Winter's unpredictable weather

[txbeyer]

Just when we thought it was going to be a mild winter, now they are predicting 3 nights in a row of subfreezing weather 27-30 in Austin with possible ice and probably 25-28 where we are in NW Austin. That's the frustrating thing about being borderline climate wise and makes gardening challenging. Guess the same cold weather spell will be hitting Houston and the Gulf Coast as well. You guys up north are probably laughing at us

[PlantSwap]

We sure do get some exercise moving pots back and forth from the patio to the garage.

[txbeyer]

In Austin, it is 40 degrees in mid afternoon, we've had over 3" of rain with more expected and after midnight, freezing something or another is expected as temps drop below freezing (sleet, snow, freezing rain??), and to make it worse, three straight nights of lows in the mid 20's. My outdoor plants are really going to get hardiness tested . Houston is next. Coming your way!

[PlantSwap]

8am Sunday morning and we're still waiting for the cold. This has to be the slowest moving cold front in history.

[txbeyer]

Think the cold has made it's way to the TX coast by now. At noon today, our outdoor thermometer shows 30 but points just a little north of us are well into the 20's - been dropping all morning. Everything that got wet from the 4.3 inches of rain we had the past few days is now iced over, sleet has accumulated in spots on the ground and it's just a nightmare for us who are not accustomed to this kind of weather. All I can do is helplessly wait to assess what plant damage there is although I covered many of them. For some of them, this is a real stress test. They are saying it will get worse tomorrow - the iceing on the roads that is and are actually predicting snow to fall Tues. late afternoon. We may not get out of freezing temps until Wed or Thurs. We are not leaving the house until then. Think I've had my first good lesson about what winter in Austin is like and why it is harder to garden here than in Houston as a result.

[PlantSwap]

Yeppers, the cold finally reached us. No ice on the ground here (yet?), but very windy and cold.

[txbeyer]

Morning forecast is that it will stay below 32 all day, and snow is now falling to cover the sheet of ice already present. Austin is virtually at a frozen standstill. Iceing and snowfall possibly up to 3" is expected for another 24-48 hours. Looking at my frozen geraniums and Ligularias this morning - not a pretty sight! Perhaps I'll venture out to the greenhouse for inspiration today.

[txbeyer]

Actually, I went a step further and put together a Yahoo photo album of my icy garden during this ice storm. It can be seen at

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/robertbe...60762385332780

Enjoy.

We are having some melting today - yeah!!

[Gram18]

Txbeyer it`s truly hard to believe the way this weather is. We have had exactly "A SKIFF" of snow this winter!! Usually by this time we`ve been bumbarded with snow storms. I just don`t understand it. AND Texas to be gettin all this ice and snow,and to top that off, California with freezing temps. snow and ice. Crazy just plain crazy. Gonna go back now and take a look at your "WINTER WONDERLAND GARDEN"!

[Gram18]

Ohhh my goodness unbelieveable. Your poor gardens.

[txbeyer]

The thaw has taken place today, ice is gone, and pleased to say most of those frozen plants took it better than I expected - no reason to believe I lost anything but the recovery process will take time for some of my plants. That was a very interesting week to say the least and winter is far from over.

You're right Gram, Austin is supposed to be in the south, so I thought, but you could have fooled me this past week. . Oh, since we post a lot, don't mind if you refer to me by my real name, Bob.

[PlantSwap]

I thought I had seen a frozen desert while working in the high plains of Nevada once, but your pics take the cake Bob!

[Gram18]

OK will do "BOB"!

[txbeyer]

We have a frightning forecast for next weekend in Austin - a frigid arctic blast that they are predicting will drop us well into the 20's with teens in the outlying Hill Country areas for many nights in a row! EEEEEK!. What are you guys in Houston area hearing? Sure hope something happens to change that forecast between now and then.

[Vicki in West MI]

Yikes, Bob, again! Oh, your poor poor plants! It is finally feeling like winter here, we have about 3 or 4" of snow. Usually we are buttcheek deep by now.
Don't know if is even going to happen this year, everyone with snowmobiles are waiting. Well not everyone, some are riding even if you can see the dirt here and there.
Good thing I didn't go to Texas this year to seek warmth and sunshine.