February Banter Thread

[superjames1992]

One thing people need to keep in mind is that in the Southeast the mean snowfall average is usually positively slanted.  What I mean is that for most of our locations the median is often quite a bit lower than the mean.  For example, in my area of the woods we average ~9" of snow per winter.  So, you can expect 9" of snow per winter, right?  No, not really.  Instead, the median is between 5-6" (IIRC), so on any given winter you can "expect" 5-6" of snow, not 9".  The 50th-percentile year is 5-6" of snow.  Classic years like the winter of 1999-2000, 2003-2004, and 2009-2010 have the effect of positively slanting the mean quite a bit, in most cases.  I'd assume the same is true for most of the Southeast.

[WilkesboroDude]

Winter weather is over for NC/SC, except for the upcoming dreadful cold/dry spell.

 

Guess I disagree. Going with a winter weather threat at least for north-west NC...the recent crappy winters produced something in late March so who knows what the future holds if next weekend is cold/dry. Lots of unknown territory to be venturing pessimistic views in.

[FoothillsNC]

Where I used to live before 99 they come up in the croquet lawn so I tried to get them gone over the fence, and I tried digging out two mounds and mixing in the ants from the two, and it worked sometimes and sometimes not.  This hill would clear right out, but the dominant tribe would go back to business as usual.  So then I'd dig 'em out good, and pour in a lot of gas and burn them for an hour or so.  And they'd move for a while then be back.  The best cure I found for my court was frequent cutting with the blades taking extra care over where the mounds just were.  After a week of mow and wind, they'd move on.  Only works on a greensward though, and I keep my court cut super low.  T

 

I cut my grass golf course style last Summer and thanks to all the rains, I cut it more than I ever did. Nothing stopped them.

It was nothing personal. I nominated Robert last time. We men have weenies. 

 

 

Complete opposite here. 

 

Anyway, the bees are absent this winter in Wilkes. Last winter they were active. I question how far north they can really get because one winter will wipe them out if they get too far north. Bad enough they are just to my south so if it is a mild winter I am screwed. 

Thats pretty interesting because I worked in north Wilkesboro 2 weeks ago and got stung severely by  a swarm of yellow jackets in a lady's yard  while cutting her pompass grass.  

You're simply a jerk, and for no reason. I have never said a harsh word to you or have ever brought you up in conversation anywhere at anytime. But I'm flattered that you speak so much of me.

I don't know your  name but I'd request you remove yourself from WxSouth on Facebook before I do it for you.

[NGTim]

You know winter is over when Robert is telling us to get ready for fire ants 

 

This past 9 year stretch for RDU is the worst 9 year stretch in 126 or so years.  Either the climate is changing and this is the new norm, which I am leaning towards or things will change very soon.  For example, RDU has had averaged 2" or less for a season in 34 of the past 126 years, and it has averages 11" or more a season 32 times over that same period.  So it's equal chance whether we get 2" or less or 11" or more.  Obviously the meat of our winters are in the 5-7" range but we haven't seen an 11" season in a lonnnggg time.  

 

Winter weather is over for NC/SC, except for the upcoming dreadful cold/dry spell.

lol.  I say its gonna change back.  Just like a few years ago when Lake Lanier in GA was way down, the media was saying it might never fill up, and kids come home from school hearing the same thing.  I told them just wait you'll be hearing about floods soon. sure enough it filled back up (of course its back down now, but filling up as we speak).  I do remember my brother taking me up to Boone back in the 70s and I remember snow piled up all along the sides of the roads.  At the same time, Time or Newsweek saying we might be going into an ice age.  Well that didn't happen, and so now when I hear its never going to cool back down, I don't believe that either.  I can't say agw is totally false, but I also can't say I totally believe it.  So count me amongst those who say we will see the 70s again (the 1970s that is).  And the analogs I use for this position are the years from 1964 to 2013. 

[WilkesboroDude]

Thats pretty interesting because I worked in north Wilkesboro 2 weeks ago and got stung severely by  a swarm of yellow jackets in a lady's yard  while cutting her pompass grass.  

