Author Topic: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week  (Read 5078 times)

Orkine

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How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« on: December 20, 2022, 01:34:44 AM »
Jupiter Florida in northern Palm Beach County, is supposed to see low in the 30s and 40s.  A cold start to the winter and the coldest Christmas in a while.

What are you expecting and what are your plans for protecting your plants (or not)


W.

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2022, 06:57:50 AM »
I don't live in Florida, but I hope the cold I'm about to experience in North Alabama doesn't make it down to you. Each station's weather forecast is a little different but my low temperature on Friday is projected to be somewhere between 2°F and 7°F, and my area is expected to stay below freezing for about 84 straight hours. Needless to say, I am prepared for a high heating bill this month. Luckily, everything I have planted outside should withstand this cold snap. But, that is simply because I have yet to plant some of my zone pushing experiments in the ground. I think some zone pushers are unfortunately going to have a lot of damage to their plants depending on where they live.

Tropheus76

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2022, 07:45:14 AM »
31 degrees as of one forecast on Friday night. National weather apparently has a tendril of hard freeze going right over my house in 9b. Supposedly freezing Christmas night as well. Even better since we are driving long distance on Saturday. I have incandescent christmas lights on all my mango trees. I will cover them on Friday night and put a heat lamp under one of them if I can find a bulb. Anything potted that cares will go in the garage for a few days. My figs(nor anything else) are not dormant so I might have to lug them in as well, in their giant pots. Glad I havent started planting my food forest yet, nothing would have had time to get established. Saturday night, everything will have to hope for the best although I will leave various trunks wrapped.

fliptop

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2022, 08:04:51 AM »
Seeing forecast lows ranging from 35°F to 38°F right now. Have had frost damage at 36°F in past years. Won't do anything to bigger trees with hardened off leaves. Will place nursery pots over any young trees that'll fit under one. May wrap new growth and the buds about to burst on a Pickering with frost cloth.

RS

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2022, 08:52:19 AM »
27 currently forecast, but has ranged from 23-31. I bought heat lamps and a mini 700 watt radiator for the plants I really don't want to lose, like fruiting jabo.

Planning to water well the day before and fill gallon jugs with hot water. Frost cloth and incandescent Christmas lights on jackfruit. With 20 mph winds expected too, unsure if things will stay wrapped.

Need to harvest citrus, miracle fruit and starfruit beforehand. Does anyone know if picking green starfruit to ripen later will work or only pick currently ripe ones?
« Last Edit: December 20, 2022, 08:56:15 AM by RS »

Gulfgardener

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2022, 11:37:19 AM »
22F  :'(   anxiety has fully morphed into frenzied planning operations.  Mylar blankets, shelter frames, cheap greenhouses plans for candle heaters, propane heaters, the works. Most of my stuff is in pots and will be safe in the garage. I did plant some in ground as an experiment, fully prepared to take a loss but I want to see what a difference some of these methods make. Should be fun.

Stomata

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2022, 12:53:42 PM »
Hoping for wind to keep cold from settling, trees in eastern Sarasota i'm a bit worried for, may be down at 34 friday morning. Going to cover small trees in ground with trashcans. Collecting blankets, sheets, trashcans. Covering plants in brush seemed to help last year.

1rainman

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2022, 03:14:35 PM »
This is not really cold. Before 2010 it was normal to get a freeze in  December, occasionally in November, then usually warms up after a day or two. I haven't seen any freeze here in about 10 years and looks like the low will be around 37 here. As a whole it is warmer than it used to be. A good cold snap will be good for my grapes (though not my seedlings) and help kill insects and the mold/mildew/fungus in this hot humid area.

A cold snap for a couple days in December is normal weather here. Usually one to three freezes a year is normal, but like I said I haven't seen a freeze here in many years. Last summer was one of the hottest on record. I believe it's all the development- the pavement and roofs stuff holds heat more than trees or lakes. Water levels are rising too seems the ice caps are melting or something.

People now grow Mangos in charlotte county. Previously they wouldn't grow here because it was too cold. Similar with coconut trees which with few exceptions wouldn't make it here now they seem to becoming more common (previously charlotte harbor was considered the northernmost limit of coconut growing though being right on the water helps a lot).

Back when we got freezes the pineapples or bananas would die back to the ground then just grow back up- though it helped having more cold hardy bananas like raja puri. Grapefruits and navel oranges not bothered by the freezes, nor the queen palms or cabbage palms. Even a coconut or mango if its large enough it will survive a freeze.

Julie

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2022, 03:15:38 PM »
Looks like it could get down to 50 in Miami.  I'm excited but sorry for the stress this is causing other forum members!

