California winter is here

[enigma99]

In NorCal it is going to be cold all the way until rain comes next week. Low dew points combined with clear nights will make a lot of spots in the very low 30s. I think the bad spots will see a lot of upper 20s over the next several nights

Edited December 29, 2015 by enigma99

[enigma99]

Meanwhile we are freezing, the best place to be is the north pole! This year is so messed up

 

Warm Winds to Force Above Freezing Temperatures For the North Pole

[enigma99]

Three more nights of this 30 degree garbage and then we will be done until next winter hopefully 

Edited December 30, 2015 by enigma99

[quaman58]

Awful cold in my area. I'm usually 8 degrees or so colder that the weather station located at Lindbergh Field. Been at or below freezing 3 of the past 5 nights, with at least a couple more to go. The plant damage is the worst since '07; severe spotting on even the exposed Pritchardias. Most of the palms are probably big enough to survive, at least if there's a not too distant end to this madness.  

[Josh-O]

8 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Three more nights of this 30 degree garbage and then we will be done until next winter hopefully 

lets pray!

[Josh-O]

58 minutes ago, quaman58 said:

Awful cold in my area. I'm usually 8 degrees or so colder that the weather station located at Lindbergh Field. Been at or below freezing 3 of the past 5 nights, with at least a couple more to go. The plant damage is the worst since '07; severe spotting on even the exposed Pritchardias. Most of the palms are probably big enough to survive, at least if there's a not too distant end to this madness.  

Hi Bret, what Weather underground station do you compare your garden temps to? I didn't see one for Lindbergh field.

thanks

[nachocarl]

1 hour ago, quaman58 said:

Awful cold in my area. I'm usually 8 degrees or so colder that the weather station located at Lindbergh Field. Been at or below freezing 3 of the past 5 nights, with at least a couple more to go. The plant damage is the worst since '07; severe spotting on even the exposed Pritchardias. Most of the palms are probably big enough to survive, at least if there's a not too distant end to this madness.  

This is interesting as I thought 2012 and 2013 were much worse than what we have seen thus far.  I recorded 26 and 34 nights respectively at < 40 F during those winters (Nov-Feb) with <32F on several occasions at the old property.  Do you think the two year of mild winters may have softened some of the plants? Steve Toad usually has some low temps in San Freeze during these spells, I wonder how things are there.  Pritchardias seem to show immediately but do grow out of it quickly.

 

[Josh-O]

what really sucks is the lack of wind on these clear nights when radiational freezes occur. 

[enigma99]

6 minutes ago, Josh-O said:

what really sucks is the lack of wind on these clear nights when radiational freezes occur. 

Yeah makes you want to go to higher ground :(

[Josh-O]

1 minute ago, enigma99 said:

Yeah makes you want to go to higher ground :(

forsure

[quaman58]

Hey Josh,

There's a weather station that pulls up with the 92122 zip. As of 7:15, it's showing 35.9f. The issue for me (& Matt P. I think) is that we're both in somewhat low lying areas. My street is maybe 1/8 mile long, but since it's on a steep grade, the temp can be 5 degrees colder toward the bottom than at the top. Great in the summer. Terrible at this time of year. I remember Phil Bergman saying "think of it like cold lava running downhill." He's right. My next door neighbor is maybe 12' lower in elevation, & he'll show more damage on his palms. Make a left turn at the bottom of the hill & follow the street down to the cul de sac & it looks like you hit palms with roundup. The bright side though is that every major cold event since I've been here has hit between Dec. 15 & January 10th. I'm hoping that if we can warm up a bit, for just a few days, that'll be that. 

Bret

[quaman58]

10 hours ago, Josh-O said:

Hi Bret, what Weather underground station do you compare your garden temps to? I didn't see one for Lindbergh field.

thanks

Josh, I've always assumed that the T.V. weather used a L.F station. I might be wrong on that, but they're using something in that downtown area.

[Ben in Norcal]

Well, last night didn't materialize here - 32 was forecast but dew points stayed up and it was 41 degrees when I woke up at 6:30 a.m.  Next two nights looking to be pretty crappy with low dew points though - I may cover some stuff and set up the propane heaters today.  I, as well, am hoping the next 2 nights are it for this year with all of the rain we have coming in the rest of the 10-day.

[Josh-O]

20 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Well, last night didn't materialize here - 32 was forecast but dew points stayed up and it was 41 degrees when I woke up at 6:30 a.m.  Next two nights looking to be pretty crappy with low dew points though - I may cover some stuff and set up the propane heaters today.  I, as well, am hoping the next 2 nights are it for this year with all of the rain we have coming in the rest of the 10-day.

I'm amazed how so many gardens here in San Diego have consistently been colder that some of the gardens up in nor. cal this winter. Every time I look at the radar forecast and jet stream models I cringe. Not to mention record high temps on the east coast. 85 F in Tampa yesterday. CRAZY!!  Will the El nino warm weather skip the west coast all together??

