- Author: Therese Kapaun
An unusually cold and prolonged weather system moved into California on December 3rd, and temperatures in our area have plunged below freezing for eight consecutive nights. Citrus growers have engaged frost protection measures such as use of wind machines and extensive watering. Under certain conditions these measures have the effect of raising the air temperature at ground level to mitigate the danger of frost. Weather forecasts providing temperature and dew point are some of the tools that growers use to make decisions regarding which frost protection measures to implement. Warmer temperatures are in the forecast, and growers will continue to evaluate the extent of freeze damage to fruit and trees.
Meanwhile, harvesting is continuing in the area, as December is always a busy time for navel oranges and early mandarins such as clementines. Picking crews and forklift operators are battling icy conditions and mud from heavy irrigation in the groves to get the fruit from tree to packing house.
Lindcove REC recently installed a new weather station. Early morning low temperatures at the Center from December 4th through the 10th were 28.5, 25.2, 25.2, 29.0, 26.8, 24.2, and 25.8° F. Anyone is welcome to use our Western Weather Group login and password to access Lindcove weather data.
Username: lindcove
Password: weather