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The next couple of nights are going to be quite chilly in northern parts of Alabama and Georgia and frost is likely in higher elevations. Some extension agents have told me that in some areas frost damage to fruit trees is a concern because they are blooming so early this year due to the warm…
Posted in: Climate science -
Astronomical spring begins officially when the vernal equinox occurs. This year that happens at 12:30 AM EDT on March 20. So while climatological spring is already well underway (especially this year, with temperatures far above normal), astronomical spring is just starting. You can read more about it at EarthSky here.
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The Climate Prediction Center issued their new monthly and 3-month outlooks for temperature and precipitation this week. They show that for April and April-June, there is an increased chance of above normal rainfall across the Southeast. Temperatures in April have an equal chance of above-, near- or below-normal conditions, while the longer term temperature forecast…
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
“Grazing the Net” blog had an interesting story this week about a farm in Texas that goes above and beyond the usual to protect their investment in prime livestock from severe weather. This farm is a breeding facility for champion horses, and they have a number of stallions with a value of up to several…
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The latest QPF map shows that most of the Southeast should receive some rain this week but that it will be below normal amounts. The exception is along a line in south-central Florida, which should experience wet conditions associated with a stationary front in the area.
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
In their global climate summary for February 2016, released earlier this week, NOAA confirmed what was already reported by NASA earlier this month–February 2016 was the warmest ever on record by a significant fraction. The winter months of Dec-Feb also set a new record. Even though El Niño contributed to the warming, the regions with…
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Do you ever get asked about where to get information on 50-year droughts? I got one this week from a fire chief who was looking to certify dry hydrants and needed to know what a 50-year drought looks like. While specific impacts of any drought on a pond or lake vary depending on drainage into…