Jan 2 Cold Snap

[spockvr6]

Scott-

The wind is howling over here (peaking at 22-23 mph in my yard and from the NW).  Oh...if this wind would only stay from the NW for the next 2 days.....

[gsn]

Larry,

So at 22 - 23 MPH it should be here in about 3 1/2 or 4 hours!

I guess the front cleared over there before here?

Just curious when did it start blowing?

[_Keith]

It is 5:11PM here and the sun is just beginning to dip below the horizon.  Winds have dropped to less than 5mph.  Temp is 51.  And so it begins,,,,,,,

[spockvr6]

(gsn @ Jan. 01 2008,18:05)

QUOTE

Larry,

So at 22 - 23 MPH it should be here in about 3 1/2 or 4 hours!

I guess the front cleared over there before here?

Just curious when did it start blowing?

Scott-

Its been windy all day here today.  Looking at my weather station wind speed plot, the winds started around 5AM and have been fairly steady from the N/NW ever since.  Its a piy that they are forecast to shift to the NE!

[spockvr6]

(keiththibodeaux @ Jan. 01 2008,18:06)

QUOTE

It is 5:11PM here and the sun is just beginning to dip below the horizon.  Winds have dropped to less than 5mph.  Temp is 51.  And so it begins,,,,,,,

Yes....here we go.....

My high temp (70.5F) was at 422AM today and the ride has been essentially downhill ever since  

[cobra2326]

(Alan_Tampa @ Jan. 01 2008,14:52)

QUOTE

Wunderground has Tampa at 20-21F.  They piss me off, and histerically they are the low temp leader.

I agree about wunderground.  They're way off.

As for NOAA, I don't know about tampa or tarpon, but up here in spring hill, they consistently miss the low temps by 4-5F.  Tonight, they're saying 32F (for spring hill, brooksville is 31F).  Weather.com says 39 and I'm sticking with that, since its currently 58.5F in a somewhat protected spot where the palms are.  

Generally, wundergound will have brooksville a solid 10-15F colder than clearwater on a cold night.  Even the brooksville airport, which is in a low-lying cold spot, is usually way warmer than the wunder forecast, and I'm always a solid 5F or so warmer than that (on cold nights).  NOAA usually misses to the lower side than my house as well, even when using the point forecast.

All that said, I'm still counting on a blistering night tomorrow night.  I expect to see some fried Adonidias in tampa and definitely around here.

[cobra2326]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 01 2008,18:12)

QUOTE

(keiththibodeaux @ Jan. 01 2008,18:06)

QUOTE

It is 5:11PM here and the sun is just beginning to dip below the horizon.  Winds have dropped to less than 5mph.  Temp is 51.  And so it begins,,,,,,,

Yes....here we go.....

My high temp (70.5F) was at 422AM today and the ride has been essentially downhill ever since  

What are you doing to protect your palms for tomorrow night?  I remember a bit ago seeing that massive heater thing you had.  Plan on using it?

I'd love to stop by and see your yard some time.  I drive right by on 19 lots of times.  My wife loves your landscaping (enough that we copied the leaning bottle layout   ).

Edit: Look on the bright side, even St. Pete beach is forecast as 33F for tomorrow!

[Derekjp]

I really hope Florida comes out better than is forecasted.  This cold front must be really potent because Cancun is only expected to have high of 65 and low of 55 on Wednesday.

[spockvr6]

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 01 2008,19:07)

QUOTE

What are you doing to protect your palms for tomorrow night?  I remember a bit ago seeing that massive heater thing you had.  Plan on using it?

I'd love to stop by and see your yard some time.  I drive right by on 19 lots of times.  My wife loves your landscaping (enough that we copied the leaning bottle layout   ).

Cobra-

I dont plan to protect anything or use any heaters.  Ill let everything ride and see how it goes!

If the forecasts hold (which range from 29 to 34F) then I think that most everything will be fine, with the exception of my Prichardia pacifica.  I am sure this will take on some damage tomorrow night, but the question will be....will it croak or not!??!?!

You can stop by and see the yard anytime you like.  Hopefully it will not smell of rotting foliage! LOL!

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I just pulled in the largest of the L. mapu...  Everything else is staying outdoors.  Current forecast for my area is a low of 37...  I don't like the uneasiness of not being well prepared for cold...  

