inside... And I've spent all year nursing it back to health. My Queen exploded this summer and is currently like 9 ft tall, so I'm 0% prepared unless I plop it in my office. 

You might be able to just prop the tree up at 45^o or rest it on its side for a day or two.

[fr8train]

They're forecasting a low of 13f next Thursday here around San Antonio. It's sad, it looks like many of the palms that survived 2021 recovered, now they'll burn again.

It looks like I'll have to bring my potted plants in, which is something I wasn't expecting so soon after moving here a few months ago from the midwest.

Edited December 18, 2022 by fr8train

[Dartolution]

Definitely have been watching this closely down here. Our predictions for my area have been all over the place since the 10 day showed Friday. We've seen predictions from 6F - 16F as a low. 

As of this morning, the predictions are between 9-13F depending on which site you go to. 

I am not taking any chances either way. Yesterday the Pindo, and Chamaerops were trunk wrapped with heat tape and heavy duty frost cloth, with spears covered. 

The ONLY positive thing about this cold is it appears as though it will be a dry cold. ( much better than a wet icy one). 

 

[WSimpson]

No picnic here . I'm wondering about protecting my Washy . I like to protect it at 15F or below , but out of nowhere my forecast could go down several degrees if that cold pushes further down . If I do protect it I'll document it for future reference for others who are wondering how to protect a relatively tall trunking palm . 

 

 

[amh]

9 hours ago, fr8train said:

They're forecasting a low of 13f next Thursday here around San Antonio. It's sad, it looks like many of the palms that survived 2021 recovered, now they'll burn again.

It looks like I'll have to bring my potted plants in, which is something I wasn't expecting so soon after moving here a few months ago from the midwest.

The Fair Oaks area flirts with zone 8A, so temperatures in the 13F to 15F range will not be unheard of. People seem to forget the past and Texas is having a few bad winters, but we could always cycle back to less severe winters, especially when La Nina ends.

Edited December 18, 2022 by amh

[DAVEinMB]

Well, balls...

 

[UK_Palms]

The polar vortex freeze is over for us in the UK now, whereas it gets ready to descend into north America. The old switcheroo. Ultimate low for me was -8C / 17F on the coldest night and also 2 nights of -7C / 19F. In total about 9-10 consecutive nights below freezing with 2-3 of those days staying below freezing too. Around 48-60 hours below freezing at the worst point with no thaw. So a pretty severe freeze, especially for early winter. No snow for me here though. Just cold. Today is milder now and raining as the mild Atlantic air replaces the cold arctic airflow.

I checked over a few things today. Chamaerops Humilis and Cerifera are as tough as nails here and totally undamaged. They didn't take damage either in the Feb 2018 freeze as well. Brahea Armata also looks relatively unscathed. As does Chamadorea Radicalis. The biggest surprise is Phoenix Canariensis. Pretty much no damage on it, at least not yet. Maybe the CIDP will show damage in coming days/weeks, otherwise it must be tough as nails. I know CIDP's did surprisingly well during the Feb 2021 Texas freeze. Chamaerops, CIDP and Brahea Armata have all taken the cold like it is nothing. The smaller Washingtonia's have taken a bit of a hit here for me though compared to other stuff. Hopefully nothing has died.

Here's the CIDP this afternoon. Central spear looks fine to me. Let's see how they fair during the upcoming north American freeze.