Uh, it’s cold.

[0388631]

Dropping to a nice chilly 38-42* tonight. Lovely.

To repeat @decafjava's words in another thread, I shouldn't have to wear a sweater or wear my heavy wool top coat this time of year. Weather geniuses presume this cold weather will last into June. Not that I'm a fan of the heat, but still, beats the sucking in of cold air every morning when I go out to get the paper.

On the other hand, at least I'm making good use of dried out firewood I had delivered. Barely used anything during November and December. Though it might be fruitful to explore using up some old basil seeds that may still be viable. No idea of the total count. It's a little over a quarter pound of seeds.

 

[LizKat]

We had summer today. 75 degrees... tomorrow and Wednesday back to winter? In the 40s.

 

[0388631]

That's a summer I could get behind, Liz. At least we've transitioned from the hailing period here. Though we did get some minor snow fall this year, which was more of a freak weather incident. Though it has snowed here once or twice in the past 100 years.

 

[LizKat]

The question about a summer like the one I described though is "Is that all there is?" If that's the case all we got = a couple tornado warnings when the fronts were colliding, and a nice warm breeze for 18 hours after that.

I'm not putting any frost-sensitive annuals out there yet. I've been that stupid before (in my youth) but I did read that little wooden plaque in my grandmother's kitchen "Ve get too soon oldt and too late schmart" at an early enough age that I got it, and I haven't set out tender annuals until at least mid June, our mean last frost date is still around then.

 

[0388631]

The question about a summer like the one I described though is "Is that all there is?" If that's the case all we got = a couple tornado warnings when the fronts were colliding, and a nice warm breeze for 18 hours after that.

I'm not putting any frost-sensitive annuals out there yet. I've been that stupid before (in my youth) but I did read that little wooden plaque in my grandmother's kitchen "Ve get too soon oldt and too late schmart" at an early enough age that I got it, and I haven't set out tender annuals until at least mid June, our mean last frost date is still around then.

I had to cover a lot of plant and tree grounds with tarp to trap some heat during the day. The greenhouse I have is stuffed with plants I'd normally set out by this time of year so they can acclimate. I'm trying to figure out how to germinate maybe a few hundred basil seeds I've got that are old but probably still viable. Honestly, my best guess is they're not all one variety because I bought a bunch and mixed them up when I was rearranging things a couple years back. I bought them in bulk from Eden Brothers, or a similar site about five or six years ago. They germinated last year so I'm sure they're good enough now.

We had some really hot periods in between the cold that caused roses and other flowers to bloom and be fertilized by insects and wind. They're covered with small bags now and slowly drying out so I can collect the seeds.

It's going to be tricky to germinate them if this weather holds up well into summer. I don't think the stratification temps will be much different than ambient.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Winter ain’t over yet! Got a couple of inches of snow on the ground with more coming. Several schools and churches are on a 2 hour delay for 5/21.

 

[0388631]

Winter ain’t over yet! Got a couple of inches of snow on the ground with more coming. Several schools and churches are on a 2 hour delay for 5/21.

On the flip side, your lawn is going to look amazing come summer time.

 

[ucfgrad93]

On the flip side, your lawn is going to look amazing come summer time.

The lawn may look good, but it is taking a toll on trees and plants. There is now 7 inches of snow on the ground and it is a heavy wet snow. Lots of trees bent over from the weight in addition to broken branches.

 

[SDColorado]

The lawn may look good, but it is taking a toll on trees and plants. There is now 7 inches of snow on the ground and it is a heavy wet snow. Lots of trees bent over from the weight in addition to broken branches.

Yes, we took a push broom to ours and knocked the heavy snow off the branches that we could reach. Hoping none break from the weight.

Edit: so much for the hope, I do see some broken

 

[0388631]

The lawn may look good, but it is taking a toll on trees and plants. There is now 7 inches of snow on the ground and it is a heavy wet snow. Lots of trees bent over from the weight in addition to broken branches.

That's nature's way of saying "here's some good firewood."

