Frosty March 29
This post was written March 29, 2011. The winter of 2011 was a tough one much like the winter 2014 which is still hanging around just north of us on March 1. The latest forecasts are that Virginia and the areas to the north could get lots of snow starting on March 3. Even Washington, DC might get nine inches and the Boston area could get a foot or more. I kept the following article because speculating when the last frost will come is always fun. It also has some links to pictures of the tiny tomatoes that I planted in March of 2011. The tomato crop of 2014 will not be fitting under any tiny cups. However, whether or not we have a March 29 frost is another question.
Most people likely don’t need any convincing that this winter of 2011 has been a tough winter and something of a rocky start to spring.
If you were on the borderline, the morning of March 29 should seal the deal. This is the latest frost down by the water that we have had since we have been living along the shores of the White Oak River.
A couple of times we have had frost on the “high spot” in our front yard, but it has never made it down to the water. When my kayak has frost on it, you know something is wrong with the weather. I don’t usually have it outside until the weather gets nice.
Last week I went kayaking and even fishing the day before. Now we have a morning of frost, and I suspect some very chilly river waters.
According to our thermometer, we got down to 34F this morning. I actually got up at 5:45 AM to check the temperature, and it was still 36.5F, but by 7 AM, it dropped to 34F.
I think that all my tomato plants are okay because I covered them, but I am worried about the local strawberries which have been in full bloom for the last couple of weeks.
Hopefully this will be out last shot of cold weather here on the Southern Outer Banks. I know the pansies aren’t going to last much longer, but I hate to see frost on pansies that managed to survive through such a tough winter.
Beyond the strawberries, I am crossing my fingers that the local nurseries did okay. I know that Redfearn’s in Cedar Point had lots of tender plants outside. I can imagine Alan didn’t sleep very soundly last night.
We certainly were not alone in this patch of cold air. It was around freezing as far south as Charlotte in North Carolina, and it was well below freezing into the foothills of the NC mountains and up into southwest Virginia. Even the folks in New York City are complaining about a bi-polar spring, and they haven’t had all the great weather that we have seen in March.
I am going to consider this just a bump in the road. This morning we have blue skies and the water looks pretty special. The sun is shining, and at least there are sixties in the forecast. We will just have to wait a little for that next burst of warm air like what we saw last week.
If you would like to read more about the Crystal Coast and why we are living here, you will find some helpful posts at this link. If you would like to check out my blog, here is the link. All the 2014 posts have a way to subscribe to my new Crystal Coast newsletter which goes out once a month.