[Josh-O]

2 hours ago, quaman58 said:

Hey Josh,

There's a weather station that pulls up with the 92122 zip. As of 7:15, it's showing 35.9f. The issue for me (& Matt P. I think) is that we're both in somewhat low lying areas. My street is maybe 1/8 mile long, but since it's on a steep grade, the temp can be 5 degrees colder toward the bottom than at the top. Great in the summer. Terrible at this time of year. I remember Phil Bergman saying "think of it like cold lava running downhill." He's right. My next door neighbor is maybe 12' lower in elevation, & he'll show more damage on his palms. Make a left turn at the bottom of the hill & follow the street down to the cul de sac & it looks like you hit palms with roundup. The bright side though is that every major cold event since I've been here has hit between Dec. 15 & January 10th. I'm hoping that if we can warm up a bit, for just a few days, that'll be that. 

Bret

Bret when you see 35.9 on the weather station are you colder or warmer? I found a WU station in University heights that read 35.9 at 7:15 am. I wonder if this is the same station you and Matty P. use to compare temps in your gardens?

how many times have you been at or below freezing?

this has been a very cold winter so far and I don't like it at all. The only plant that has been damaged by the cold is a pritchardia lowreyana I have  in a 30" box. Nothing else has had any frost on it except this darn plant. Pritchardias seem to be frost magnets.

[quaman58]

31 minutes ago, Josh-O said:

Bret when you see 35.9 on the weather station are you colder or warmer? I found a WU station in University heights that read 35.9 at 7:15 am. I wonder if this is the same station you and Matty P. use to compare temps in your gardens?

how many times have you been at or below freezing?

this has been a very cold winter so far and I don't like it at all. The only plant that has been damaged by the cold is a pritchardia lowreyana I have  in a 30" box. Nothing else has had any frost on it except this darn plant. Pritchardias seem to be frost magnets.

Josh, I would say a bit colder than the U.C. gauge, since I'm making the assumption that it's probably not as low in elevation as I am. I've been at or below freezing 3 times in the past 10 days. Last night was close, but never reached it. It seems to me that I've had little trouble over the years with frost that may develop above the 32 degree point. Not much spotting or damage at all. But this event has been at or below freezing, hence the damage. Having said that, all I'm witnessing so far is spotting & leaf burn, especially on leaves that are near horizontal. In contrast, the 2007 freeze turned entire palms brown before noon after the first night. I lost a high percentage of those.

[quaman58]

Here's a fun look back in the time capsule...

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/2966-one-of-those-days/#comment-50996

[Josh-O]

1 minute ago, quaman58 said:

Josh, I would say a bit colder than the U.C. gauge, since I'm making the assumption that it's probably not as low in elevation as I am. I've been at or below freezing 3 times in the past 10 days. Last night was close, but never reached it. It seems to me that I've had little trouble over the years with frost that may develop above the 32 degree point. Not much spotting or damage at all. But this event has been at or below freezing, hence the damage. Having said that, all I'm witnessing so far is spotting & leaf burn, especially on leaves that are near horizontal. In contrast, the 2007 freeze turned entire palms brown before noon after the first night. I lost a high percentage of those.

thanks for the update. I hope this will be the last cold event of the year. I have been down to freezing or slightly below at the vista garden 7 times this year. All very short duration with no frost on the plants thanks GOD! the only thing that I have going for me at that garden is the killer air drainage and I get sun at 7:15 am on the dot every morning and the temps climb up drastically.

[Ben in Norcal]

1 hour ago, Josh-O said:

I'm amazed how so many gardens here in San Diego have consistently been colder that some of the gardens up in nor. cal this winter. Every time I look at the radar forecast and jet stream models I cringe. Not to mention record high temps on the east coast. 85 F in Tampa yesterday. CRAZY!!  Will the El nino warm weather skip the west coast all together??

Norcal is cool, but you guys - at least in sub-optimal microclimates - seem to get whacked with freezes about as often as the best microclimates up here do.  It certainly wasn't much warmer even during the day when I was down there this week.

[Ben in Norcal]

8 minutes ago, Josh-O said:

thanks for the update. I hope this will be the last cold event of the year. I have been down to freezing or slightly below at the vista garden 7 times this year. All very short duration with no frost on the plants thanks GOD! the only thing that I have going for me at that garden is the killer air drainage and I get sun at 7:15 am on the dot every morning and the temps climb up drastically.

That is way worse than me.  I have only been below freezing once or twice - with nothing except for bananas and heliconias/cannas under no cover showing stress yet.  Heliconias under cover still look perfect.  Another two bad nights coming though, it looks like.

[Josh-O]

9 minutes ago, quaman58 said:

Here's a fun look back in the time capsule...

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/2966-one-of-those-days/#comment-50996

I agree, this past few winters have reflected exactly that. 

[enigma99]

Different area get hit harder depending on where the cold is, wind flow/direction etc. I got hit hardest during Thanksgiving but my Bay Area friends didn't get that cold. Now in December I have only hit 32 twice. Last night was 29 though and not a lot of fun. Tonight looks bad and tomorrow should be a degree better

I do need to invest in a good $500 24 hr aspirated weather station though. The nearest station is at the bottom of the hill and usually runs a degree or two cooler

[WestCoastGal]

Glad the cold has been replaced by more warmer temps and the rain is a plus too. Looks like quite a number of days ahead of above 40 degree weather and occasional rain. Because of the drought our fountain hasn't been filled or used for some time now. However I think it's time to drain it  ...at halloween it was empty.