You're simply a jerk, and for no reason. I have never said a harsh word to you or have ever brought you up in conversation anywhere at anytime. But I'm flattered that you speak so much of me.

I don't know your  name but I'd request you remove yourself from WxSouth of Facebook before I do it for you.

 

Done. 

 

There very well could be bees here just not in my backyard outside of town this winter. I need to check the gardens up at Merlefest on the college campus then.

[jburns]

Used Wilkes just as an example, but here you go...

 

ignore.JPG

 

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We need an "ignore all mods" option.

[WilkesboroDude]

We need an "ignore all mods" option.

 

[jburns]

lol You're not real clear on the weenie thing are you.

[WeatherNC]

We need an "ignore all mods" option.

 

You're already on my metaphysical ignore list, in addition to about a half dozen other folks, what more do you want?

[Bevo]

Where is Bevo? He needs to look at this quote from FoothillsNC.

 

"If you use actual statistics and view things scientifically and empirically, then there is no agenda or conspiracy. It's been amazingly warm for a while now, and that fact can't be disputed around here.   If you bet the streak, you'd be right in using persistence all this Winter."

 

I'm here - however you're implying that his quote (which I've read all of his dating back two years) includes me.  I record my own stats here, as do many in this general area that can defend empirically that our winter has been about as normal as it could be.  Bark up a different tree.

[WeatherNC]

lol You're not real clear on the weenie thing are you.

[jburns]

You're already on my metaphysical ignore list, in addition to about a half dozen other folks, what more do you want?

Damn. Metaphysical. Send someone to college and they start throwing their education in your face.

[FoothillsNC]

Done. 

 

There very well could be bees here just not in my backyard outside of town this winter. I need to check the gardens up at Merlefest on the college campus then.

thank you. And  do that because I was no more than a mile from the college in that incident, and considering how much blooming and advanced things were there botanically I don't see how your back yard could be so different.

[packbacker]

One thing people need to keep in mind is that in the Southeast the mean snowfall average is usually positively slanted.  What I mean is that for most of our locations the median is often quite a bit lower than the mean.  For example, in my area of the woods we average ~9" of snow per winter.  So, you can expect 9" of snow per winter, right?  No, not really.  Instead, the median is between 5-6" (IIRC), so on any given winter you can "expect" 5-6" of snow, not 9".  The 50th-percentile year is 5-6" of snow.  Classic years like the winter of 1999-2000, 2003-2004, and 2009-2010 have the effect of positively slanting the mean quite a bit, in most cases.  I'd assume the same is true for most of the Southeast.

 

RDU is roughly 6", not that big difference between 0.5" and 6" and 0.5" and 7".

[Bevo]

thank you. And  do that because I was no more than a mile from the college in that incident, and considering how much blooming and advanced things were there botanically I don't see how your back yard could be so different.

 

Robert - you are a little NE of me, however, having just spent this weekend outside, I have nothing really blooming, nor pest to speak of (although there was a honey bee that buzzed me for the first time this year).  What's your opinion as to why there's been such an acute area that seems to have been unscathed?

[WilkesboroDude]

There are micro-climates embedded in Wilkes. I have noticed every single winter weather event so far this winter has not treated the entire county the same. I will be posting pics here of accumulations while eastern Wilkes or Surry see little to nothing. Not sure if that has to do with anything with the pests, but I live somewhere where little sunshine hits in the winter. The ground is brown.

[FoothillsNC]

Robert - you are a little NE of me, however, having just spent this weekend outside, I have nothing really blooming, nor pest to speak of (although there was a honey bee that buzzed me for the first time this year).  What's your opinion as to why there's been such an acute area that seems to have been unscathed?

