Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Sinchets on February 09, 2010, 01:24:38 PM
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We had an interesting weekend here in the Balkans. After major snow melt last week, which lead to avalanche warnings in the mountains and several fatalities there, we had more snow over the weekend. The north of the country was hit the hardest, with 65cm of snowfall reported in one area. We were luckier receiving only 20cm of fresh snow, so the Crocus are now all back under their blankets ready for the low temperatures forecast for tomorrow. At the end of the week the next system, which is currently bringing rain to Italy, will bring us milder weather and heavy rain/ sleet. Flood warnings have been issued along the major river courses.
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Lots of avalanches around the area here too, Simon, and several fatalities even with avalanches across maintained pistes as the temperatures fluctuate from minus to plus and the snow is either icy or slushy - one young chap survived an avalanche in Evolene for 17 hours, trapped in an unusually large air pocket under 50 cms of snow, a miracle. More snow on the way....
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I suppose that will be the snow we are forecast for next week- thankfully the weather systems from the Med are starting to move back up so we should be mild enough for it not to hang around too long! We are actually as far south as Marseilles and Cannes- but those darned mountains do get in the way of the good weather ;)
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Forumist Jim McKenney in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, (39.03871š North, 77.09829š West, USDA zone 7 ) has been having an unpleasant time with the bad weather... their electricity was out for 60 hours last weekend and after the briefest of respites more snow was forecast.... so the likelhood was of more misery.
As Jim reported elsewhere, his dog, Bicuit is around nine inches ( 23cms) at the shoulder....the snow then was two foot deep ( c 60cms)...nasty shock for her when venturing outside....... Lily and Molly, respectively 11 and 9 inches ( 28 and 23 cms) at the shoulder, wish to send Biscuit their sympathy! :D
...... I suppose we must extend that to the human members of the McK. household, also! ;)
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Our main weather news on TV today was about the villages in the northeast of Bulgaria which had 65cm of fresh snow over the weekend. They had also had blizzards and sveral villages had been cut off from the outside world for the last few days with 2m snowdrifts on the roads. The local councils haven't enough funding to clear the roads, so they will have to be left to clear naturally.
Tonight we have gale force winds bringing warm air form the south. Temperatures could reach 10C tomorrow and flood warnings have been issued for all major rivers- with an expected increase of 1m in some river levels due to meltwater and rain. This kind of end to winter doesn't happen often and lets hope it stays that way.
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see people think my winter is bad--but there hasn't been a single day that the roads were even hard to drive on (in the country, cities are another matter, but i'm not in one daily...), no power outages (very rare in winter), no frozen pipes that couldn't be dealt with in under an hour, and shouldn't be any plants dying that normally survive here...
of course the season is 6 or 7 months long.. ::)
good luck to all of you with your troublesome winters! hope its over soon..
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We've got 7 cm fresh snow this morning and we're complaining... ::) :o :P
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8cm here but no complaints 'cause the sun's out and it looks gorgeous :D
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No snow here but blerdy cold!
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Got to around 34oC here today. Very humid too, which is unusual for here. It is actually raining lightly outside at this very moment, a rare occurrence (but it probably won't last for long! ::))!! :o
Much as I don't like the warmth at times..... MUCH better than 65cm of snow!! Seems a world away (which I guess it technically is ;))
All the best everyone. 8)
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We have sunny spells, very strong winds and a shade temperature of +7C. The garden is liquid with snow melt, all of the seasonal streams are running and the pond is overflowing. A happy day with the Crocus which were flowering a few weeks ago Cc. korolkowii, danfordiae and sieberi all opening new flowers. I shall not rejoice too much though, as we have more snow forecast for the weekend.
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20cm of the white stuff this morning and a cold NE Wind here in SE Kent. Got a Snowdrop Day on Sunday at Goodnesston Gardens, we need a good thaw
David
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8cm here but no complaints 'cause the sun's out and it looks gorgeous :D
But when some small angels start to whisper in your ear Robin, they'll still get something of a weather shock I think. :D
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What does "blerdy" mean David? ;D
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I was just being polite and not blaspheming Lesley :P
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8cm here but no complaints 'cause the sun's out and it looks gorgeous :D
But when some small angels start to whisper in your ear Robin, they'll still get something of a weather shock I think. :D
Lesley, don't worry I'll make sure the little angel is well tucked in and whisper sweet nothings in its ear to keep it happy :D
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I was just being polite and not blaspheming Lesley :P
I know, David. ;D
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The last 48 hours has seen a major melt going on, the Thracian Plain is flooding in areas and the mountain water courses are full to bursting. Took the chance to go see Crocus biflorus, lucky to see hundreds of these and early Crocusflavus, including a brown marked specimen. The views from the top of the Blue Rocks show the thick mist that had settled over the Thracian Plain.
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Wonderful dramatic shots... but the flooding will be bad news for many, I fear.
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Not a view from your balcony then Chris?
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The last 48 hours has seen a major melt going on, the Thracian Plain is flooding in areas and the mountain water courses are full to bursting. Took the chance to go see Crocus biflorus, lucky to see hundreds of these and early Crocusflavus, including a brown marked specimen. The views from the top of the Blue Rocks show the thick mist that had settled over the Thracian Plain.
great shots!
hopefully the melt isn't too brutal..
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Fantastically dramatic shots from above the floodplain - hope to see more drama now the snow is melting, Hristo, glad you saw the crocus you set out to find. :)
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Cheers Cohan and RR!
True Maggi, not many folks here have home insurance!
Anthony, I should wish for the view but not the heating bill if I lived up there, literally baltic I guess!!
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;D ;D ;D Double glazing (the alternative to bottoms up!) A couple of weeks ago I was in a room that didn't have it. Baltic is definitely the word I'd use!
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Possibly the warmest February in recent memory and we are hosting the Winter Olympics!
Downhill water skiing anyone?
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The opening ceremony, indoors, with fake snow, was well done though, with the combination of graphics and water spouts for the whales etc.
We thought tributes paid to the poor Georgian Luge man who died were moving and many medals will probably be dedicated to his memory.
We heard that the Men's downhill skiing was not taking place because there was not enough snow, but the BBC reporter later explained that there was enough snow, just not of the right kind.... a shock to find that excuse used abroad as well as in the UK.... it seems the snow is too soft and fluffy for the downhill racers, who require the stuff to be hard and icy. Go figure..
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The opening ceremony, indoors, with fake snow, was well done though, with the combination of graphics and water spouts for the whales etc.
We thought tributes paid to the poor Georgian Luge man who died were moving and many medals will probably be dedicated to his memory.
We heard that the Men's downhill skiing was not taking place because there was not enough snow, but the BBC reporter later explained that there was enough snow, just not of the right kind.... a shock to find that excuse used abroad as well as in the UK.... it seems the snow is too soft and fluffy for the downhill racers, who require the stuff to be hard and icy. Go figure..
i didnt hear what they were saying today, but the mountain where the downhill skiing will happen (whistler) has plenty of snow--measured in metres not feet :o but the last some days they have had fog and wet snow, i believe--several days of practise were cancelled due to poor visibility, i haven't heard how the snow was, didnt see any of the coverage or news today..
the mountains where snowboarding and such will happen (cypress and or grouse mtns--perhaps locals or someone who paid better attention on tv can clarify) are nearer the coast, and this is where the problem was the amount of snow--they pushed it down from higher up, trucked and heli'ed it in, and its supposed to be fine--imagine the cost! and all the sweat we expend getting rid of the stuff ;)
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If you search google earth for: cypress mountain, vancouver, bc, canada, you will see just how close the mountains are to the city, and at an elevation of only 4,000 feet they are really not too much cooler than the sea level temperature.
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Helen - I heard you were to get the most snow from last night's storm. We got a surprising 28cm, they had predicted 10cm. Light and fluffy however the street is not ploughed and yesterday was a lovely spring day. Boo. >:(
johnw - 0c
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The snow from Monday has all melted in the 10C and sunshine of today. There is bad flooding in the south along the rivers Tundja, Maritsa and Arda with rivers and reservoirs in the catchments bursting their banks. These rivers all join and flow out to the Aegean through Greece. We haven't yet heard what the knock-on effect will be for Greece.
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My goodness Simon it all sounds very critical in your area - flooding is so devastating.
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We are lucky, Robin to be in the mountains a long way from any flooding. The snow in the mountains here doesn't usually melt this fast at this time of year.
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We actually had rain over the weekend...... nearly 150mm of it. The biggest event in quite some time. It was widespread over south eastern Australia, the largest falls in decades in some places. There are rivers currently flowing in places they haven't in 20 or more years apparently. Unfortunately many other areas around Canberra didn't get as much as my part of the city, and the dam catchments only got a bit over half the amount.... still raised the dam levels by 3% so far, with water still running in. It is amazing to see water seeping out of the ground in places...... it has been a long time since we've had enough ground water around here for it to do that. 8)
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We are having some wonderful rain at present, and since about 4 this morning (now 3pm). It means I can put off ordering water for another week or two as well as having recent plantings get a decent soak. :D
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Lesley,
Even with the rain I'll be watering pots by the weekend. Warm and quite windy here, which strips moisture out of everything very quickly. Forecasting into the 30s (oC) this weekend again.
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Good news Paul !
Great that your water reserves are catching up a bit !
