Weather Update

I guess you could call this a "Summer Weather Update." The weather has been positively summer-like the past few days. Since the second week in March it has been an extremely warm Spring. The daffodils began blooming today, and the grape hyacinths and tulips aren't far behind. Thursday's (April 1st's) high temperature was 79 degrees Fahrenheit - a cool 31 degrees F. above normal. Friday was 85 degrees Fahrenheit - nearly our first day at or above 30 degrees Celsius and 37 degrees above normal! Today's high temperature was a mild 81 degrees Fahrenheit - still 32 degrees above normal. This happened last April as well, but it was even hotter then. Amazingly, it looks like were in for at least another week of temperatures in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit. While it feels nice, such weather can make for a horribly destructive frost down the road. We still have more than a month before the average last frost, but buds are popping everywhere.

Oh, I meant to mention the fact that last Tuesday's (March 30) high temperature was 38 degrees Fahrenheit. It even snowed for a couple of hours that day. Friday's high temperature was 85 degrees Fahrenheit - a 47 degree swing in just three days!

First Hard Frost?

Well, we had another frost on A.D. 2009 October 02. This time the temperature was 33 degrees Fahrenheit and somewhere between 50 and 85 percent of the lawn was crunchy from ice. I decided that I would call it a "hard" (killing) frost if the tomatoes were dead when I got home. Well, two of the four lost their tops, and all of them had a little browning at their leaf tips. My wife says that constitutes a killing frost, but I was hoping for something a little more definitive. I'm still thinking about what to call it...

A little snow and a few deer

We received our first "official" measurable snow a couple of Fridays ago. It only amounted to about a centimeter, but it was beautiful. Since then we've had a couple more dustings. Currently, we're up to about 3 cm of snow so far this year...

Two Saturdays ago was the opening day of the regular hunting season for white-tailed deer in our area. I shot a big doe immediately after daybreak. The following day (Sunday) I shot another big doe in the early afternoon. This past Friday I shot another big doe. Thankfully, we almost have enough meat to supply all of the members of our family.

Weather statistics though A.D. 2007 November 25:

First snow: A.D. 2007 October 28
First snow accumulation of at least 1 centimeter: A.D. 2007 November 16
Days with snow cover: 008
Days with complete snow cover: 000
Total snowfall: 3.0 centimeters (1.2 inches)

Still dry as a bone, but...

Another weekend is past, and it was another weekend without significant rainfall. Since 29 April, we've received about .40 inches (10 millimeters) of rainfall. We've been unlucky, because some farms in our area have recieved more than 1.5 inches (38 millimeters) in that time period. I'm hopeful that our "mini drought" is near its end; rain is forecast for 8 of the next 10 days.

Despite the extremely dry conditions (for our area), most plants have shown little sign of stress. Instead, they've simply slowed down. It has been nice for those of us with large lawns; the grass has grown much slower that it normally would.

Another unexpected surprise!

"I think that we've seen the last sub-freezing temperatures of the season."

For the second time this Spring, these words have been proven wrong. Incredibly, we awoke to more frost this morning, the twenty-second of May. ...and guess what...I was thrilled!

Through 22 May A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 100
Days with complete snow cover: 67
Total snowfall: 59 inches (150 centimeters)
Greatest snowfall: 20 inches (51 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snow cover: 19 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest hard frost: 14 May A.D. 2007
Latest light frost: 22 May A.D. 2007

Weather Update

Through 07 May A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 100
Days with complete snow cover: 67
Total snowfall: 59 inches (150 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snow cover: 19 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest hard frost: 04 May A.D. 2007
Latest light frost: 07 May A.D. 2007

I think that we've seen the last sub-freezing temperatures of the season. I haven't decided whether I'll make weather updates during the summer. I've toyed with the idea of recording the number of days above 30° Celsius (86° Fahrenheit)...

Since 29 April A.D. 2007, The Weather Channel reports that we have received 0.22 inches (5.59 millimeters) of precipitation. While we've had dews or frosts every night, it has still become bone dry outside. Such weather is bizarre for this time of year, because May is supposed to be one of our wetter months. Normally I wouldn't worry about the dryness, but, aside from three days with precipition chances from 30 to 50%, we are forecast to have (at least) another 10 days without rain.

In the three summers that I have lived here, two have been marked by significantly wetter than normal conditions. These were separated by one of the driest summers in the area's recorded history. That year started like this one, but I hope it ends differently.

Weather Update

Through 4 May A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 100
Days with complete snow cover: 67
Total snowfall: 59 inches (150 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snow cover: 19 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest hard frost: 4 May A.D. 2007
Latest light frost: 4 May A.D. 2007

Weather update

Through 30 April A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 100
Days with complete snow cover: 67
Total snowfall: 59 inches (150 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snow cover: 19 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest hard frost: 20 April A.D. 2007
Latest light frost: 25 April A.D. 2007

Weather Update

Wow! What a difference a week makes. This time last week we were held in the icy grasp of winter. Today, I write from the blazing heat of summer! Last Monday we received nearly a foot of snow. The high temperature that day was 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit). Today, the forecast high temperature is 28° Celsius (82° Fahrenheit).

I think that last week's storm was the last snow we'll see this year. It's makes me a little sad, because winter is my favorite season. Now it's on to summer (or so it seems). Winter hung around so long this year (for the third year in a row) that it's almost as if we've missed out on Spring. The crocuses (or croci) are done blooming, but the daffodils are in full swing. They were severely beaten by the weather, but they're still beautiful!

