How is the weather?

[Mirror Image]

We've had nothing but rain here for the past week --- it's just been cold, damp and wet. Thankfully, no snow or ice. You Texans can keep that stuff. It's currently 41°F, but supposed to get in the 20s tonight.

[Gurn Blanston]

Yeah, that's a temperature I probably hadn't seen there before, even considering most of my life I lived only like 15 or so minutes away from Altamonte (was our goto place for shopping). Or maybe I was aware some years.

I will mention that I did see once something that was like semi-snow falling from the sky when I was about 4 years old, I think, so was probably 1992-ish, but that was in Jacksonville, so in Northern Florida it'd be less shocking.

Only concern Central Florida people have in the winter is covering their plants a few days to prevent damage from ice buildup.

Yeah, plants are a big problem, even bigger in FL than in many places. Her parents had a 75 year-old orange tree in their back yard, my first day there I ate a couple and had a big glass of juice with breakfast. The freeze killed it dead, which tells you how rare it is to have that weather!  I don't even think there are any groves left north of Orlando, too many years of unexpected cold weather drove them out.

[Gurn Blanston]

Nice!  Must be neat to have all of that land?  Do you own horses and/or livestock?  I'll file away that Fort Worth = great barbecue--thanks! :-)

We love having the land. We have a large natural pond full of fish, and are overrun with deer and other critters. When we first came here, and for the next 20 years we had all sorts of livestock, but we finally sold it all off and planted up most of the open land with pine trees. The forest has taken over a lot of it now, which is what we wanted, our own big parkland. Here's what we have for critters now:





Lots of surprises come from that game camera! 

[BasilValentine]

We've had nothing but rain here for the past week --- it's just been cold, damp and wet. Thankfully, no snow or ice. You Texans can keep that stuff. It's currently 41°F, but supposed to get in the 20s tonight.

Here in the Adirondack Mountains of NY we vastly prefer snow. We're expecting 8-12 inches overnight on top of the 18 we already have on the ground. The plows clear the roads before I even wake up and the skiing and snowshoeing is marvelous. If it ever rained — it's only been above freezing for a couple of hours since Christmas — it would ruin everything.

[Wanderer]

Snow may not be a big deal for many of you lucky souls, but in Athens, Greece it's rare enough to be considered big news.

[SonicMan46]

We've had nothing but rain here for the past week --- it's just been cold, damp and wet. Thankfully, no snow or ice. You Texans can keep that stuff. It's currently 41°F, but supposed to get in the 20s tonight.

Hey John - looks like we've been lucky, just the mountain areas of NC/GA on the edge of the storm according to the attached weather map - we're about the same as you, i.e. some rain but not freezing temps during the day at least.

@ Gurn - hi buddy - thanks for the posts and updates - didn't know that you had that many 'wild' animals visiting your land - you could start a zoo!    But hope this weather passes you soon and that recovery is quick - our son is in Indy and will get hit w/ a lot snow; sister-in-law in Hot Springs, Arkansas which is in one of the darker areas on the map - she always seems to do well (born and bred in TX) - good luck!  Dave

[Mirror Image]

Here in the Adirondack Mountains of NY we vastly prefer snow. We're expecting 8-12 inches overnight on top of the 18 we already have on the ground. The plows clear the roads before I even wake up and the skiing and snowshoeing is marvelous. If it ever rained — it's only been above freezing for a couple of hours since Christmas — it would ruin everything.

If one was raised with expecting snowfall and for six months, then I would certainly understand that it's not a big deal, but around here, we're just not equipped for those conditions.

[Mirror Image]

Hey John - looks like we've been lucky, just the mountain areas of NC/GA on the edge of the storm according to the attached weather map - we're about the same as you, i.e. some rain but not freezing temps during the day at least.

That's very good to read. Yeah, the Texans can keep that weather.

