It has been such a warm winter here in south Texas that

[Ilsa]

some garden centers are putting down ice around plants like azaleas to prevent premature blooming. I heard this on the local NPR station this morning.

I haven't checked to see if the pecan trees are blooming yet. They say you can't fool a pecan tree about whether there is going to be another freeze.

[CottonBear]

1. Forsythias, peach trees and daffodils are blooming in NE GA. n/t

[havocmom]

2. Grass still growing in Montana

Flower seeds and weeds germinating. Plants growing. But, no cause to worry about climate change :eyes: Sure, no worries!

Pssst, buy stock in water companies, safe-room contractors, and sunscreen.

[Horse with no Name]

3. Our trees are blooming in Northeast Texas

It is unreal.

[Quakerfriend]

4. And, in PA! The high today outside of Philly is 62F.

So sad.

[Mabus]

6. We're hovering around 40 in NE Kansas, but temps will drop this weekend

starting tonight. Forecast for Tuesday is low at 19F and high at 37F.

on edit: I've noticed the onion grass is starting to come up. It is referred to as "a prelude to spring lawns" http://www.rootgrafix.com/herbalnexus/p_oniong.htm

[Maine-ah]

5. 40 degrees and raining here.

I heard that the cherry blossoms are out in washington.

on edit:
the toboggan nationals are supposed to be held here this weekend. Officials were trying to build up the ice on the shute, and then covering it w/plastic to keep the rain off. The lakes are not frozen in our area and the river down the road from us is usually a hot ice fishing spot and all the shacks are lined up along the side. Not one bit of ice.

[nomo]

7. (Barely) Winter '06: Buttercups Are in Bloom

(Barely) Winter '06: Buttercups Are in Bloom

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 3, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/03/national/03warm.html

Let's put it this way: People played golf this winter in Maine. In shorts.

Buttercups have been blooming in Montana. In Ohio, an ice-free Lake Erie allowed an early start to seasonal ferry service. And the sap started running early in Vermont.

While January plunged much of Europe and Russia into the deep freeze, it was remarkably mild across the United States. Government scientists have not yet calculated whether it ranks as the warmest January on record, but "it's certainly going to be right up there," said Michael Halpert, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It was the warmest month on record in Oklahoma and South Dakota, and barely missed tying the record for Iowa.

It was the second-warmest in Maine and Milwaukee; third-warmest in Memphis and Detroit; and fourth-warmest in New York City.

Minneapolis and St. Paul had the warmest January in 160 years. Ice sculptures at the St. Paul Winter Carnival melted and broke up nearly as quickly as they were carved, and several big ice-fishing contests in Minnesota were canceled or moved because of thin ice.

For much of the nation, however, Mr. Halpert said, the warm weather is on its way out.

"Probably by next week we will be seeing much colder weather over the eastern half to two-thirds of the country," he said.

The current warmth is caused by the unusual position of the jet stream, the high-altitude river of air that flows west to east across North America. It divides warm air from cold, with colder temperatures to its north and warmer temperatures to its south.

Usually in the winter, it follows a lazy zigzag across the United States and Canada, allowing cold air into the United States, where it dips south, Mr. Halpert said. But for the past month or so, it has flowed east in almost a straight line across the northern part of the country, basically forming a fence that has kept cold air out and allowed in milder air masses from the Pacific Ocean instead.

[newyawker99]

19. nomo

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.


NYer99
DU Moderator

[SpiralHawk]

8. The fruit trees in Northern NM have swollen buds, and are becoming tender

Uncool. If we go back into a wintery spell -- Hell, it's only February -- those buds will die off, and the trees will stuggle to produce a new set for survival. Not cool.

[Ilsa]

9. My husband is in Omaha NE this week. He didn't even bother

packing the "michelin tire man" coat. He says it is cold, but not as bad as in previous winters when he had to work there in January.

We are so hosed. And I really didn't think this thread would get this much attention.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. I'm wondering what it will be like in August

I've heard that some fruit and nut trees are blooming prematurely, and it will effect the almond and peach(?) crops.

[Mnemosyne]

11. I saw mosquitoes in NW Pa. yesterday!! n/t

[LondonReign2]

12. Snapdragons blooming and chives coming up

Here in Dallas.

The plants know the NASA global warming expert is right.

I also saw three butterflies last weekend; I don't think that is supposed to happen in January.

[Ilsa]

14. I bet the botanical gardens in D are icing down some plants also.

They probably aren't expecting the big rush of visitors for another couple of months.

[lse7581011]

13. Raining and almost 50!

in February here in Maine-completely unnatural!

[ucmike]

15. saw a flock of grackles at my feeder yesterday

usually don't see them until march or so here in my part of central nj. also have flowers blooming in the yard that have been there for a couple weeks.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Wow

Today it's 56º in Tennessee.

17. It has been almost a non-winter in Wisconsin

One big snow, and the rest has been teetering on 40s. Good for the deer, they won't starve.

[donsu]

18. tick, tick, tick make everybody wake up

nt

[reprobate]

20. The oak trees are blooming in central florida. Oh, my aching sinuses.

This was a non-winter. Looks like Canada will be the new sun belt.

[dogday]

21. I send my kid to school in shorts

by the afternoon she is burning up in long pants here in Houston....