cold in bc

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by Canadianplant, Nov 24, 2006.

  1. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    I was watching the weather network and i heard taht it could get down to - 4 or colder in the next few days.
     
  2. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Yup you heard right. It's cold artic air pushing down from the northern regions. Here it's news worthy and a great deal of time is spent on the subject during broadcasts, especially if snow is falling or forecast. It won't stop my garden tour tomorrow!

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  3. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    ick. had about 45 minutes of heavy rain mixed with wet snow today whilest pruning. no thanks. changed to hail after, then blue skies through the afternoon... welcome to the lower mainland.
     
  4. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Not much rain around my area (Lantzville ~ North Nanaimo) but fairly heavy in the mid afternoon in south Nanaimo and Cedar. Cloudy all afternoon with temps around 7C (45F). Environment Canada is calling for brutal overnight lows by Monday and Tuesday. All this and my Acacia rubida is covered in flower buds.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  5. palmera

    palmera Active Member

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    Well the snow finally arrived. About 7 inches in Chemainus Sun eve @ 6pm and still falling. The temp has just hit 0. Although, I spoke with my mother today in Chilliwack and they are getting it much worse. That dastardly Artic outflow is sinking the temps to palm shaking levels out there. Currently -5 with a -10 windchill and expected to drop as low as -30 (windchill)! I knew I left the "Valley" for a reason!

    Here at home I spent much of the day shaking off wet snow that was weighing down my plants. I did shake off the palms, but they probably didn't need it. They seem flexible. I managed to wrap a 12 foot Cordyline with fleece and plastic. I hate to see it cut down by the forecasted -10ish temps on Mon/Tues. I tell you, it wasn't an easy task. Picture me on a ladder, arms wrapped around the pulled up leaves, holding fleece, wrapping twine, then plastic, tipping ladder, soaking wet snow...you get the picture! Next year it's on it's own. I am thinking of decorating it up for Xmas with red and white paint as the North Pole!

    After a winter garden tour, yesterday on SSI with LPN, Carol, and Joe, I am reinspired. I sure hope this white stuff/cold temps go quickly or I will be building my igloo afterall! Nice to meet you in person, Carol. You were much shorter than I imagined!(Ha ha)

    Anyways, here are a few late afternoon shots of my snowfield. Igloo still to come...
     

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  6. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    thats crazy so how will the windchill effec the plants cause i knwo it doesnt get that cold there very often. wouldnt -30 windchill kill every palm and tropical tree
     
  7. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Wind doesn't change the temperature of the air. If it's -2 celcius and blowing 20 knots, it might feel like -12 celcius but it's still -2 celcius. Wind will take the heat out of an object quicker but it can't drop below the ambient air temp. Humidity plays into the wind factor too. Low humidity can be very damaging to many plants in windy, cold conditions.
    palmera ... looks like very similar condtions up my way in Lantzville. Gotta get up early and clear the driveway. (two tire tracks anyway) The drive home yesterday was pretty good for the most part.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  8. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Agree with LPN - windchill values are obtained from the rate at which they cool an object at 37°C (i.e., human body temperature) to the surrounding air temperature.

    Very cold dry winds can kill plants by desiccation, but that isn't the same as windchill.


    PS +12°C over here :-)
     
  9. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Michael F
    I've heard how mild things have been so far over the the British Isles. I routinely pop in on the UK Oasis board and get the latest there. The weather here is supposed to improve later in the week, thursday or there abouts. My overnight low was a bone chilling -6.3c (20.7f) and the daytime temps are moving very slowly. Currently -4.9c !

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Winter wonderland continues here on Camano Island, northwest of Seattle. Some breakage of slender, fast-growing planted trees such as gums (Eucalyptus) in garden, much casting of limbs, some toppling of trees in forest--especially red alder (Alnus rubra). Many places on trees where branch failures have occurred now show stains and dampness, indicating poor attachments ('weak crotches').

    With sun out some snow being shed, but most vegetation still heavily 'flocked'. If temperatures plummet without snow being shed first perhaps similar mass breakages will be seen as when an 'ice storm' occurs.
     
  11. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    if the windchills are goign to be aroudn - 30 or so doent that meant hat very "tropical" or cold hardy palm or banaba or what not will freeze and die?
     
  12. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    so basicaly you guys are saying that if the temp is say -15 average for the winter.... but the4 windchil average drps the temp by 20 or so degrees... you would still beable to grow the palms and bananas or whatever you like as long as its hardy to the actualy average temprature
     
  13. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    No one grows palms and bananas where winter averages are -15 Celcius, as the plants would never make it. We are experiencing a few days where temps are below normal but still within the range for the region.

    RonB ... no breakage on the majority of my plants and trees. All bamboos are hard over but should bounce back. We're not out of the woods yet, so the next couple of days should tell. There must be close to a foot of snow on the ground.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  14. palmera

    palmera Active Member

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    We got off lucky today. Only -5 and not expecting it to drop below -7 tonight. I just hope that things melt nicely. Too fast and it is so heavy on the plants, yet too slow and it won't be gone before the next cold snap. Here's a few shots of my winterwonderland to get you in the Christmas spirit! (Note the blooming Opuntia vulgaris).
     

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  15. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Looks like those cacti are in their own little Winter Underland.
     
  16. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    palmera,
    I'm looking forward to returning to normal temps soon. This snow thing is very inconveniant. My car is buried and I haven't worked up the courage to dig it out. It hates this weather too.
    One large Timber bamboo culm broke from the snow load. It was a clump tied off at the hand rail on my deck. The other stuff in the garden is hard over and I expect it too spring back up once the snow melts. My big 40' Eucalyptus nitens is rock solid. Some of the others are bent over at the top but seem fine. Meyer lemon took -4c with no ill effects.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  17. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    i was just using those temps just at random
     
  18. Canadianplant

    Canadianplant Active Member

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    is anyone ele having trouble creating a thread?
     

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