Weather 2012

[cohan]

Our days aren't so different- we have from +2 to +10C over the next week, with sun most of the time, but a night above freezing is something I would not expect- we have one surprising -1 night forecast, the rest are -6 or -9C... last night was -16C.. I remember -30 in March, growing up, and it was probably Fahrenheit!

[McDonough]

We had an unusually mild and virtually snowless January - Februrary, thought it was going to be a completely snowless winter, but finallt got a total of 14" snow on March 1-2.  Three mornings ago, it was 12 F (-11 C), and now we're back to exceptionally mild weather, a sunny 62 F today (17 C).    69 F (21 C).

While most of my yard is still covered with snow, a few spots of ground are bare and a dozen or so first blooms on Crocus chrysanthus hybrids are in bloom. Much to my surprise, lots of bees busy visiting the flowers.  In fact, a bit sad, there were more bees than open flowers, they were revisiting the same flowers over and over, as there aren't any other blooms to visit.

[RickR]

Some particularly wide petaled selections, there, Mark. 

Very inviting, indeed!

[cohan]

Great to see those Mark!~ our high forecast for today was 5C/41F but that was for mainly cloudy, and its sunny, so I expect its warmer than that.. sun is strong now, so any exposed soil or dark protrusions are causing fast melting-- wont take down the 4-7foot mounds with any speed, but paths will start clearing etc... probably weeks of daily meltwater  nightly freezing into skating rinks over the driveway and paths ahead!

[Hoy]

We had an unusually mild and virtually snowless January - Februrary, thought it was going to be a completely snowless winter, but finallt got a total of 14" snow on March 1-2.  Three mornings ago, it was 12 F (-11 C), and now we're back to exceptionally mild weather, a sunny 62 F today (17 C).    69 F (21 C).

While most of my yard is still covered with snow, a few spots of ground are bare and a dozen or so first blooms on Crocus chrysanthus hybrids are in bloom. Much to my surprise, lots of bees busy visiting the flowers.  In fact, a bit sad, there were more bees than open flowers, they were revisiting the same flowers over and over, as there aren't any other blooms to visit.

21C?? That's about as hot as it ever become here!

I quited as a beekeeper some years ago and after that honeybees are rare in my garden. I remember that they used to have their first flight of the year at this time. Many had their last flight too as they didn't manage to get back to the hive in time for the night and froze to death during the night.

[Schier]

Beautiful morning here, and was absolutely wonderful yesterday. Now there's a winter storm warning up on Environment Canada - I was going to say hard to believe, but no, it's not of course! It's only April 4, and it's Alberta...I guess I'll take in my seedlings that I have out sunning themselves on the porch steps. 

[cohan]

Same storm warning here, though it might be more rain by the time it gets to Faith, farther east, though we could both have a mix of snow and rain.. probably mostly snow here, nearer the foothills.. supposed to start this afternoon, possibly 15cm or more of snow.. have to get out and bring up some firewood 
Its only early April- we can have the occasional heavy snow through May...

[cohan]

We got about 15 cm of snow out of that last storm, and while it melted very soon against houses, on the roads and sunny places that were already bare, other places (like most of our driveway that is shaded) it only started going yesterday!

Now, from tomorrow we have several days of rain, freezing rain, possible snow forecast.....

[Schier]

Yes, Cohan, a few days of crappy weather it looks like.  It's about 17 C here now, but not for long.  Environment Canada has changed the forecast drastically since this morning!

[cohan]

Our forecast hasn't changed so much- except now the possible snow could come already by thurs night, then snow or rain fri and sat! I was still moving snow in the yard today, away from some paths and near beds-- I have one semi/woodland perennial bed that I realised after building is in the path of the downhill trickle of melt water in spring, that goes on for ages (fed by deep piles of snow along the driveway, part of which is in shade, so slow to melt), so I try to clear beside it so the water can run away without collecting in the bed- I dug a bit of a channel along one side of it last year, may need to expand that more, yet, and make sure I have moisture lovers in that bed!

I will be interesting to see what that rain will do on top of all the snow we still have!

[Hoy]

I will be interesting to see what that rain will do on top of all the snow we still have!

Make a lot of water? Do you have a lifeboat?

[cohan]

That's what I said to my mom this morning- better get the boats ready! Of course we have no boats here, far away from any real body of water...
Supposed to be 10-15mm rain, then change to snow, 5-10cm overnight and snow fri and sat, another 10 cm plus... then next tues/wed rain/snow again....

The mosquitoes will be happy 

[Todd Boland]

I think the only place in Canada with more yo-yo weather than Newfoundland is Alberta.  We have been surprisingly mild this past week...every day 10-15 C and staying up to 5 C at night.  You can watch the plants grow!  Meanwhile, Nova Scotia and the Maritimes have been cold all week with 20 cm snow in Moncton.  There is no accounting for weather in Canada!

[cohan]

We had some days 10-15 before this storm, though no nights to 5C- I think maybe +2C is as high as we have been..
We got probably 10-15cm of snow last night/this morning- hard to be sure when it was melting all along.. Its stopped for now, possible rain/snow this aft, and then flurries tonight/tomorrow... plenty wet and sloppy out there..
+11 forecast for Mon, and possible precip again Tues and Thurs..
here's the drive home yesterday, when it had been snowing a couple of hours...
https://picasaweb.google.com/111492944361897930115/April122012SpringDriveHome

[Hoy]

Rain and sun, rain and sun here but not very high or low temps. I can not notice any growth of the plants - it is standstill
A couple of hours ago we had a thunderstorm with hail and the lightning struck near by without damaging anything as far as I know.