Floridians beware

[ruskinPalms]

I think I am going to leave everything unprotected to weed out the weaklings. I have nothing too big or rare anyway. Speaking of damamge, I have a couple small foxtails starting to show damage after the cool rain the other day followed by 39F. Cocos have been spotty and yellowed in places the whole winter but overall not too bad yet.

[tank]

Tuesday Forecasted Lows for Gainesville:

Weatherdotcalm = 29 F

NWS = 23 F and dropping

The way NWS is dropping their forcasts, Tuesday's forcasted low will be 18 F and frosty by Monday afternoon.

Sighs in resignation that he'll have to get off of his duff and bring some stuff in

[spockvr6]

I fear that many of us have already reached our highs for today.

[Alicehunter2000]

Just checked several websights and we may be spared a hard freeze here   . The latest forcasts here are barely below freezing tonight 29 degrees, and not dipping below the freezing point after that! :). Too early to get too exited but I might have dodged the bullet yet again. Maybe better for the rest of the state as well? Not sure why the forcast changed so rapidly but maybe its because our clouds are hanging around longer here than thought.......is the front slowing down or stalling?   :laugh:   ???

[SubTropicRay]

From the NWS Hazardous Weather Outlook:

....ON TUESDAY...THE HEART OF THE COLD AIR WILL REACH THE TAMPA BAY

AND SARASOTA BRADENTON AREA. CURRENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST A

POSSIBLE FREEZE BY TUESDAY MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING TO OR

JUST BELOW 32 FOR SEVERAL HOURS OVER RURAL...SHELTERED...AND

PREFERRED SUBURBAN LOCATIONS. HOWEVER...ABUNDANT HIGH CLOUDS MAY

CAP OUTGOING RADIATION AND KEEP READINGS FROM DROPPING AS LOW AS

FORECAST.....

[ZoneTenNut]

They've got us down to lows of 41F for Sun. & Mon. nights and 43F for Tues. This will be the second coolest temps for us this season, if it holds true.

It is very breezy here today with strong gusts from the SW. You can definitely feel something is coming.     I'm hydrating the yard like mad.

[gsn]

Ray,

Unfortunately that sounds to me, like an excuse to miss the forecast! ???

If the clouds show up it won't get as cold as we think it's going to get,if they don't hold onto your A**!

I know the clouds will hold in radiational heat.but!

I don't know if you guys remember but as late as thursday less than 2 days ago, the  NWS forecast for monday night/tuesday morning was the same as for the last event here which was forecast 39 F here.,ended up being 43.7F actually a little warmer offically. In less than two days they have changed their mind 7 degrees,to freezing .

Hope they just miss it high again, or their HOPED for high cirrus cloud cover actually shows UP! ???

P.S.

I need some medication!!! :cool:

[gsn]

This is not a GOOD sign!

...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR RURAL INTERIOR SECTIONS OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

GLADES...HENDRY...EASTERN COLLIER... WESTERN PALM BEACH...WESTERN BROWARD... WESTERN MIAMI-DADE...AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES.

[Alicehunter2000]

Why so many mixed reports? Looks like freeze warning over near Jacksonville but not here?

[epicure3]

Best of luck, guys. The worst part of this whole thing can be the watching and waiting. After looking out at my garden 2 weeks after our freeze (29F over 2 nights out of 4), things don't really look that bad. After it's over, you can always say...."could have been worse". Cosmetic damage will grow out quickly. More so than here.

[gsn]

Epicure,

Unfortunately we go through this just about every year here in central Florida.

If it wasn't for those couple of night every year, I could sleep at night!!

[gsn]

(Alicehunter2000 @ Jan. 28 2007,12:46)

QUOTE

Why so many mixed reports? Looks like freeze warning over near Jacksonville but not here?

David,

Just curious are you looking at offical sites,like the NWS? Or some amature weather bloggers?

I can't imagine they have issued a freeze watch for south florida and none for the panhandle?

[epicure3]

(gsn @ Jan. 28 2007,13:00)

QUOTE

Epicure,

Unfortunately we go through this just about every year here in central Florida.

If it wasn't for those couple of night every year, I could sleep at night!!

Let's hope for some cloud cover!!!

[Alicehunter2000]

The Weather Channel and Underground Weather.com. On my back porch W/NW facing it is 57 degrees in the shade at 3:30 p.m. Although I have to say the clouds have cleared this afternoon and the winds have picked up a bit out of the north. I would be supprised if it dropped 25 degrees tonight/morning early a.m. Not saying it won't happen but I get the feeling it might not even freeze tonight.

[Alicehunter2000]

http://weather.mgnetwork.com/cgi-bin....tate=fl

This is a link to one of our local stations.......looks like they are calling for a low of around 32 degrees. Sounds good to me.....I'll keep tabs on it and cover plants if necessary. What I get probably looks good for the rest of you as well.

[ruskinPalms]

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

328 PM EST SUN JAN 28 2007

...LONG DURATIONS OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED NORTH

OF TAMPA BAY MONDAY NIGHT...

.ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO FILTER A VERY COLD AIRMASS

OVER THE AREA MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. LIGHT WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR

SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO CREATE IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS

AFTER SUNSET MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

FLZ051-052-291100-

/O.EXA.KTBW.FZ.A.0001.070130T0500Z-070130T1400Z/

HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRANDON...TAMPA...LAKELAND...

WINTER HAVEN

328 PM EST SUN JAN 28 2007

...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY

MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS

ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT

THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW FREEZING AFTER MIDNIGHT

LATE MONDAY NIGHT...THEN BOTTOM OUT IN THE UPPER 20S TO AROUND 30 FOR

THE NORMALLY COLDER LOCATIONS OF INTERIOR HILLSBOROUGH AND WESTERN

POLK COUNTIES BY SUNRISE TUESDAY. SOME LOCATIONS MAY SEE UP TO SIX

HOURS OF BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

A FREEZE WATCH IS ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF A WIDESPREAD AND

DAMAGING FREEZE WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. EVEN TEMPERATURES JUST

BELOW 32 MAY BE CRITICAL THIS YEAR SINCE MUCH OF DECEMBER AND

JANUARY WERE WARM ENOUGH TO BEGIN THE SPRING BUDDING AND BLOOMING

CYCLE FOR MANY NATIVE PLANTS. DURING THE FREEZE PERIOD...TEMPERATURES

MAY REMAIN BELOW 32 DEGREES FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS.

NWS has me forcast for patchy frost now with low of 35 to 36F

[tropical1]

The only bright spot is that the temps look to rebound into mid 70's pretty quick this week. Hope for clouds and wind off the gulf.

[Jimbean]

NWS has North Brevard in the mid 30's for Tuesday with patchy frost!  Weatherunderground and weather.com both has us in the upper 30's though.  It would be nice if the later two forecasts holds true!

[PalmGuyWC]

You guys in Florida!!  Jezz. Last night my low was 47 and thats the highest low I've had in 6 weeks!!  Of course it was raining lightly and overcast. Hardly any rain this year and I'm afraid we are entering a drought.  Last year on Jan 1st we had 5.5" in one night.

Dick

[BobbyinNY]

Oh NO!!... This latest front is really dipping down low - It looks like it's engulfing the whole eastern seaboard..... I hope you guys can protect alot of that stuff... ..... This really sucks..

[Alan_Tampa]

I am not really concerned yet, my senstive stuff is more or less under canopy.  And what is not under cover is of good siz, so I am expecting only brief tears.  

Alan

[SubTropicRay]

My greenhouse is packed with the stuff I shouldn't own.  Tomorrow night , if the current forecast trend towards no clouds continues, I'll drag any other marginals under one of my oaks.  This is not an unusual event for us.  I'd rather deal with this on a yearly basis than what past generations, in this same area, dealt with on a yearly basis.

Ray

[Alicehunter2000]

6:00 P.M In Northwest Florida, the sun is down and my temps are at 50 degrees. Are you all sure its going to get this cold further south?

[SubTropicRay]

Hi David,

I think your "bad" night is tonight and then warmer tomorrow night.  Our battle is tomorrow night/Tuesday AM.  Without clouds, I expect it to be as bad as they predict.

Ray

[spockvr6]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 27 2007,22:51)

QUOTE

(gsn @ Jan. 27 2007,22:47)

QUOTE

Well you guys are lucky over there on the west coast so far.

Not so for us over here on the east coast!

MWS has us, Titusville  forecast to freeze 32F !

Interior central Florida, Orlando, Kissimmee also forecast to freeze 32F!

Been watching that Scott........

I believe this is so due to forecast wind directions (NW).

If that shifts the other way........things may get reversed.

I the winds stay NW and reasonably stiff, I probably wont even cover anything (except for maybe a couple of ultra tender items).

Right on cue....the winds are now forecast to be NE here tomorrow night.

NWS hasnt dropped the forecast from 37F but has added the nice sidebar of "patchy frost"

[Alicehunter2000]

Ultra clear at 8:00 p.m. Local weather showing 31-32 degrees as being our low for tonight.....right now it is 51 according to them. My back porch shows 45 degrees? Hmm wonder if my thermometer is wrong?

[spockvr6]

(Alicehunter2000 @ Jan. 28 2007,20:50)

QUOTE

Ultra clear at 8:00 p.m. Local weather showing 31-32 degrees as being our low for tonight.....right now it is 51 according to them. My back porch shows 45 degrees? Hmm wonder if my thermometer is wrong?

Been down that road.....your thermometer is probably not off that much ???

Although, if you are right on the beach, its apparently 158 degrees

[Alicehunter2000]

I am right under the green 48 arm about 1/4 of the way up on the left. See that little inlet there I am just to the right of it. And now all you know where I live.....see you soon.

[SunnyFl]

(gsn @ Jan. 28 2007,12:25)

QUOTE

This is not a GOOD sign!

...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR RURAL INTERIOR SECTIONS OF MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

GLADES...HENDRY...EASTERN COLLIER... WESTERN PALM BEACH...WESTERN BROWARD... WESTERN MIAMI-DADE...AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES.

Whaaa?

Last time I checked (about a minute ago), our low tonight was to be 45F and our low on Monday night is still forecast to be 39.

And western Miami-Dade may get a freeze?  

[Alicehunter2000]

Well its 3:00 am and the closest weather station says 36.4.........I'm going on the back porch to see what my thermometer says......wish me luck..................Oh CRIKEY......(ala the late Steve Irwin).....my thermometer say 29 degrees. I sure hope its wrong! I didn't cover anything. I'm not worried about my palms so much (in a mild freeze) but I got a few tender little things here and there that might get burnt. I hope no frost......Well nothing to do now except wait.

[ZoneTenNut]

Well NWS had forecast lows of 41F for Sun. & Mon. nights and 43F for Tues for us, but as of 6:31AM, if is 51.8F but it is still slowly falling, so doesn't look like we are going to get as cold as predicted, by a long shot.  

NWS now has our lows at 39F Mon. night and 42F Tues. night

Weather.com has our lows at 45F Mon. night and 50F Tues. night

Big disparity between the two!

[SunnyFl]

Just keeps getting worse.............

Freeze Warning

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

412 AM EST MON JAN 29 2007

...HARD FREEZE EXPECTED TONIGHT FOR LEVY...CITRUS...HERNANDO...

PASCO AND SUMTER COUNTIES...

...A FREEZE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF

PINELLAS... HILLSBOROUGH...POLK...MANATEE...HARDEE...DESOTO AND

HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

.COLD ARCTIC AIR WILL CONTINUE TO FILTER INTO THE AREA TODAY AND

TONIGHT. LIGHT WINDS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO FALL RAPIDLY AFTER

SUNSET...BUT A CANOPY OF HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD KEEP TEMPERATURES

ABOVE 20 DEGREES.

FLZ050-055>057-061-301400-

/O.NEW.KTBW.FZ.W.0001.070130T0800Z-070130T1400Z/

PINELLAS-MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-DE SOTO-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLEARWATER...ST. PETERSBURG...

BRADENTON...WAUCHULA...SEBRING...AVON PARK...ARCADIA

412 AM EST MON JAN 29 2007

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM EST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL HAS

ISSUED A FREEZE WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM

EST TUESDAY.

IT NOW APPEARS THAT FREEZING TEMPERATURES MAY AFFECT EXTREME

NORTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY...INTERIOR MANATEE COUNTY...MUCH OF

HARDEE AND DESOTO COUNTIES...AS WELL AS THE NORMALLY COLDER AREAS

OF SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COUNTY TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR FREEZING BY AROUND 3 AM...AND

SHOULD BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN 29 AND 31 DEGREES BY SUNRISE.

A FREEZE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR 3 OR MORE HOURS OF TEMPERATURES

BETWEEN 27 AND 32 OVER A WIDESPREAD AREA.

.....Monday overnight low for my neighborhood (Lealman) is still forecast to be 39F.  Let's hope that holds - my husband will cover the croton garden where the lutescens is.... the Fine-Leafs are on their own

Larry - what are you going to do about your Arecas?

[SunnyFl]

(Alicehunter2000 @ Jan. 29 2007,03:49)

QUOTE

Well its 3:00 am and the closest weather station says 36.4.........I'm going on the back porch to see what my thermometer says......wish me luck..................Oh CRIKEY......(ala the late Steve Irwin).....my thermometer say 29 degrees. I sure hope its wrong! I didn't cover anything. I'm not worried about my palms so much (in a mild freeze) but I got a few tender little things here and there that might get burnt. I hope no frost......Well nothing to do now except wait.

I hope your palms pull through and the other more fragile plants.  What are you growing - can you bring any of them in?

We'll have a living room full of plants if this forecast deteriorates any further!  About 20 crotons, about 15 palmies, a double-flowering allamanda (ya don't see those every day), adeniums, philodendron - Monstera and Unknown sp., an arrowhead thing and an unknown heliconia growing in water......

I just hope we won't have to - still hoping we won't go below 39.

[ZoneTenNut]

Sunny,

Looks like western areas down here are going to be at this party.    How big are your arecas?

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL

527 AM EST MON JAN 29 2007

FLZ063-066>075-292230-

GLADES-HENDRY-PALM BEACH WESTERN-PALM BEACH EASTERN-

WESTERN COLLIER-EASTERN COLLIER-WESTERN BROWARD-

BROWARD METROPOLITAN-WESTERN DADE-DADE METROPOLITAN-

MAINLAND MONROE-

527 AM EST MON JAN 29 2007

...FREEZE WATCH NORTH AND CENTRAL INTERIOR LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY...

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN THE GULF STREAM THROUGH THIS EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

TEMPERATURES: ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS MAINLAND SOUTH

FLORIDA THIS MORNING, BRINGING MUCH COOLER AIR INTO THE AREA.

WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT OVERNIGHT, ALLOWING FOR A BIG DROP IN

TEMPERATURES. LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE 30S

INTERIOR AND GULF COASTAL LOCATIONS...TO THE 40S ALONG THE

ATLANTIC COAST. TEMPERATURES COULD EVEN FALL TO AROUND FREEZING

ACROSS PORTIONS OF GLADES, HENDRY, EASTERN COLLIER, WESTERN PALM

BEACH AND WESTERN BROWARD COUNTIES. FOR THIS REASON, A FREEZE

WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY

TUESDAY.

WAVES: NORTH WINDS OF 10 TO 20 KNOTS WILL MAINTAIN HAZARDOUS SEAS

IN THE GULF STREAM THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. SEAS OF 9 TO 13

FEET THIS MORNING WILL DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 7 FEET BY MIDNIGHT

TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

LOW TEMPERATURES TUESDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 30S

NORTHWEST INTERIOR TO THE 40S ELSEWHERE...EXCEPT LOWER TO MID 50S

FAR SOUTHEAST COAST. TEMPERATURES THEN WILL REBOUND RAPIDLY DURING

THE MIDDLE PART OF THE WEEK.

[Bilbo]

Best weather wishes guys.

We had a frost warning over here a couple of days ago and that was just a damp sqib cos it has turned out surprisingly mild!

In 2008 I intend to raise loadsa money by opening my garden for the National Gardens Scheme and the cash will go to good causes such as Kids and BigC.

A local guy has volunteered the use of his photocopier for A4 handouts.

Its real nice and lucky to live in an area where we are all friendly regular guys.

I am the only weirdo in town and everyone knows Jon!

Regardez

Juan

[SubTropicRay]

The mention of overnight high cirrus clouds is back in the Melbourne, Tampa and Miami area NWS discussions.  

Larry, what are you going to do about the Pritchardia pacifica??  You dug it up last summer and potted it up right?

Ray

[Alicehunter2000]

Ok 7:00 am officially from stations located near me........32.5 and 31 degrees........now for my backporch thermometer (which I hope is not accurate)........Uggg....27 degrees. I just don't know about this thermometer. I guess if my bird of paradise or rubber plant show signs of freeze then its probably correct.

Oh well most of my stuff is in the front yard now anyway (east/southeast side). The sun is already shining bright over there. I shouldn't have been so lazy and covered stuff last night.

Sunny I guess my most cold tender stuff would include Monstera vine, oyster plant (almost dead anyway), some tropical looking succulents that were already starting to flower. New growth on just about everything including loquats and hibiscus and alot of stuff that probably should be inside potted plants that found there way into the ground (don't know the names of alot of it) Thanks for the sympathies

[Trópico]

They were reporting 41ºF as I drove to work but I had ICE on my car. I am sure it was lower. I am sure we'll be fine.

[Alicehunter2000]

Oh and the good news is --------No Frost! and the other good news is (did you hear) it IS NOT 18 FRIGGIN DEGREES OUTSIDE!! (which makes me very happy )

If I am any indication I don't think you guys south of Gainsville are going to freeze (but I have been known to be wrong before) <-----disclaimer

[spockvr6]

(SunnyFl @ Jan. 29 2007,07:00)

QUOTE

Larry - what are you going to do about your Arecas?

From the looks of things and unless some big changes come today (like those thick clouds), I am expecting at least a mild freeze.

I am undecided on what I am going to do about certain plants.  Most things I am going to leave alone and let 'em ride.  If they cant handle 29-30F, then they can go!  Pa-tooo-eee!

Certain things, which I know will croak or be so badly damaged at those temps, I will palm sock.  

I dont think I am going to break out the proane heaters.  But, I will probably set the alarm on my weather station to go off if temps end up dropping alot colder than predicted (like this did this AM) so that in the worst case scenario I can fire the heaters up at the last minute if need be.

Forecast was way way off this AM.  NWS called for 45 and I bottomed at 39.4F up here in the tundra!