This is a forecast I would love to see in January. But for March, after almost everything has had its chilling requirement met and, on account of some very warm spells many things are in bloom (see the two previous fruits.laderafrutal posts), this (from the 2:50 a.m. release of this morning’s NWS San Diego forecast discussion) could be quite bad news:
EXPECT VERY CHILLY DAYTIME TEMPS WITH PERIODS OF SHOWERSOVER THE ENTIRE AREA. SNOW COULD REACH SOME FOOTHILL AND INLAND VALLEY AREAS. THE TYPE OF WEATHER WE GENERALLY SEE WITH THIS PATTERN AT THE COAST IS CONVECTIVE SHOWERS THAT PRODUCE BRIEF…LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN AND SMALL HAIL OR ICE PELLETS. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE SHOWERY…COLD WEATHER COULD LINGER INTO TUESDAY. [Caps theirs, bold mine]
We’re not likely to be one of those inland valley/foothill areas with snow, but it could be cold. And hail is really bad news for fruit trees in flower.
The weather is weird
After not having a single day when the high temperature was below 60F through February 17, we have had seven since that date, including 51 on March 11. That was the lowest high I have seen in over a decade of daily temperature record-keeping in Carlsbad (by the sea, where lows below 60 are more common than here, but lows below about 56 much less so) and Ladera Frutal.
Scion grafted by Fruits and Votes — 19 March 2006 @ 08:25