[Gurn Blanston]

@ Gurn - hi buddy - thanks for the posts and updates - didn't know that you had that many 'wild' animals visiting your land - you could start a zoo!    But hope this weather passes you soon and that recovery is quick - our son is in Indy and will get hit w/ a lot snow; sister-in-law in Hot Springs, Arkansas which is in one of the darker areas on the map - she always seems to do well (born and bred in TX) - good luck!  Dave

Hey, Dave,
That's just a fraction of them, the coyote was there during the last snowstorm, about a month ago. It's one of the best game camera pix I ever saw. That's just a small buck who happened to be in the same folder. Yeah, it's nice to have wild animals around to look at. Lots of folks don't realize this is the same forest that YOU live in, just further down the line.

Arkansas is getting all it can handle too. The odd thing is that the really crappy weather is hitting further south: they are getting snow, we are getting both snow and freezing rain, plus now they are calling for below zero temps tonight. *sigh*.

Hope the weather gives everyone a bit less than they are expecting. That would be far better than it could be.

[DavidW]

Is that a motion detective camera?

[SonicMan46]

Hey, Dave,
That's just a fraction of them, the coyote was there during the last snowstorm, about a month ago. It's one of the best game camera pix I ever saw. That's just a small buck who happened to be in the same folder. Yeah, it's nice to have wild animals around to look at. Lots of folks don't realize this is the same forest that YOU live in, just further down the line.

Arkansas is getting all it can handle too. The odd thing is that the really crappy weather is hitting further south: they are getting snow, we are getting both snow and freezing rain, plus now they are calling for below zero temps tonight. *sigh*.

Hope the weather gives everyone a bit less than they are expecting. That would be far better than it could be.

Hi Gurn - nice pics; actually in my 'urban' western Winston-Salem neighborhoods in recent years, 'wild' animals are being seen, mainly coyotes and foxes - the black bear population is also expanding into the Piedmont area - have not seen anything unusual in my yard but stay in at night - 

That storm looks terrible on the map amazingly missing us on the southeastern coast - I'll check w/ my SIL in Hot Springs, Arkansas - hope all is well; most of my nuclear family moved there years ago (from Michigan where I grew up) but have all passed.  More concerning about our son in Indianapolis who is expecting 10" of snow, on top of another recent storm - but both he and his wife are working from home (very dependent on the internet), so hope that their power stays on.

Well, hope your 'recovery' is quick and stay safe!  Susan & I just got our 2nd COVID vaccine injection today and just have sore arms at the moment - in 2-3 weeks will decide if we can re-emerge from our house still w/ distancing and masks.  Dave

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yeah, plants are a big problem, even bigger in FL than in many places. Her parents had a 75 year-old orange tree in their back yard, my first day there I ate a couple and had a big glass of juice with breakfast. The freeze killed it dead, which tells you how rare it is to have that weather!  I don't even think there are any groves left north of Orlando, too many years of unexpected cold weather drove them out.

  A very sad story.

Are smudge pots still used in orchards these days; if not, what?

Loved your game cam photos!  Was that a bobcat in one?

Thankfully, we're getting rain here and it looks like the temps are just high enough so that it's not freezing and sticking to wires, etc.  I had noticed some frozen onto the trees earlier.  That said, I don't want a lot of rain as the ground is frozen (= flooding)!

PD

[Gurn Blanston]

Is that a motion detective camera?

Yes. And IR. It does vid clips too, but I don't use that much.

😎

[DavidW]

Yes. And IR. It does vid clips too, but I don't use that much.

😎

That makes sense.  It was either that or you liked to stand around with a camera in the middle of the night hoping for an animal to leap into frame!

[Gurn Blanston]

Hi Gurn - nice pics; actually in my 'urban' western Winston-Salem neighborhoods in recent years, 'wild' animals are being seen, mainly coyotes and foxes - the black bear population is also expanding into the Piedmont area - have not seen anything unusual in my yard but stay in at night - 

That storm looks terrible on the map amazingly missing us on the southeastern coast - I'll check w/ my SIL in Hot Springs, Arkansas - hope all is well; most of my nuclear family moved there years ago (from Michigan where I grew up) but have all passed.  More concerning about our son in Indianapolis who is expecting 10" of snow, on top of another recent storm - but both he and his wife are working from home (very dependent on the internet), so hope that their power stays on.

