Snow Covered Garden Beds
January 8, 2010
Friday we received our first snow storm of the winter considerably later than normal. Usually we have snow flurries as early as October with some accumulation in November and even heavy accumulation in December. This year we received no accumulation until January. Why is that a concern? Snowfall is part of the annual precipitation for the area. Those in rural communities growing commercially know a low snowfall can mean the soil is too dry in the spring. Spring runoff from the thawing ground and melting snow makes its way to ditches where it ends up running into tertiary and secondary waterways. It replenishes the marshlands that is home to a large variety of waterfowl and other wildlife. In the end the spring thaw ends up in the Great Lakes and connecting waterways.
In recent years we have seen falling water levels in the waters in the Great Lakes waterways. We live on the water so see first hand the falling levels. We have a boat and have heard some insurance companies will no longer insure some boats because of the lower water levels. This past summer we saw unseasonably cold with a bit more rain than normal but not enough to compensate for the drier fall and lack of precipitation so far this winter. I don't know if these changing weather patterns are part of a normal weather cycle or a further indication of global warming. At any rate the lack of precipitation in our area will affect our growing season this year.
Happy Gardening!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2009
Great post. Definitely a changing planet. I hope you get more snow this winter and wish you a wonderful 2010.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I hope we get more snow as well. Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010.
ReplyDeleteIt's been quite the reverse over on this side of the Atlantic. We've had incredible amounts of snow, and a warning of more tonight. For some people, this is on top of terrible floods last autumn.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that isn't good news Sheila. I heard you were getting a lot of snow over there but hadn't heard about the floods. The weather sure is a bit on the strange side lately.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the snow but I'm already tired of the cold part of Winter.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to being tired of the cold :)
ReplyDeleteThe snow has more or less disappeared here in Lincs but it was great to play in it over Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi John and thanks for visiting. Snow is always a lovely extra over the holidays, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteIn Montreal, we got a lot of snow in November/December, but it's been dryer this month.
ReplyDeleteWe hope the Great Lakes area gets more snow too, since we're downstream. We depend on GL water to some degree as well. Scary how fast things are changing.
Late snowfall because of global warming?
ReplyDeleteHi Mike and thanks for visiting. It really is scary to think of how the weather patterns are changing. We have had very little snow here this year to the point of only shoveling the walkway once so far! Yet others are experiencing very violent weather.
ReplyDeleteHi Clement and thanks for visiting. I'm not sure what is causing the changing weather patterns. I suspect global warming myself although some scientists are saying global warming is a myth. There is no doubt though that the weather patterns are changing.
ReplyDeleteI see that you are based in Ontario. When I think of Canada, I am usually put off by the mere thought of the extremely cold winters. Maybe now, I should start applying for jobs that side. Lol!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Clement :) Ontario is a large province with the southern regions not being near as cold as the northern regions. I think we usually end up with a week or so of very cold weather each year where we live. This results in cold weather and wind chill advisories. The northern regions are definitely colder. Southern British Columbia has a rather nice although rainier climate. Alberta gets the effects of Chinooks so can be bitterly cold one day and warm enough to be in short sleeves the next. Weather aside, Canada is an extremely beautiful country. The background for this blog is a picture of my husband's aunt's farm.
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