It is still warm here with a high 81F today. Flash back to the 1960s and 1980s and there were some cold spells here with low winter temperatures in the low 30sF and a couple of times even down into the upper 20sF. Here are some lowest winter temperatures in this area for these periods.

1959-1960 28F
1960-1961 32F
1961-1962 32F
1962-1963 29F
1963-1964 30F
1964-1965 30F
1965-1966 31F
1966-1967 35F
1967-1968 34F
1968-1969 33F

1979-1980 35F
1980-1981 31F
1981-1982 32F
1982-1983 38F
1983-1984 31F
1984-1985 30F
1985-1986 32F
1986-1987 38F
1987-1988 37F
1988-1989 33F
1989-1990 27F

The 1960s was the coldest decade in this area and the 1980s the second coldest in the last 50 years! The 1970s,1990s,2000s were much milder with the exception of 1976-1977 which had the worst freeze here in the last 50 years. This is the southern tip of Florida so North America can have exceptionally cold air mass in winter! Most of the times the temperatures got to near or below freezing was short duration with the exception of January 1977 and December 1989 freezes.


Even this area can get below freezing although not too far below freezing.

Thanks Gregn. Just an FYI, this morning's low was again 22. Only three more days of this .

Peter

I was listening to NPR on the way home tonight and they had a short (very short) piece on the impacts of this cold on the San Joaquin Valley citrus crop. It is worth an estimated $1.2 billion. They said farmers have spent $12 million to counter the freezing effects of this weather. Of course, they didn't explain exactly what the farmers are doing. Anybody have any ideas of what the "professionals" are doing (other than wind machines and water).

Stay warm all!

Peter

Peter, I don't know what the pros are doing in California other than what you suggested with the wind machines and migrant farm workers picking like crazy.

What I can say for sure, on my last day of my vacation I look out side my window this morning and see that the freezing drizzle has turned to light snow. Not much snow is expected - less than 1/2 inch. Temperature steady at 32f (0c). Brrrr.

We need laaz to turn on the fan and blow some that hot air west

Cheers, Greg

From what I know, based on the information shared at the Citrus Variety Collection when I toured there last year, Dr. Kahn said that they (the Collection as well as commercial growers) flood the orchards, and will set up wind machines to keep the leaf temp and air temp about the same. Air movement is crucial, as super cooling can occur (frost) if the air is still, and the leaf temps can actually drop down several degrees below the air temp. And, if there is a real freeze threat, they will spray the trees with a water mist, forming a protective ice layer over the leaves and fruits. And lastly, they can use a moisture retaining spray on the leaves to reduce water loss and the drying out of the leaves. Trees on bare ground will fare better than those with grass underneath, due to the radiation of heat from the bare soil. It comes down to a matter of 1 or 2 degrees, often. I bet Stan can give us more tips, since he is the master of growing citrus in chilly winter temps.

Fortunately I survived the cold wave. I never got below 31 degrees, but just a few blocks away and 200 lower in elevation, they got down to 24 degrees. For some reason I never get quite as cold as they do down in the valley.

Phillip

I just drove by Ramona yesterday. There was snow on the way to Julian on the 78.

That does not surprise me at all. If we had had precipitation during the last 4 days during the night time hours, we'd have snow on the ground here in Visat, just 6 miles from the ocean! It's been that ridiculously cold. My feet are like ice cubes. Getting pretty sick of it, I have to say. We are just not set up for cold weather, and our homes are built for it, either.

It's 8 PM here and it's 70 degrees.

How ridiculous is that for mid January. I believe y'all have stolen our winter.

Don't worry I wont be filling a report and there is no need to return it.

I'm starting to like it. I even picked bananas today.

Patty your blood oranges will love such winters and colour up wonderfully ...

This is true. At least something to be thankful for, with these wicked cold temps. Almost makes up for losing my papaya.

Patty -- I feel your pain I am not looking forwards to seeing our natural gas heating bill for this month Bring on the 100 degree temps!!!!!

Hopefully this freezing weather will kill the ant (red, black and carpenter) populations. We had a record setting summer last year for numbers of ants and vegetation-eating bugs due to the lack of freezing temps last winter. That is one (if not the only) of the good things that may come out of this. And, my stone fruits will like the chilling hours. Okay, that is two things

Tonight's prediction is the worst of all. It is supposed to be 17 degrees here. Am turning on the irrigation to help.

The graph below is data through 8:45 tonight. It is now 25 degrees in the orchard. You can see we are rapidly approaching the 22 degree temps of the previous nights.

And, speaking of strange temperatures, the dew point right now is -0.57 degrees (yes, that is below freezing and less than a degree). This means it is exceptionally dry and one can really feel it on your lips!

Finally, another outcome of this weather is that if we really reach the projected temps (over in far SE Arizona it is projected to be 8 degrees), it will kill *native* vegetation and significantly increase the fire danger in May and June. Not to mention killing the Saguaros.

Stay warm. Only two more days here.

Peter

How often do cold waves this intense occur in southwest? Normally the cold air moves to the east of the rocky mountains.