I don't see how you've avoided them. My friends and I all laugh lately around here at the fact there are honey bees and yellow jackets around, Dec, Jan and now Feb.  How are your fire ants? They are building fericiously here, but last Summer was probably a  boom period for them. It rained a lot and was so warm and humid....very different from the previous years. (except the Summer of 2011 was decently wet too). As far as blooming stuff, grass is greener, the dandelions are up, clover is up and spreading and the daffodils have been blooming off and on for a few weeks. The biggest thing here is the lady bugs inside the house. They never went away this season. Nor did the bees.

[audioguy3107]

It was nothing personal. I nominated Robert last time. We men have weenies. 

 

You nominated Robert (Foothills) for WOTY??  Jeezz.    

[WilkesboroDude]

You nominated Robert (Foothills) for WOTY??  Jeezz.   

 

Hey! I must not be the only one thinking it he had double digit votes I believe. I am voting the green lizard dude next time surely he will get up there with all these statistical posts he makes for Georgia. 

[Carvers Gap]

I don't see how you've avoided them. My friends and I all laugh lately around here at the fact there are honey bees and yellow jackets around, Dec, Jan and now Feb.  How are your fire ants? They are building fericiously here, but last Summer was probably a  boom period for them. It rained a lot and was so warm and humid....very different from the previous years. (except the Summer of 2011 was decently wet too). As far as blooming stuff, grass is greener, the dandelions are up, clover is up and spreading and the daffodils have been blooming off and on for a few weeks. The biggest thing here is the lady bugs inside the house. They never went away this season. Nor did the bees.

Is your pm box working?

[FoothillsNC]

There are micro-climates embedded in Wilkes. I have noticed every single winter weather event so far this winter has not treated the entire county the same. I will be posting pics here of accumulations while eastern Wilkes or Surry see little to nothing. Not sure if that has to do with anything with the pests, but I live somewhere where little sunshine hits in the winter. The ground is brown.

there are microclimates all over western NC straight down to western SC and northeast Georgia. But all have been warm and I'd venture have some of the same issues now, bugs, bees, blooming stuff...Nobody near here has had a cold Winter....its just your area had a  little snow in a system.  In the big picture its not like Wilkesboro is in Canada, you're close to Athens temps and anomalies as well.

[Bevo]

I don't see how you've avoided them. My friends and I all laugh lately around here at the fact there are honey bees and yellow jackets around, Dec, Jan and now Feb.  How are your fire ants? They are building fericiously here, but last Summer was probably a  boom period for them. It rained a lot and was so warm and humid....very different from the previous years. (except the Summer of 2011 was decently wet too). As far as blooming stuff, grass is greener, the dandelions are up, clover is up and spreading and the daffodils have been blooming off and on for a few weeks. The biggest thing here is the lady bugs inside the house. They never went away this season. Nor did the bees.

 

There are lawns with mounds that are evident....I'm not sure why our 'hood seems to be untouched.  But I do treat during the summer.  However, with fireants specifically, they travel on those big rain waters.  With virtually no winter last year, plus the rise in rainfall this past summer (and this winter), I would imagine they've been able to really set up shop.  The only grass tinged green here are the blue grass hybrids - which make sense.  However, every lawn in this area that grows bermuda or fescue has that old brown/yellow color.  No dandilions, and no apparent clover (which made the honey bee sighting even stranger).  If you were to drive through western Sptbg county on up through TR and into Polk, Rutherf, etc...it would seem winter has been here.  In fact, I'm not the only poster here who finds it odd that we've been in a black hole.  Calculus, StrongWx for example...I literally think it's like the map I posted some days ago - although the blue tongue may need to shift westward a little based on your descriptions:

 

[Bevo]

there are microclimates all over western NC straight down to western SC and northeast Georgia. But all have been warm and I'd venture have some of the same issues now, bugs, bees, blooming stuff...Nobody near here has had a cold Winter....its just your area had a  little snow in a system.  In the big picture its not like Wilkesboro is in Canada, you're close to Athens temps and anomalies as well.

 

Maybe that's where the disconnect is with me - it's in the perspective of "cold".

