(THE RECORDER) Possibly the coldest temperatures of the year — tonight through the weekend — cannot be welcomed news for area citrus growers who have been combating dangerously low temperatures nearly the entire month of December.
A freeze watch is in effect for tonight and Friday night, Gary Sanger, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford said Wednesday. He said lows in the low- to mid-20s are expected, possibly the coldest nights of the year.
Temperatures in citrus groves below 28 degrees for more than four hours can cause serious damage to the fruit. So far, most growers have escaped damaged as lows have been around 25 to 29 degrees, but higher in groves where there are frost protection methods available.
Growers said they can raise the temperature in a grove 2 to 4 degrees depending on conditions by running water and wind machines, which most have been able to do so far this winter.
Typically, the last two weeks of December are the coldest nights of the year and it looks like 2011 will be no different.
“It will be bitterly cold Friday and Saturday (mornings),” said Sanger. The predicted low for Porterville is 29 Friday morning and 28 Saturday morning. It is expected to be a couple of degrees warmer Christmas morning and warmer next week.
Sanger cautioned conditions are there for potentially colder temps than prerdicted.
He said homeowner and pet owners should take steps now to protect their pipes, plants and pets.
Daytime highs will be in the mid-50s and there is a chance of fog through the weekend.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar