Winter Weather

[Neil]

Well its been 14 days now without rain, I'm not going to count the two days of fog we had. 

[GordonT]

Although Winter is officially over (in astronomical terms), it is refusing to let go of northeastern North America. Our forecast for tomorrow has perhaps the worst storm yet descending on us. Blizzard conditions have been forecast for much of Nova Scotia- definitely understandable if the 30 to 50+ cm of snow arrives with winds exceeding 100 KPH! Most everyone with any sense will stay off the highways... near zero visibility expected due to blowing and drifting snow. I do hope the storm tracks  further out to sea.

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/alerts/high-alert/canada/nova-scotia/bear-river

To think that only yesterday we noticed our witch hazels starting to bloom, and snow crocus reappearing for the new season... back to winter for us!

[ArnoldT]

Gordon:

Sounds horrific.  We're getting a pass on this one.  Maybe an inch or two of snow but windy

[GordonT]

Glad it is giving you a pass Arnold!

The barometric pressure for this one is forecast to drop between 40 to 50 millibars in less than 24 hours. We're being told  this is pretty much a cyclone, but not tropical in origin. We went around the yard today and put away anything that could be taken by the wind. Keeping our fingers crossed that the plastic on the greenhouse remains intact. Thankfully we are tucked into a hillside, so we shouldn't face the worst of the storm. The snow has started to fall... The next 24 hours should be interesting.

[ArnoldT]

Good luck.

[ashley]

Ho-hum, not before time: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/government-accuses-bbc-of-creating-false-balance-on-climate-change-with-unqualified-sceptics-9231176.html

I live in hope of something similar in Ireland where we must regularly suffer unfettered media access for wildly unfounded opinions and conspiracy theories, e.g. campaigning against vaccination, water fluoridation, etc., etc..

[GordonT]

Good luck.

Arnold, thank you for the wish.... it was granted. Although we lost power for about 14 hours, and the winds actually shook us to sleep, our greenhouse withstood the storm. Several of our friends in more exposed areas were less fortunate, we know of two greenhouses that were destroyed by winds over 130 KPH. I think we have finally put "Winter 2013-14" to rest, the snow is virtually gone.

[ArnoldT]

Good news, I was wondering when we would hear from you.

Amen to the last of Winter 2013-2014.

[jandals]

Winter arrived in New Zealand today . Skifields will be happy but things were a little chaotic in Dunedin . Pictures were taken in the hills near Milton and not far from Leslie and Roger's place

 

I really should put my jandals away for the winter

no brain - no pain

 

[Anthony Darby]

Ah memories of snow. Shock to the system this morning with a ground frost. Photos taken just before 8 a.m.

[angie]

Ah memories of snow. Shock to the system this morning with a ground frost. Photos taken just before 8 a.m.

Beautiful blue sky there. Do you never get snow Anthony and what is the lowest temperature that you can have in your region ?

Angela 

[Anthony Darby]

I think -1^oC is the lowest we get, but only away from buildings and trees. As you can see, winter bedding plants are the same as summer, and that is a protea, a frangipani, a money plant and an Epidendron flowering.

[Anthony Darby]

We had a bit of wild weather last night. 44 metre tree down in Auckland Zoo. Even the water pitch at the local hockey stadium was flooded when they turned up at 6.30 a.m. yesterday. Rain doesn't stop 1st XII training, but you can't play under water! Glorious and sunny, calm as a mill pond and 18^oC today though. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/happened-damage-across-north-island-following-severe-storm-5998085

[angie]

Luckily no-one was hurt badly Anthony. I have some trees planned to be felled next weekend and when I see the pictures I can't wait to have them removed. They are not my trees, they are in the forrest behind my property and I finally have the permission to have them removed.

Anthony it must be so much fun to grow greenhouse plants outside.

Angie 

[Maggi Young]

Summer weather in northern Germany is pretty bad - I've just been reading about 6 deaths caused by thunder storms - trees  down, lightning strikes.  Scary.