Winter Weather

[Paul Cumbleton]

The Southwest has not been immune either. We had 15 to 20cm (6 to 8 inches) of snow yesterday. Locals tell us this is more snow than seen before in living memory.

Paul

[Tim Ingram]

Seriously cold here a few nights back in NE Kent - we recorded our lowest temperature of -15.5°C in the 40 years of gardening here, which tallies with Trond's comment earlier in Norway. Some serious damage to plants in the garden which will really make us think carefully about new plantings this year and the direction the garden might take. Certainly more alpines!!

[ian mcdonald]

No snow in Elgin.

[Robert]

The cold continues here in Northern California. Most of the cold weather damage to plants in our area can be attributed to the unseasonable warmth during the first two weeks of February followed by the record setting cold during the last two weeks of February. Even our native plants suffered. More on this in this week's botanical diary.

[Jacek]

It's getting better, only -13 C at the end of night. And temp should cross freezing level on Monday.

Light warm air has difficulties in blowing away heavy cold air close to the ground. I've read in professional met comments that current situation is atypical because cold arctic air filled all the troposphere instead of thin lowest layer only.

[Hoy]

It's even better here. Only -2C last night but it will still be about a week till we are back to normal March temperature.

[ian mcdonald]

The wind has ceased and the temperatures are more like normal here for the time of year.

[Leena]

Last night was -17C, now only -6C. There has been snow since January, so perennials and bulbs have been safe, but for myself the winter would have felt easier and not so long, if there had been even a small break in cold and snow.

[Jacek]

Seriously cold here a few nights back in NE Kent - we recorded our lowest temperature of -15.5°C in the 40 years of gardening here, which tallies with Trond's comment earlier in Norway. Some serious damage to plants in the garden which will really make us think carefully about new plantings this year and the direction the garden might take. Certainly more alpines!!

Here -13 C at night again.

Tim, I hope this low temps were not for long. You grow so many tender plants in UK, as your winters are stable and mild. Of course, the above ground portions of plants may die, but the underground parts should survive if the frosty period was short and you had snow.

I observed after the winter 2012 with long severe frost without snow, that underground portion may be tenderer than the upper part. Resultant was healthy appearance after winter with growth starting normally and than sudden collapse of the all plant shortly afterwards, in May or June.

[Jacek]

-1 C during the day! The spring will come, I feel it.

Has anyone made a snowman? If so - show the picture, please. I cannot , I have no snow.

[ian mcdonald]

A wind in the East is neither good for man nor beast. A wind in the West, best keep on your vest.

[Jacek]

A wind in the East is neither good for man nor beast. A wind in the West, best keep on your vest.

When the wind is in the west,
Then 'tis at the very best.

Do you already have the westerlies?

Here by night still -9 C. But the highest temp measured last night was not in the lowlands - it was on the top of a mountain (1602 m asl), -3,1 C. This reflects the difficulty the warm air has when willing to blow away the cold one. Dense cold air is sitting on the ground, well glued to the rough surface (with trees, hills etc).

By official met office measurements, the lowest temp we had in lowlands in Poland during the last cold spell was -24,2 C. Eastern Poland, of course.

[Hoy]

Here at the coast where I live the coldest was -11.2C but just a few km inland it was much colder. In the eastern part of S Norway the coldest minimum was -42.0C.

Now we have +2C and from Tuesday also the nights will be above freezing.

[Robert]

The weather shifted yesterday. It was 62 F, 16.7 C, at the El Dorado County, California farm. This is the warmest high temperature in 16 days. I guess we had winter for 16 days. 

Now moist subtropical moisture is moving in. The precipitation will be welcome as we are still very much below average precipitation to date. Unfortunately snow levels will be very high and we will lose what little snow pack we currently have. I'll take the warm rain over drought conditions.

[Jacek]

Robert,

This is not a rule, just single observation, but you get the warm weather at the same time we do. What about Midwest and East - do they get colder?