 

I would concede quickly that this winter has not been *cold cold.  However, in comparison to last winter, we have been running the heat since December - something we did not do at all last winter.  It was colder here that last year.  There's no doubt by any of us in this area.  BUT, it certainly hasn't been a frigid winter.

[WilkesboroDude]

there are microclimates all over western NC straight down to western SC and northeast Georgia. But all have been warm and I'd venture have some of the same issues now, bugs, bees, blooming stuff...Nobody near here has had a cold Winter....its just your area had a  little snow in a system.  In the big picture its not like Wilkesboro is in Canada, you're close to Athens temps and anomalies as well.

 

True. Well I post all my pics here and there for verification. Before that snow system, I had pics shown on Raysweather of sleet balls I made when in fact the mountains got mostly freezing rain. Weird things happen. I even seen snow mix in under the street light.

 

December 28...(it eventually ended as light freezing rain on top of the accumulation which made it impossible to scrape off.)

[metalicwx366]

I'm here - however you're implying that his quote (which I've read all of his dating back two years) includes me.  I record my own stats here, as do many in this general area that can defend empirically that our winter has been about as normal as it could be.  Bark up a different tree.

lmao! you knew what I was talking about.

[FoothillsNC]

Is your pm box working?

 

 

There are lawns with mounds that are evident....I'm not sure why our 'hood seems to be untouched.  But I do treat during the summer.  However, with fireants specifically, they travel on those big rain waters.  With virtually no winter last year, plus the rise in rainfall this past summer (and this winter), I would imagine they've been able to really set up shop.  The only grass tinged green here are the blue grass hybrids - which make sense.  However, every lawn in this area that grows bermuda or fescue has that old brown/yellow color.  No dandilions, and no apparent clover (which made the honey bee sighting even stranger).  If you were to drive through western Sptbg county on up through TR and into Polk, Rutherf, etc...it would seem winter has been here.  In fact, I'm not the only poster here who finds it odd that we've been in a black hole.  Calculus, StrongWx for example...I literally think it's like the map I posted some days ago - although the blue tongue may need to shift westward a little based on your descriptions:

 

haha, where did you get that map? Its been warm here, and between me and Rutherford County (adjoining) it can't be that different in the aveages.It has seemed "cooler' than last season though but I know how warm last Winter was, which was truly incredible.  I think the bugs and rodents thing is a leftover from last season and will carry this year, unless something weird happens late month or March.  The bugs and pests are everywhere, its like the witch of Narnia, but instead of perpetual Winter, its perpetual Spring.

[metalicwx366]

The severe weather thread exploded. Usually its not that active.

[WeatherNC]

 

WTF did you get this from?

[Bevo]

haha, where did you get that map? Its been warm here, and between me and Rutherford County (adjoining) it can't be that different in the aveages.It has seemed "cooler' than last season though but I know how warm last Winter was, which was truly incredible.  I think the bugs and rodents thing is a leftover from last season and will carry this year, unless something weird happens late month or March.  The bugs and pests are everywhere, its like the witch of Narnia, but instead of perpetual Winter, its perpetual Spring.

 

I made that a week or more ago - based on the posts from regular contributors and their descriptions of winter so far.

 

The bugs and rodent issue is definitely a hangover effect - last winter was epic saga warm.

[FoothillsNC]

Is your pm box working?

 

 

True. Well I post all my pics here and there for verification. Before that snow system, I had pics shown on Raysweather of sleet balls I made when in fact the mountains got mostly freezing rain. Weird things happen. I even seen snow mix in under the street light.

 

December 28...(it eventually ended as light freezing rain on top of the accumulation which made it impossible to scrape off.)

I don't doubt you had a minor sleet event. It also sleete here, about that same amount. What I do doubt is your botanical state. And the bees..I've seen them every where all over western NC non stop this whole Winter.  If this upcoming cold blast wasn't coming this weekend, I'm sure a  grass cutting would be in order by the second week of March .  Right now I'd say early April , similar to last year when I did my first cut. ( could have been late March last season now that I recall).