How do those Cali guys do it every year?  Amazazing.

[_Keith]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 01 2008,19:12)

QUOTE

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 01 2008,19:07)

QUOTE

What are you doing to protect your palms for tomorrow night?  I remember a bit ago seeing that massive heater thing you had.  Plan on using it?

I'd love to stop by and see your yard some time.  I drive right by on 19 lots of times.  My wife loves your landscaping (enough that we copied the leaning bottle layout   ).

Cobra-

I dont plan to protect anything or use any heaters.  Ill let everything ride and see how it goes!

If the forecasts hold (which range from 29 to 34F) then I think that most everything will be fine, with the exception of my Prichardia pacifica.  I am sure this will take on some damage tomorrow night, but the question will be....will it croak or not!??!?!

You can stop by and see the yard anytime you like.  Hopefully it will not smell of rotting foliage! LOL!

Rotting palms aside, I am curious as to where "spockvr6" came from.  Please explain before I go crazy in curiousity.

[spockvr6]

(keiththibodeaux @ Jan. 01 2008,19:15)

QUOTE

Rotting palms aside, I am curious as to where "spockvr6" came from.  Please explain before I go crazy in curiousity.

It was an screen name from a car web board from ages ago that I just never changed!

"Spock" was a nickname since my left ear has a tiny "point" to one part of it (ala Spock from Star Trek).  One cant really see the point, but I somehow embellished it to garner a nickname to be cool

The VR6 came from the VW engine in the car I had at the time for the first web board (car related) that I signed up for.

[_Keith]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 01 2008,19:19)

QUOTE

(keiththibodeaux @ Jan. 01 2008,19:15)

QUOTE

Rotting palms aside, I am curious as to where "spockvr6" came from.  Please explain before I go crazy in curiousity.

It was an screen name from a car web board from ages ago that I just never changed!

"Spock" was a nickname since my left ear has a tiny "point" to one part of it (ala Spock from Star Trek).  One cant really see the point, but I somehow embellished it to garner a nickname to be cool

The VR6 came from the VW engine in the car I had at the time for the first web board (car related) that I signed up for.

Cool.  I got the Spock part right, but somehow was thinking the VR part was related to "Virtual Reality."  

Anyway, temps are dropping, down to 45 now and it is only 7pm.  Sorry Wal, we are whining again.   Low tonight are pedicted for 30, but for some reason I am thinking 28.  Sure hope I am wrong.

Keith

[SunnyFl]

(spockvr6 @ Dec. 31 2007,21:54)

QUOTE

Sunny!  Long time no see!

Hey Larry,

It has been awhile, hasn't it?  I sure hope these constantly-deteriorating forecasts are way off the mark and that your palms will make it through.  Nice to hear how you came by your moniker - I thought it meant you were a Star Trek fan but couldn't figure out what VR6 was  

Sheesh, I'm exhausted - just hauled so many potted palms n' crotons indoors that my living room looks like Jeff Searle's greenhouse!!!

[SunnyFl]

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 01 2008,19:07)

QUOTE

even St. Pete beach is forecast as 33F for tomorrow!

waaahhhh.....

Our forecast was for 34 for Wednesday night, then this afternoon the forecast slipped to 31.  Now, it's 34 for Wednesday night again.  NOAA radio doesn't agree with NOAA website which doesn't agree with wunderground and twc doesn't agree with either.   ???

I have a question:  does wind chill (on its own) also damage plants or is the damage only a result of low temps/frost - for instance, if the temp stays above 32, but the wind chill is in the 20s?

[fastfeat]

Loxahatchee down to 30F for tomorrow night--down another point--since this morning.

Good luck, guys and gals....

As Warren Zevon says, "It ain't that pretty at all..."

[spockvr6]

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 01 2008,20:25)

QUOTE

Our forecast was for 34 for Wednesday night, then this afternoon the forecast slipped to 31.  Now, it's 34 for Wednesday night again.  NOAA radio doesn't agree with NOAA website which doesn't agree with wunderground and twc doesn't agree with either.   ???

Yes....lots of flip flopping as usual!

NWS/NOAA says 33F here, but weather.com says 30F, accuweather.com 34F, and weatherunderground.com says 27F!  