 

[SDColorado]

 

[ucfgrad93]

My son's high school cancelled finals due to the weather and graduation being so close. Been in Colorado since 2005, and have never seen such heavy snow so late in the year.

 

[SDColorado]

My son's high school cancelled finals due to the weather and graduation being so close. Been in Colorado since 2005, and have never seen such heavy snow so late in the year.

Yeah, I have been here since I think ‘86, and I can’t recall a snow like that in my time. Apparently it was the biggest late May snow in 44 years.

We have had some early May snows like this one from May 10, 2015.....

But I believe last year we were done on April 28 or 29? Mostly I think we are done by the 3rd week of April

 

[0388631]

Imagine it keeps up and we'll be in the middle of June with you two still getting snow.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Imagine it keeps up and we'll be in the middle of June with you two still getting snow.

I hope not.

 

[SDColorado]

Not this weekend at least, temps for the next 4 days will be 70, 74, 77 and 70. Happy Memorial Day weekend!

 

[0388631]

I hope not.

Just have the kids shovel the snow.

 

[0388631]

Looks like a day of rain on Sunday. Wonderful...

 

[SDColorado]

It’s still a bit cold at 11,900 ft

 

[millerj123]

Today was 86 degrees at 8:30 am. I'm going to have to get up earlier to beat the heat.

 

[LizKat]

Today was 86 degrees at 8:30 am. I'm going to have to get up earlier to beat the heat.

I'm not going to complain about summer after that long running cold spring we had, but I do have to get up now with the early light to close up the house and trap the coolness inside on the days they forecast high heat.

Some days it works out to leave windows open all day downstairs with window shades drawn to let air in and keep sun out, just have to follow the sun around the house and block the light as it moves west. Today is one of those days, truly glorious, in the 65-70ºF range with a mild breeze out there. I'd be nuts to do anything but laze about with some iced tea and a pile of beach-reads, so that's been the extent of my day plan today and I have to say I've been aces at it.

 

[LizKat]

....and.... 11 days later... one wakes up and the whole forecast area (except tippy tops of Catskills and places that might catch a breeze off Erie or Ontario) is under an excessive heat watch.

If I were a bird I'd be a couple counties over in the higher mountains. Looks like denizens of the western Catskills up to around 2500 feet get to enjoy the 95º-100ºF wave like all the other peons. And here I thought we were special... I mean we got singled out for flash floods ahead of this thing so...

At least I'm not in one of the casserole bowls that places like Binghamton and Philadelphia become in a heatwave. Water water everywhere from a confluence of rivers topping off after a raft of thunderstorms... ugh. I wish all my fellow citizens good health during this eastern heatwave. See you on the other side!

Will be interesting to see how the power supply holds up as the weekend progresses. This thing stretches out along the whole mid-Atlantic coast and points south.

​

 

[VulchR]

....and.... 11 days later... one wakes up and the whole forecast area (except tippy tops of Catskills and places that might catch a breeze off Erie or Ontario) is under an excessive heat watch.

If I were a bird I'd be a couple counties over in the higher mountains. Looks like denizens of the western Catskills up to around 2500 feet get to enjoy the 95º-100ºF wave like all the other peons. And here I thought we were special... I mean we got singled out for flash floods ahead of this thing so...

At least I'm not in one of the casserole bowls that places like Binghamton and Philadelphia become in a heatwave. Water water everywhere from a confluence of rivers topping off after a raft of thunderstorms... ugh. I wish all my fellow citizens good health during this eastern heatwave. See you on the other side!

Will be interesting to see how the power supply holds up as the weekend progresses. This thing stretches out along the whole mid-Atlantic coast and points south.

...​

​

We're having a heat wave in Scotland as well. The temperature might push up past 65°F today.

 

[LizKat]

We're having a heat wave in Scotland as well. The temperature might push up past 65°F today.

I'll be right over...

 

[VulchR]

I'll be right over...

Better hurry. The dollar is historically strong against the pound (thanks, Brexit). Also, by 2050, London will have the climate that Barcelona has now (ouch), and Edinburgh will have the climate the London has now (yuck; see https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217592 ). I'm hoping of spending my retirement in Thurso...