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Lesley and Paul nice to hear that you have had rain, it must be worrying for you when its so dry. We have snow again in Aberdeen, I am getting a bit fed up now everytime I start getting a glimpse of my plants they all get covered up again. Hope you get rain for a few more days.
Angie :)
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Yet more snow and more forecast. Haven't really done anything in the garden since mid December and now I am well behind with little chance of a catch up as my heath is having its annual relapse more chemo. Such is life.
Brian
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Yet more snow and more forecast. Haven't really done anything in the garden since mid December and now I am well behind with little chance of a catch up as my heath is having its annual relapse more chemo. Such is life.
Brian
Sorry to hear that Brian. We had some sun this afternoon, I'll try and send some up. Do hope both your weather and health improve.
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Solid sunshine here today with 14C in the shade. Tomorrow is set to be 20C in some parts of the country. It was certainly a great day to be a crocophilous bee ;)
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all the best with the treatments, brian!
paul and lesley--congrats on the rain!
simon, thats quite a non-winter you've been having!
here its been around to above normal (-2/-15) with days from -4 to +6 and nights from -1 to -17; lots of melting as the days rapidly get longer-already over 10hrs, but with another 8-10inches of snow a couple days ago in two batches, the piles along paths are still waist height in places, and in the woods and meadows varying from ankle to knee depth... should be a good year again for woodland plants--they really count on the snow for moisture, as rain doesn't usually start seriously till much later, plus if they are covered now, they dont experience the desiccation of these early warm spells with the ground still frozen...
some foggy day pics attached from the beginning of the month--more fog this winter than i have ever seen...(someone said 28 days in january, though that sounds like a lot....)
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Cohan, I know human beings are adaptable- but I don't know how you do it!
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Cohan, I know human beings are adaptable- but I don't know how you do it!
lol--its all relative, isnt it? december was a bit rough, but since then we havent had any weather i'd call really cold--we've scarcely had -20 when we could have had -30 or -40 so we feel we've got off quite lightly--esp with the weather disasters all over the world! :)
of course here its the sheer length of the season that could easily do you in! but generally lots of sun--my cacti and succulents are baking and basking in the sun on the windowsill right now...
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So you think you're having a bad winter... :'(
Not sure where to post this, a Danish friend sent me the link.
http://www.tv2regionerne.dk/video.aspx?Id=530786
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i didn't understand what the news reader was saying but i felt for the nurseyman,poor chap
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From what I can gather, it is a rhododendron nursery. :(
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Here in mid Sweden quite a few roofs of sport centres, shopping malls, and of course green houses, have collapsed due to the big amounts of snow thatīs been falling lately. No casualties fortunately. But it isnīt over yet. This really is some winter.
My little green house is still standing though ::).
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We came home from our lovely day out to Dunblane to the news of the frighteneing mudslides and chaos caused in Madeira.... anyone heard from Michael, though John doesn't think his area is one affected....?
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The mudslides must be absolutely terrifying coming dow the mountain at such a speed. With more rain expected it seems it is not over yet and I do hope Michael is not in the area affected.
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We were out all day yesterday in the southeast of Bulgaria. The weather was sunny, warm and windy with some sunshine. We returned at 9pm to a temperature of 15C in the garden, and only tiredness stopped us wandering around with torches. Today is 5C and raining. :(
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We were out all day yesterday in the southeast of Bulgaria. The weather was sunny, warm and windy with some sunshine. We returned at 9pm to a temperature of 15C in the garden, and only tiredness stopped us wandering around with torches. Today is 5C and raining. :(
rain in spring is good :)
today blazing sun (brighter with all that white out there!) and +4, tomorrow possible flurries and -4
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Too right it's good, Cohan. Two new pots of Crocus seeds had germinated this morning- they were frozen solid not long ago! The range of +4 to -4 means you are slowly getting there, eh!
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Madeira looks terrifying
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Madeira looks terrifying
Doesn't it just! Saw some even nastier footage on tonight's news...... and they say around 40 dead! Ghastly thing to happen.
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Too right it's good, Cohan. Two new pots of Crocus seeds had germinated this morning- they were frozen solid not long ago! The range of +4 to -4 means you are slowly getting there, eh!
of course +4 to -4 is daytime...lol and -30 in march is certainly not unheard of even if not average...
yes, slowly getting there--days are much longer already--but nothing will be growing outside for the better part of a couple months yet!
trees are changing colours--willows are at their brightest oranges and reds of the year (stems that is) and spruce are going from nearly black to a brighter green! saw a first few (wild) pussy willows, while snow around the willows is still knee deep...
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Good thing the Forum is offering you some colour during your anual Ice age Cohan !! :D ;)
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Still in the deep freeze here and day time temperatures have still only crept above zero on two days since mid-December. Awoke today to the coldest morning of the winter so far with -23C and it was windy as well, an effective temperature of -40C...
