Here it seems, that autumn is coming already. I turned heating on in my melon tent few days ago. Temperature lows are around 10˚ C, highs are around 20˚ C. There has been rainining already for second week almost daily, with only 2 dry days in between (today it's one of these few sunny moments). But in general, colder and much wetter than usually in the end of July. Had two strong thunder storms recently.
In fairness this is the first time it's gotten over 20C downstairs in the house this year. :) Ah, that's my kind of weather... Some rumblings now here, fingers crossed.
About 40° C here. A few drops of rain around 3 o'clock. I went outside : it was suffocating because of the heat and the humidity. 2 minutes later, the soil was dry. So I crossed the street and went to the pool. Once again, we had a whole line for each of us, a third person came later, and when we left, five people were swimming. When we went out, it was like opening the door of an oven. It's 7:00 and still about 30, I'll wait until 20:30 to water the trees. Tomorrow should be not so hot (30°) and Saturday, "cool" (25° - everything is relative).
It is 1 pm here, 75 F, 24 C, 76% humidity, overall not a bad day. We had some powerful storms come through last night, good soaking, happens every other day this time of year.
Seems drier than usual summer for the area. Usually there are summer storms every day, or overnight showers every night, not this year. Noticeable change over the past ten years...
I remember reading that core samples taken showed that the planet got progressively hotter prior to the start of this ice age and at the end of the preceding ice age. I think these hot Summers are 'not' going to get any easier for our trees, if this is the planets natural cycle!!!!!
These natural cycles usually take thousands of years. Plants, animals, life can adapt. When such changes happen in a century, and accelerates in decades, maybe we could face reality : we are guilty. There's no point in denying our collective responsability as the king predator of the earth. The question is : how can we limit the damage xe're all doing ? But then, it becomes a political stance, which has nothing to do here. But facts, information, yes. The way people cope with "unusual conditions", tips to preserve our maples - and other plants, insects, etc., yes. Preserving biodiversity, using no, or as little as possible chemicals, yes. There was a tribe in the Andes. When the white man came, they gathered around a crater. They prayed, and let themselves die and fall into the hole - of progress ?.... They committed collective suicide because they thought they couldn't fit into that "new order" brought by the soldiers and the priests, they were not able to erase their vision of the world, which was based on other values, to melt into a "white christian" world they didn't belong to. We, human beings in the 21st century can probaly do better than that. OK, there are "beliefs", but we've got a much powerful weapon : science. And I hope that apart from a few fundamentalists, even "believers" can understand that we hold our future in our hands.
@AlainK, passionately put Alain. I have sat and listened to my children debate this with their scientist friends and tbh it made my head spin. So many arguments on the subject !!!!!
What's the truth, eh ?... I think we shouldn't discuss further about "it" here. I admit I snap every time I see "let's pray" anywhere, and it happened here. But if anyone wants to discuss the matter further, let's do it privately. Back to maples... "La musique adoucit les moeurs" :
Those are Quercus robur? I live where english ,scot miners arrived @1850's with acorns. These oaks are exceedingly large and prolific. There are now hybrids with our threatened Q garryana. Nanaimo,BC I am new to this. I have added a photo of how we treat our Oak with love and care! This is beside a new housing development and before it was a Garryoak Meadow. One of the last of vanishing nature.
I am more of an opera fan, how about let me weep (for the maples)... Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Seems like everywhere the weather is not that gracious to Japanese maples.
If anyone thinks its been a bit hot, spare a thought for the poor folk of Basra, Iraq Yesterday: SHADE temperature 53°C, "feels like" temperature 62.6°C. Humidity 6.6%. https://twitter.com/StormchaserUKEU/status/1288838915663761408?s=20
Thanks for the perspective @Michael F. I wonder if those are record-breaking temperature in Basra. I know I couldn't handle it and am so grateful I'm not put to the test.
When I was growing up and complained about something, I was always told " remember there is always someone else worse off". I think @Michael F has just reminded us all of this.
Just read that read the South of England will be hotter than Morocco this weekend. The misting begins again !!!!
Currently 81 F, 27 C, 74% humidity, tropical storm Isaias about to hit us with some rain and strong winds.
I just want the rain. The high winds and storm can stay away. I've been moving around what I can all afternoon. The wind is crazy right now! A few trees will come inside to wait the storm.
Thanks D. I wish we could post videos. I hate when high winds come through. We have old oaks and pines that always seems to lose branches or come down. Mostly on or very close to my maples somehow.
@LoverOfMaples, good for providing shade, but such a worry when storms hit. Fingers crossed for you and @Nik.
40 mph, 65 kph sustained winds right now, gusts up to 65 mph, 104 kph. Not much rain at all, but the winds are brutal. Tons of power outages in the area.
Wow @Nik, already! After the first year of moving here we decide a generator was a most. We went almost 3 weeks without power.
Same here, after a year in our house, we decided we need a generator that will automatically kick in when power goes out (propane fueled). It is is running again for the past half hour. We are glad we installed it, wasn’t cheap, but well worth it.