Ive noitced that theyve also backed off on the wind direction prediction and now have forecast a more northerly direction (whereas it was more NE earlier).  I assume this is why the NWS raised the forecasts for much of Pinellas.

But, still another day to go, so lots of time for the predictions to be tweaked.

Tonight is not looking fabulous, but at least should stay in the lower 40's if the forecasts are even remotely correct.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I'm voting for accuweather

[cobra2326]

Down to 52.2 with 32% humidity!  I guess that puts the dewpoint at 23F.  NOAA just dropped the forecast to 20F for tomorrow night, but upped tonights to 34F.

One amazing thing is that coastal and barrier island St. Pete is generally within a degree or two of miami.  Always makes my climate envy flare up...

[gsn]

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 01 2008,20:25)

QUOTE

[

I have a question:  does wind chill (on its own) also damage plants or is the damage only a result of low temps/frost - for instance, if the temp stays above 32, but the wind chill is in the 20s?

Sunny,

To the best of my knowledge plants are not affected by wind chill!

They are affected by  absolute low temps ,duration of low temps,and some more than others, by FROST at any temp!

Larry,

The wind finally did pick up a little over here,but it still isn't blowing like over on the left coast!

[BS Man about Palms]

Amazing, for the first time in some time around here, the sun went down and the temp was still in the mid 60's.  Its like a pendulum.

Good luck folks!!!!!

[Jimbean]

It still looks like 20's and low 30's for most of the state.

[SunnyFl]

(gsn @ Jan. 01 2008,22:04)

QUOTE

Sunny,

To the best of my knowledge plants are not affected by wind chill!

They are affected by  absolute low temps ,duration of low temps,and some more than others, by FROST at any temp!

Larry,

The wind finally did pick up a little over here,but it still isn't blowing like over on the left coast!

Hey Scott,

Thanks for the answer!  I'm relieved to hear it, cuz some of these wind chills they're predicting - ugh.

Wind really picked up here this evening.  Made it difficult for my husband to put the canvas-gazebo thing over the front garden.

Frost is a real killer, isn't it - I'm glad they haven't predicted it for this cold snap.  I want my little archonto to survive - frost would probably do it in.

[gsn]

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 01 2008,22:57)

QUOTE

Hey Scott,

Thanks for the answer!  I'm relieved to hear it, cuz some of these wind chills they're predicting - ugh.

Sunny,

The WIND CHILL just gives the weathermen another thing to HYPE!!! :laugh:

In case you didn't know it, I do believe all weathermen in conjunction with  majoring in meteorology, are  are REQUIRED to  minor in HYPE!

[galveston1602]

Our bad night will be tonight, I suspect that yalls fcsts for florida for tomorrow night will be largely dependent on how cold it gets tonight in places where the front is already intrenched.  (sp?)  So heres for hoping that we dont get to the dewpoint like usual on a cold night... the dewpoint is 23 freaking degrees! a whole 38% humidity is that even possible here?  

[gsn]

Holding at a BALMY 40.6F at 6:40 am in Titusville!

Might drop just below 40 before sunrise ,but still way warmer than what they GUESSED for me as of 11:30 pm last night 36F. I hope they miss it low again tonight!

NWS still has Orlando  forecast for 27F tonight!That would be a HARD freeze!

[SunnyFl]

(gsn @ Jan. 01 2008,23:32)

QUOTE

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 01 2008,22:57)

QUOTE

Hey Scott,

Thanks for the answer!  I'm relieved to hear it, cuz some of these wind chills they're predicting - ugh.

Sunny,

The WIND CHILL just gives the weathermen another thing to HYPE!!! :laugh:

In case you didn't know it, I do believe all weathermen in conjunction with  majoring in meteorology, are  are REQUIRED to  minor in HYPE!

Hehe ain't that the truth!  Especially some of the commercial ones - you'd think the sky was falling     I guess hype = ratings, right?

[Bob Johnson]

Lows here in Orlando are between 40 and 42F right now, forecasts for this morning ranged from 34 to 39.

Forecasts for Thursday morning range from 26 to 29, hope that things don't get that cold.

I know that things are a lot worse up in North Florida.  I hope that everyone comes out of his cold event with higher temps than expected and minimal damage to plants.

