Weekly Weather Report
New Port Richey, Florida
For Farmers and Others
Week of December 1, 2014
From Friendship Farms & Fare
A Community Service To the Local Farming Community
45 degrees at 3:00 AM, November 29, 2014
Historic Average (for 11/28): 75 HIGH, 57 LOW–Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com/
The historical average high temperature is now 75 degrees (five degrees higher than the lowest average high [70], and fifteen degrees lower than the highest average high [90]). Our average low is now 57 degrees (six degrees higher than the lowest average low [51] and nineteen degrees lower than the highest average low [76]). The average high and average low are in their annual decline, which will continue through the fall, and then begin a gradual assent in the early winter (late January).
Note: For the past few years, our summer and fall highs and lows have typically run a bit higher than historic averages. Thus far this year, the trend has continued. The higher temperatures stress even hot-weather summer crops. Our development of seed stock from plants grown in these above normal temperatures may result in plants more tolerant of the increasingly harsh climate.
Weekly Weather Report
Cold Weather Last Week and More On The Way For Early December
Last Week (11/22-11/28): Last week brought both unusually warm and cold temperatures. The warm front early in the week featured unseasonably high temperatures and humidity. Then, by midweek, we experienced unseasonably cold temperatures. Adding to this run of unusual weather events, was extremely heavy rainfall – 4 inches in 24 hours (11/25-26). Remember, historically, this is the dry season, with average daily rainfall being .06 inches – 6 one-hundredth of an inch.
All of this is likely related to the polar vortex and its oscillation, and more generally climate change.
The highest high for last week was 83 (11/23) and the lowest high was 62 (11/28). The highest low was 71 (11/25) and lowest low was 43 (11/28). Remember the average high is 75 and average low is 57. So, the highs and lows do, more or less, average out, but the extremes are getting our attention – and the attention of the flora and fauna.
This Week (11/29-12/5): WU is forecasting a rather mild, and warming week ahead. The temperature range appears close to normal throughout the week – highs in the mid-70s and lows in the low 60s. Rain appears unlikely.
Looking Ahead: Despite the strange weather over the past month, we are in the driest part of the year, with average daily rainfall amounting to .06 of an inch per day, and with cool temperatures. Most days will be cool with no rain and low humidity.
Average temperatures will continue to drop. We are now into freeze season, and freezes are possible in any given week. The Polar Vortex will only heighten the possibility of freezes. We are approaching the coldest period of the year, which occurs in early January. Averages are not good guides, and we are currently running close to historical averages, but with rather dramatic fluctuations.
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