The clouds were expected, the rain was expected and even the occasional sunny sky was expected. What wasn't expected was the warmth- record breaking warmth.
The temperatures for January, here in Seattle, averaged 6.2 degrees above normal for the month. The warmest day of the month was January 19th with a high of 60 degrees.
So, were people happy? Well, sort of. Happy not to be shivering like much of the rest of the nation and Europe- unless they were skiers. But, with the warmth, came the rain. We've had 25 days with precipitation and January 11th had over an inch of rain in 24 hours. When this weather pattern happens, we call it the Pineapple Express- warm, moist air swinging up from Hawaii.
What has people talking is just how far ahead the plants are- some trees and shrubs think that it's March already. Some of that is true but it also seems as if every year, people are surprised at the gradual unfolding of new growth. And maybe this year, more people are out walking and noticing and worrying a bit- about global warming, about whether the plants can survive a deep freeze now and whether we will 'pay' for this with a cold summer. We'll have to wait and see.
3 comments:
It's just started snowing again here! It's been colder this winter than it has for many years but the weather patterns go in cycles as they always have. There are periods where we get a series of mild, wet winters and periods when we get a series of cold, snowy winters. Hopefully we are due for a series of the kind of hot,golden summers like the ones they had in the early 1900s - starting this year!
No I definitiely need to be where you are we've been having the coldest January and I need a little warmth!
I am one of the worriers. Two winters plus one summer of very "off" patterns really makes me wonder what we are in for in the future. It's not just the plants that are confused - I'm sure the critters must be off schedule too, and what does that do to the balance of things? Eek. Nice viburnum in your header, BTW.
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