January 2017 in the Northern Hemisphere

[François Lambert]

Spotted in the garden this morning ... first signs of nature awakening with snowdrops showing their heads above the soil

[Hoy]

You have spring for many months! How I wish it was like that here, but no. Ground has been frozen since November, in December the snow melted away for a while, but last week it was -24C one night, now around zero and next week below freezing again. Winter seems so long. At least there isn't very much snow, though it would be good for plants but not for me. I could see some snowdrops peaking from the ground after Christmas, but they will have to wait at least two or three months before they can begin to flower.
Couple of pictures from the garden yesterday.

Leena, it isn't much spring-like today! More like fall. The rain is pouring down (again) and although some shrubs and crocuses are in flower it isn't any pleasure to take a walk in the garden. It is difficult to walk on the lawn also as it is almost more crocus and snowdrop leaves than grass. The mean temperature for all December was +6.6C.

[Maggi Young]

Spotted in the garden this morning ... first signs of nature awakening with snowdrops showing their heads above the soil

Hopeful signs, François.  We even have a few snowdrops out in the garden here - they're looking rather lonely at the moment!

[Gabriela]

You have spring for many months! How I wish it was like that here, but no. Ground has been frozen since November, in December the snow melted away for a while, but last week it was -24C one night, now around zero and next week below freezing again. Winter seems so long. At least there isn't very much snow, though it would be good for plants but not for me. I could see some snowdrops peaking from the ground after Christmas, but they will have to wait at least two or three months before they can begin to flower.
Couple of pictures from the garden yesterday.

Hang on Leena! Just the same here, plus occasional rains on top of the snow piles, so it seems 'icebergs' are starting to take shape
Eventually we'll have the same difficulty like Trond - "It is difficult to walk on the lawn also as it is almost more crocus and snowdrop leaves than grass. The mean temperature for all December was +6.6C."

[Leena]

I know Gabriela  . Here in the south coast of Finland the mean temperature in December was -1°C.

We start the seedex on Thursday, so not long to wait for your seeds, Leena!

I'm looking forward to them.  I have also made a small order in December to Vlastimil Pilous (peonies and something else) and I'm waiting for them also, though I don't have pots yet ready like Frederick. And then there are some Helleborus coming my way, so sowing seeds is the best way to spend January.

[YT]

Camelia japonica ‘Tamanoura’, about a month earlier than the usual.

[Hannelore]

Blizzard outside, flowers inside.

[Cfred72]

On leave today. Wake up from the bedroom window.

[GordonT]

Hannelore, what a cheerful spot of colour to have during the winter months! Is that Pereskia grandiflora?

[Hannelore]

Hannelore, what a cheerful spot of colour to have during the winter months! Is that Pereskia grandiflora?

Yes. It refuses to recognize that it lives in the Northern Hemisphere.    And it is one of the few indoor plants that like full sun behind the window.

[Robert]

What beautiful photographs of snow and the winter landscape!     

The skies have finally cleared here in Northern California. Sadly some of the local levees have now failed and there is some flooding of homes in our area. More heavy rain is forecast starting Tuesday-Wednesday. It is good to have the drought "officially" be declared as ended in Northern California (not Southern California, yet). I personally like the rain and snow, however it is sad to see others flooded.

If time permits I will photograph some of our snow in the Sierra Nevada. The snow levels finally lowered. Snow is right up the road a very short distance. Our wildflowers will most likely be amazing this year! 

[ian mcdonald]

Cold wind here, no sign of snow yet. Soon be spring though. No snowdrops showing in the garden.

[johnw]

A little perspective  - 3500kms. to our west in southern Manitoba yesterday:


extreme blizzard the day long


winds gusting to 90km/hr


roads described as treacherous


whiteout conditions


mulitple vehicle collisions


wind-chill -50c


A lady of Pakistani decent who has lived in Winnepeg for 16 years said of the weather "back home this would be seen as the end of the world."


Well they don't have any rhodo buds to worry about.....


johnw

[Robert]

Sounds like the Sierra Nevada a few days ago. Category 5 Hurricane force winds, with wind gusts clocked at 250km/hr. Complete whiteout conditions; Interstate 80 closed to traffic; etc. Most likely what the Donner Party faced!

More benign .........



Jenkinson Reservoir full of water. 

This is the main water source for El Dorado County, California. Drought conditions have ended for Northern California.  Southern California is still having drought conditions.



Jenkinson Reservoir is at approximately 3,500 feet (1,067 meters). Here there were traces of snow. At Pollock Pines, elevation 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) there was 3" to 6" of snow. I would love to check on Peavine Ridge. My guess is that there is about 1 meter of snow there. 

Arctostaphylos viscida ssp. mariposa front and center, with its glandular-hairy stems!     The more I study them the more variance I find. The Genus is extremely fascinating. 



Chamaebatia foliolosa, Bear Clover, looking good with the snow. This species is a very common evergreen ground cover at this elevation. Bear Clover is often seen with another evergreen ground huger, Polygala cornuta var. cornuta. I saw plenty of this species while I checked on the Reservoir.

[Hoy]

Got a couple cm of snow (sleet and hail actually) yesterday. It lingers still and the cold weather will last until Monday they say.