Well, hope your 'recovery' is quick and stay safe!  Susan & I just got our 2nd COVID vaccine injection today and just have sore arms at the moment - in 2-3 weeks will decide if we can re-emerge from our house still w/ distancing and masks.  Dave

They say bears are making a comeback here, but I can't verify that personally. I HAVE seen a panther here though, it crossed the road in front of me at 4 in the afternoon! That was interesting.

That is really good news about the vaccinations. Kathy and I are on 3 different waiting lists, but there is no vaccine to give. 😕
As far as your son in Indy is concerned,  I don't make light of his situation, but they get this kind of weather all the time, when I lived in Vermont, we barely noticed it! I do send my best wishes for him and you guys too, 

Cheers,
😎🤠

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Have been hearing about rolling blackouts in Texas and in a bunch of other states.  Have any of you been experiencing that lately?  Or have friends or family going through that?

PD

[Gurn Blanston]

  A very sad story.

Are smudge pots still used in orchards these days; if not, what?

Loved your game cam photos!  Was that a bobcat in one?

Thankfully, we're getting rain here and it looks like the temps are just high enough so that it's not freezing and sticking to wires, etc.  I had noticed some frozen onto the trees earlier.  That said, I don't want a lot of rain as the ground is frozen (= flooding)!

PD

Well, I haven't been there in a long while, but as far as I know, they still do use them. They are about the only effective method that isn't cost prohibitive. They just have moved the entire operation further south.

Yes, a 10 point buck, a coyote in the snow, and a bobcat. I have some great daytime pictures of one, but I didn't have a chance to hunt them down. You would be very hard pressed to name an animal that's native here that I haven't gotten a picture of over the years. I've even got a nice picture of an owl 🦉 sitting on top of that post in the middle of the picture. He is about 2 feet tall!

Well, I don't know where you are at, but it almost doesn't matter, the crap is going to get there sooner or later. We're supposed to get another inch of ice tomorrow, and it was. -4F here this morning 😳

😎🤠

[Wanderer]

Today Athens saw its heaviest snowfall in 13 years. Norwegian diplomats actually skied to work. 

[Szykneij]

I don't know how much climate change and COVID have to do with it, but even though I'm just 5 miles out from downtown Boston, there was a coyote roaming down my street early yesterday evening. It was probably hunting a rabbit or other small animal whose populations have exploded as of late, just like the hawks that targeted my bird feeders all summer.

We've had steady rain all morning, which won't melt all of our snow and will probably create a hard, slippery glaze after temperatures drop down below freezing again.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Well, I haven't been there in a long while, but as far as I know, they still do use them. They are about the only effective method that isn't cost prohibitive. They just have moved the entire operation further south.

Yes, a 10 point buck, a coyote in the snow, and a bobcat. I have some great daytime pictures of one, but I didn't have a chance to hunt them down. You would be very hard pressed to name an animal that's native here that I haven't gotten a picture of over the years. I've even got a nice picture of an owl 🦉 sitting on top of that post in the middle of the picture. He is about 2 feet tall!

Well, I don't know where you are at, but it almost doesn't matter, the crap is going to get there sooner or later. We're supposed to get another inch of ice tomorrow, and it was. -4F here this morning 😳

😎🤠

I'd love to see your owl picture!    And a panther?!  I ended up doing some googling and see that there are such creatures as jaguarundi in Texas.  https://texasnativecats.org/cats-of-texas/  I want to go back to a trail/dog path not too far away.  I spoke to someone a few months ago who told me that she saw a snowy owl there.  I haven't checked the local weather lately (did just put on the Weather Channel a few minutes ago), but we escaped in my area today.  Warm enough at the moment that the rain didn't freeze.

Do you guys have a backup generator?

PD