The biggest problem for me is the lack of snow, only a few cms which means that the frost will have gone very deep this year and it is likely frozen everywhere down to bedrock - I don't have more than 50cm soil anywhere in the garden apart from around the cellar walls of the house. My hardy bamboos don't look at all happy, even Sasa kurilensis....
I'm fearing mass mortality. On the positive side, I'll have plenty of space for new things for the first time in a few years....
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Still in the deep freeze here and day time temperatures have still only crept above zero on two days since mid-December. Awoke today to the coldest morning of the winter so far with -23C and it was windy as well, an effective temperature of -40C...
The biggest problem for me is the lack of snow, only a few cms which means that the frost will have gone very deep this year and it is likely frozen everywhere down to bedrock - I don't have more than 50cm soil anywhere in the garden apart from around the cellar walls of the house. My hardy bamboos don't look at all happy, even Sasa kurilensis....
I'm fearing mass mortality. On the positive side, I'll have plenty of space for new things for the first time in a few years....
that's a tough winter indeed--quite a bit colder than typical for you? we haven't even had -20 in a while, and we could easily have had -40 this month; we are still having regular lows around -17/18, though some days milder, and daytimes above 0 most of this week...
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Yes, the coldest winter for at least 31 years. The contrast with just two winters ago is enormous. In that winter we didn't have any frost in the ground until the first week in February... -23C again this morning, but the forecast is for 10 degrees warmer for the rest of the week, but no end in sight for this very special North Atlantic blocking situation, the long-term forecast being for at least another 3 weeks (the mild Atlantic air normally brought to us by low pressure systems "blocked" by this very stable high pressure). On the positive side, if this continues to summer we'll be having a heat wave...
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...and it's official, we survived the coldest night here for 50-years last night with a minimum temperature of -24.3C...
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Yes, the coldest winter for at least 31 years. The contrast with just two winters ago is enormous. In that winter we didn't have any frost in the ground until the first week in February... -23C again this morning, but the forecast is for 10 degrees warmer for the rest of the week, but no end in sight for this very special North Atlantic blocking situation, the long-term forecast being for at least another 3 weeks (the mild Atlantic air normally brought to us by low pressure systems "blocked" by this very stable high pressure). On the positive side, if this continues to summer we'll be having a heat wave...
just what you need--any plants that didn't freeze can fry ;)
congrats on the record low--must be nice to know you are colder than alberta in february --well, parts of alberta at least, prob up north they have been below -20, i haven't seen any thorough tv weather since the olympics came along to mess up tv scheduling, hopefully it will be over soon (olympics ;)
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Central Scotland (Stirlingshire, Perthshire and towards Aberdeen) has had the worst snow for years over the last day or two - we currently have 34cm deep on everything. It is very sticky snow meaning that branches are snapping off shrubs and trees, and I had to go round knocking snow off where possible. My bamboos usually 3 metres tall are now flattened to 1m. More snow is forecast tonight....
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Oh dear, Richard, you are having a tougher time than we are....our weekend snow is melting fast in the face of the pouring rain we have had all day... and it looks like continuing all through the night again, too.
The ground is getting very waterlogged though and everything is so messy looking. Yuck!
Hard to imagine that Spring can be too far away when I see the photos of Spring gardens from down in England.... but it seems a long way off right this minute in Aberdeen. :-\
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Had to shake my eucalyptus tree free of snow as the top was touching our patio table this morning. I still made it into school, by train, but nothing was getting north out of Dunblane, either by road or rail!
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All our snow is gone now in Aberdeen, but replaced with flooding. Dropped our friends of at there house tonight and there whole road is completely flooded in front of there house, hope there garden is ok. The cottage at the corner of there road is flooded. My house is up a steep hill which when we have snow and ice the road becomes a problem but at least we have no chance of flooding. Will I ever get out in my garden ::).
Angie :)
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I've still got snow at Kintore, Angie. Two days of sleet and rain has melted some snow but there is still a lot lying. My coldframe is flooded again today - fourth time this winter. The first time was 2nd of November, then January 16th. About two weeks ago there was a small flood but today it is almost to the top of the breezeblock. Last two big floods went down quickly but it looks like this one is not going down yet. My bulb pots are under water and even saxifragas further along are completely submerged. The ground is still frozen after the frosts we had at the beginning of the week so there is nowhere for the water to go. (-6 Saturday morning, -9 Sunday and Monday and -7 tuesday). The sunshine during the day did not melt the snow much. We then had more snow on Wednesday which is melting now.
Gloomy day yesterday
Flooded frame today
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Roma do you lift your plants out of there?
We have had the first rain in weeks
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Roma your poor bulbs :o they must be hardy like us ;D
Angie :)