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Post by philagardener on Feb 9, 2014 9:47:09 GMT -5
Awful ice storm in the Philly area last Tuesday into Wednesday. We had snow from a few days earlier still on the trees, so the ice built up very quickly and caused a lot of damage. Evergreens hit hard, trees down everywhere. 700,000 families without power at the peak, 50,000 still out as of this morning (Sunday). We only got power back last night. Last ice event like this was January, 1994. Quite a winter for the mid-Atlantic region this year!
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Post by steev on Feb 9, 2014 10:36:20 GMT -5
Pouring in Oakland right now; normally, we'd have >16" by now; this series of storms may bring us up to ~4".
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Post by Penny on Feb 10, 2014 9:45:22 GMT -5
Sun's out today and not as cold.
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Post by zeedman on Feb 10, 2014 18:42:35 GMT -5
It's expected to be around -16 F. tonight in my part of Wisconsin, was -8 F. last night. The weather man on one of the local channels said that in terms of the number of days getting below 0 F., there is only one year on record with more... and winter isn't over yet. The frost is so deep this year, many municipalities are directing residents to keep their taps running, so the pipes leading to their homes won't freeze. Makes me wonder; the snow melt in my gardens won't be able to drain until the frost thaws, and that could be awhile, even when (if?) the weather warms.
It is supposed to get close to 32 F. next week, don't think we've broken the freezing mark here since December.
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Post by RpR on Feb 10, 2014 23:29:48 GMT -5
Well, when I go to bed it is -7 and when I get up it usually seems to be -7.
Over here in the middle of Minn. this is not even close to setting a record but so many immigrants and young have no idea that this is normal so they get a bit testy. A couple of more years like this and maybe those who came from the south will go back and quit whining.
It will depending on spring, it could be eighty degrees in March, make for a late planting but maybe a few thousand potato bugs bit the dust.
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Post by steev on Feb 11, 2014 0:28:57 GMT -5
Having passed the recent welcome rain, which brought the SF Bay Area up to a total of ~5" (~1/3 NTD), it looks like clear weather for awhile.
If the farm got as much as I think, that will sprout the brome, so in a couple weeks, I'll till-kill it and sow Spring grains.
The coming week-end, I'll first check how deep it's damp, then I hope to set out some of the cool-season sprouts that survived the squirrel's salad binge. I'll also pull a T-post or two to gauge the difficulty of expanding my trees' critter-cages; no way am I doing that before that tense soil has had enough relaxing hydro-therapy.
I am cautiously encouraged.
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Post by Penny on Feb 11, 2014 8:49:13 GMT -5
Sun's out!!
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Post by Penny on Feb 12, 2014 7:29:17 GMT -5
Morning all,
Its cold and frosty here!
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Post by steev on Feb 12, 2014 22:43:08 GMT -5
Looks like a decent storm coming over the farm; probably won't last to do much for Oakland (nor for Holly), but I won't mind if it drops its whole load on the farm; that's where I need it.
Having skipped last week-end, I am SO champing at the bit to get up there and plant out my squirrel-raggled Brassicas.
It's two weeks since I last checked the peas, which were making no appearance; I really hope for a good return from them this year.
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Post by Penny on Feb 13, 2014 7:44:34 GMT -5
Morning all,
Not as cold here today, currently -12
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Post by philagardener on Feb 13, 2014 8:18:58 GMT -5
A new 8-10 inches of snow in Philadelphia this morning. Icy mix now at 32F and the winds are picking up. Lots of folks all up and down the East Coast would be glad to send some of this precip to CA! Come and get it :>)
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Post by steev on Feb 13, 2014 21:24:09 GMT -5
Looks like that approaching storm is being diverted into the upper Central Valley; well, they need it, too.
Article in the paper yesterday about the organic dairies in Marin County, north of San Francisco; their organic certification requires their cows be on OC pasture not less than four months per year. Well, they've not had pasture for months due to drought; the recent storms will likely sprout it, but if the rains don't keep coming, the grass will rush to seed and drying in no time; they've been buying alfalfa from increasingly distant and expensive sources, and even water, as their local sources dry up; they haven't much ground-water, mostly sky-ponds.
They've petitioned for a variance from the pasture rule, without which they'll lose their certifications, very spendy to regain.
However, it was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day in Oakland. Grump.
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Post by kevin8715 on Feb 13, 2014 21:38:46 GMT -5
Got to 85 today. Thats S. Cal for you, 80-90 degree weather in February. Really annoying since it is around 45 at nights.
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Post by steev on Feb 13, 2014 22:02:02 GMT -5
Good for sleeping, if you're not in a doorway, though.
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Post by billw on Feb 13, 2014 22:24:43 GMT -5
It's getting tempting to start planting out the non-hardy stuff, but I just know there is another frost lurking out there past the long term forecast.
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