1rainman

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2022, 04:00:53 PM »
This is what Florida is supposed to look like. Here in Charlotte county we normally get two or three freezes a year, with no freeze at all being rare but possible, but also possible to get five or six freezes a year. But it has been zero for a long time, though some places got a freeze last year- it was like half the county depending on how close to water you were at.




johnb51

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2022, 06:31:10 PM »
I hope the cold will cause the lychee tree to blossom.  :)
John

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2022, 04:27:01 AM »
 A freeze is rare. Years with out freezes are normal. Last freeze here like last year was 30years ago.

Timbogrow

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2022, 04:38:45 AM »
I'm hoping after last year's cold weather, extreme drought and big storm we had will hit the reset button and be another 20 years before another streak like that. I hope at least.

Tropheus76

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2022, 09:02:13 AM »
You guys are odd. I am 9b, in east Orlando, we get at least one freeze and several frosts a year and it is disastrous every time.  The last one we had in March nuked almost all fruit production on all of my trees for the year and my mangos never recovered fully. This one strikes early where most trees that do it havent even went dormant yet while my mangos are pushing new growth. My Friday is going to suck.

FloridaGrower69

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2022, 03:09:29 PM »
Sebastian is hopefully close enough to the barrier island that we’ll get some moderation.  Most of my specimen pineapple are in pots. They’ll
get toweled or garaged. Those in the ground will get the yurt experience.  Inside the tent… 50’ of incandescent lights ready to lay out if needed. 

At least this event isn't preceded by a front with gale force wind.  Here looking at 15-20 mph.

Good luck everyone. And Season’s Greetings.



fliptop

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #15 on: December 21, 2022, 04:08:17 PM »
My dilemma: with new projected lows at 35°, 33°, and 38°F, I'm almost certain I'll get frost. Some trees are too big to put a scaffold around to wrap in frost cloth.

So, is it better to leave the leaves exposed to frost, or is it better to have a layer of frost cloth covering/touching the leaves and yes buds on my Pickering?

Thanks!

RS

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #16 on: December 21, 2022, 04:16:25 PM »
My dilemma: with new projected lows at 35°, 33°, and 38°F, I'm almost certain I'll get frost. Some trees are too big to put a scaffold around to wrap in frost cloth.

So, is it better to leave the leaves exposed to frost, or is it better to have a layer of frost cloth covering/touching the leaves and yes buds on my Pickering?

Thanks!

As long as it's frost cloth (not plastic), I'd think covering would be better than open. You could possibly try a fan heater pointed toward the canopy to circulate warm air.

fliptop

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #17 on: December 21, 2022, 04:21:23 PM »
Thanks, RS!

Calusa

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #18 on: December 21, 2022, 09:27:58 PM »
37 in St Pete Friday morning 12/23 and 35 Saturday morning Christmas eve.

I don't mind saying I hate cold weather.

elouicious

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #19 on: December 22, 2022, 12:09:30 AM »
Cries in 18 headed toward Texas

roblack

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #20 on: December 22, 2022, 12:50:52 AM »
Mid to high 40's forecast lows Fri - Sun, then lows in the 50's for a few nights. Hope to get some flowers from this. 

Good luck to everyone facing colder conditions!
« Last Edit: December 22, 2022, 12:53:21 AM by roblack »

fliptop

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #21 on: December 22, 2022, 01:05:33 AM »
How much wind is enough to prevent frost? Friday night's most recent NOAA forecast for me is 36°F with winds from the north, northwest at 10-14mph, with gusts as high as 18mph. Will those wind speeds keep frost from forming?

fliptop

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #22 on: December 22, 2022, 07:15:08 AM »
Read this on NOAA: "For instance, even a light wind speed of 3-5 mph can keep the atmosphere "mixed," thus preventing widespread frost formation."

Hopefully no frost here. Good luck to all!

Galatians522

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #23 on: December 22, 2022, 09:44:28 AM »
Usually when we get a freeze this early its not the only one for the year--and often is not the worst.

1rainman

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Re: How cold will it get in your part of Florida in the next week
« Reply #24 on: December 22, 2022, 10:36:47 AM »
Danger of frost is around 33. Even that is light and melts quick. 35s etc won't frost. Some sensitive plants can be affected though. There will probably be another cold snap in January about the same or slightly colder but can't be 100% about it. Maybe 80% sure.

Usually 32 is the magick number where you'll see dead leaves but usually won't kill the tree. Usually takes the low 20s to kill most plants because we are talking about the low lasting only a few hours maybe a couple.