On another note, I picked up 20 Abies concolor (Concolor Fir) seedlings this past Saturday. They are gorgeous trees that are native to the mountains of the western United States and northwestern México. Remarkably well adapted, they grow as well if not better than Picea pungens (Blue Spruce). I bought the firs to create a "noisebreak" next to the road. They may reach large sizes, so I laid the trees out on a 4 meter (13.1233 feet) spacing.

I saw my first Concolor Fir at the Chautauqua Institution. (See the picture below)

More information on Concolor Firs may be found here, here, here, and here.



Through 23 April A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 100
Days with complete snow cover: 67
Total snowfall: 59 inches (150 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snow cover: 19 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 17 April A.D. 2007
Latest hard frost: 20 April A.D. 2007
Latest light frost: 20 April A.D. 2007

Un poco más de nieva...

Unexpectedly, we got a light dusting of snow last night. It was nothing major, but there was certainly enough to record snow cover...

Through 13 April A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 95
Days with complete snow cover: 64
Total snowfall: 48 inches (122 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)
Latest date with complete snow cover: 8 April A.D. 2007
Latest date with any snowfall: 13 April A.D. 2007

Note: The "latest date with complete snow cover" is inclusive of complete snow cover that melts later in the same day.

Weather Update

Through 10 April A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 94
Days with complete snow cover: 64
Total snowfall: 48 inches (122 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Pictures, Snow, and More!

I finally got the pictures into electronic form!

Crocus chrysanthus 'Blue Pearl':









Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant':



This is one of the aberrants:




In other news, we got a little bit of snow yesterday evening. It's the first frozen precipitation since early-to-mid March. That is odd for this time of year, because we usually alternate between rain and snow until April. Nonetheless, we had a heavy dusting this morning when I looked out the window.

Through 5 April A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 89
Days with complete snow cover: 64
Total snowfall: 47 inches (120 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

...okay that's enough information for one posting. My mind is still racing with thoughts, but I'll save them for another time.

What a difference a week makes.

Since my last post, Spring left and is returning again. Last Thursday, it started snowing here in the Finger Lakes. It didn't stop until Sunday. We got 9 inches of snow and the Springtime feel was ruined. However, hope springs eternal. Yesterday the temperature climbed into the 40s. The snow began to melt and it will be gone by the end of today! There are crocuses popping up through the snow and I'm beginning to feel good again. (Except for the fact that I still can't stand coming to work)

Through 21 March A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 82
Days with complete snow cover: 64
Total snowfall: 47 inches (120 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Weather update and more!

Through 14 March A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 75
Days with complete snow cover: 57
Total snowfall: 38 inches (97 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Wow. For the first time since mid January there are bare spots outside. In fact, there's very little snow left on the ground. On Monday, the temperature climbed into the 50s. It got into the 60s yesterday, and the grass began to show. By the end of the day today, the snow was limited to shady places and areas where there had been drifting.

Perhaps the most exciting thing is that the first Crocus is blooming! Last Autumn I planted four Crocus species in our yard. As of today, a Crocus ancyrensis 'Golden Bunch' is blooming. It's exciting to see how quickly they've emerged! There are at least two more that should be blooming tomorrow...

Now that the snow has melted, I'm working like crazy to get the farm in order for Summer. This year I have a number of projects I'm working on:

1. First of all, I live on an old vineyard. While I won't be keeping all of the grapes, I am trying to revitalize a small block of them. Consequently, my first project this Spring has been to prune back the old vines.

2. I ordered 500 pine and spruce trees in January. I need to have their planting areas ready for when they arrive in May.

3. One of my interests is raising livestock. For the past two years I've been clearing parts of the vineyard to create pastures. Now is a great time to clear because the weeds have not begun to grow.

4. My favorite garden plants (other than bulbs) are shade plants. I would like to create a bed on the north side of my house for Columbines, Dwarf Crested Irises, Anemones, Solomon's Seal, Forget-me-nots, Bleeding Hearts, and Trilliums. This is a substantial project, but one I look forward to...

While Spring is a busy time of year, it is also a happy time of year. For me, it's full of excitement for the upcoming growing season!

Weather update

Through 9 March A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 70
Days with complete snow cover: 54
Total snowfall: 38 inches (97 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Weather update

Through 26 February A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 59
Days with complete snow cover: 43
Total snowfall: 36 inches (89 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

More weather updates...

Last Tuesday and Wednesday (13 and 14 February), we finally got some snow. In fact, we had our greatest snowfall in 8 years. We received about 20 inches in 26 hours - not a half bad storm...

Through 19 February A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 52
Days with complete snow cover: 36
Total snowfall: 35 inches (89 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Weather update:

Through 8 February A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 41
Days with complete snow cover: 25
Total snowfall: 13 inches (33 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 4 inches (10 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Weather update:

Through 1 February A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 34
Days with complete snow cover: 18
Total snowfall: 12 inches
Maximum snow depth: 3 inches

Hole.

Do you see that dark blue dot to the south and west of Syracuse? That's where we live. Our farm is located in one of the driest places in New York, if not the driest. The average annual precipitation is about 30 inches, give or take a couple of inches. Today's snowfall forecast from intellicast.com is a great example of how me miss out on lake effect snow. If you go north, south, east, or west, you're likely to find more than what's here.