[Scott Mcintosh]

I do not know why I watch the local TV for forcasts. This morning at 6:45 the local girl (to remain nameless) was showing her map with the freezing temps. for the counties north of the bay area. Brooksville was at 38 and she is stll talking a freeze for them this morning    I felt like calling her and asking her, "did you get hired for your looks only?.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Brrrrr...  I'm going back to bed.

[metalfan]

The 28 they had for us didn't materialize, its 33 right now, 41 on my porch under cover with heat radiating from the house. I always have some plumeria and bromeliads up there, they do fine.

Tonight, they are still holding to their prediction of 18 locally for Gainesville. Only possibility of higher temps, they say, is if the wind stays up. I guess we'll see. I will cover a few things later today.

[gsytch]

46.8F upon wake up, which is what I thought. A NW wind means off the warmer waters. However, if it dies down tonight, yikes!...and with this wind, I cannot cover anything right now. It must die down some later today OR I pray like never before lol...Greg in New Port Richey

[spockvr6]

Much ado about nothing this AM as the forecasts were way off (to the good side).

While others hope for winds to die down, I prefer the opposite.  If the winds keep blowing all night tonight (even if they are dead north) my area will stay warmer than if the winds die off.  So...selfishly....heres to a windy evening!

[spockvr6]

(metalfan @ Jan. 02 2008,07:47)

QUOTE

The 28 they had for us didn't materialize, its 33 right now, 41 on my porch under cover with heat radiating from the house.

Holy smokes......close your windows!  All the heat is leaking out!  LOL.

Unfortunately, none of my covered areas around the house are ever more than maybe 1F warmer than the surrounding yard even when the air is dead calm.

[cobra2326]

38.1F here.  They missed the forecast by 3 degrees (if you count the 10PM revision, otherwise it was 6 degrees).

[spockvr6]

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 02 2008,09:02)

QUOTE

38.1F here.  They missed the forecast by 3 degrees (if you count the 10PM revision, otherwise it was 6 degrees).

Cobra-

Sounds like they were pretty good at forecasting a few hours into the future!  LOL    

When I went to bed last night, the forecast called for ~40F.  It ended up being 47F!  

But, I have to wonder how tonight will go as those north winds all night long have probably depleted much of the stored heat in the Gulf waters.

[cobra2326]

One thing I don't get.  Why is tarpon so much warmer than New Port Richey?  The NOAA point forecast has it a full 5deg warmer for tonight, same distance from the water...

[cobra2326]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 02 2008,09:07)

QUOTE

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 02 2008,09:02)

QUOTE

38.1F here.  They missed the forecast by 3 degrees (if you count the 10PM revision, otherwise it was 6 degrees).

Cobra-

Sounds like they were pretty good at forecasting a few hours into the future!  LOL    

When I went to bed last night, the forecast called for ~40F.  It ended up being 47F!  

But, I have to wonder how tonight will go as those north winds all night long have probably depleted much of the stored heat in the Gulf waters.

I hope things go well there.  The forecast just got upped to 35 there, so it should be fine.  

I know better than to plant tender stuff up here (except the Archontophoenix), so everything's inside.

Edit:  Just for the record, they're now calling for 20F here!  Let's see how bad they are at their jobs...

[spockvr6]

(cobra2326 @ Jan. 02 2008,09:13)

QUOTE

One thing I don't get.  Why is tarpon so much warmer than New Port Richey?  The NOAA point forecast has it a full 5deg warmer for tonight, same distance from the water...

Cobra-

I think it maybe has something to do with the way the Gulf and Bay interact?

If you look at the plot for tonight, its almost as if the Mother Nature doesnt "see" Pinellas as much as one would think she would as most of Pinellas stays the same temp as the areas over the water (the green areas).  If one were to draw a 45 degree line from Tampa to the Gulf (see the black lines on the below plot), it seems the colder air (blue) follows along this path as though this were the actual "coast".

Of course, alot depends on wind speeds and directions.  If the winds come even from the N, they still have to pass over water before getting into Pinellas due to the way the land mass sticks out a bit.

I believe the absolute best area of central Florida to be (with regard to cold front protection) is the western areas of Bradenton.  

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Ok, I couldn't sleep, I had to get up and bring in the precious goods...

L. mapu stock riding out the winter weather indoors...