This Winters Weather

I've been asked to predict the weather this winter. There are lots of experts out there that have differing opinions.

The Farmers Almanac website says: A slightly cooler than normal winter with around average precipitation is currently favored. Low confidence. Snowfall is projected to be below normal.

Here's what the Weather Channel website has to say: The forecasters note that recent scientific research, pioneered by Dr. Judah Cohen of the Atmospheric and Earth Research division of Verisk Analytics, shows a strong connection between October snow cover in Siberia and breakdowns in the stratospheric polar vortex during the mid-winter months. The authors believe the early snow cover may cause a tighter temperature gradient over Asia, strengthening the jet stream. Eventually that momentum may work its way up into the , which in turn would knock weather patterns off balance around the Northern Hemisphere several months later.

Try to make sense out of that!

It's difficult to have an opinion on the weather this winter. We'll prepare for the worst. I'm very confident that we've done our best to put the golf courses to bed in good shape.

Frost

Frost is formed when the temperature of a solid surface is cooled below the dew point.

Frost on objects is just water vapor in the air that has condensed as ice onto a surface. Frost forms on objects close to the ground, such as blades of grass. At night, a blade of grass loses energy by emitting a non-lethal kind of radiation, but it absorbs energy emitted by surrounding objects. Under clear nighttime skies, objects near the ground emit more radiation than they receive from the sky, and so a blade of grass cools due to the net energy loss. Once a grass blade gets cold enough, frost will form on it.

 

Overnight cooling of air near the ground causes morning frost on grass and car windshields. Frost will only form on a surface that is at or below freezing temperature. The observed air temperature may be above 32 F, since observations are taken at about four feet above the ground, where it can be warmer. The difference in frost formation from one to the next is most likely due to differences in elevation.

 

 

 

Thank You!

Another great year now ending. In fact, the shortest day of the year is Saturday, December 21st, the December Solstice. The North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun on this date. After this weekend, the days get longer.

And thank you to all of the staff heroes who often go unmentioned. Who show up each day ... and do their job each day, to the best of their ability. Nothing great is achieved without great people doing the work. We're ... I, am blessed to have a wonderfully diverse and committed team that makes every day a pleasure.

Thank you to the Turf Care Team for 2013 and for an even better 2014.

Snow vs. Rain

Depending on which source you use, the conversion of snow inches to rain inches varies. Many factors can influence the conversion, like the crystal structure and moisture content of the snow. (Some sources say 10" of snow = 1" of rain). The conditions of temperature and humidity in the cloud determine the type of snow crystals that form. At close to 5 degrees F, beautiful, starlike crystals form. These crystals, called "dendrites" because they have many delicate branches, make the fluffiest snow.

An easy way - and mostly accurate - for the homeowner is to assume 1 inch of rain is equal to 1 foot of snow, a 12-1 ratio. Depending on the temperature and moisture profiles of the snow growth region of the atmosphere and the origin area of the storm system, that ratio can go higher, say 20-1, which would be 20 inches, or lower, say 6-1 or so.


12-1 is most forecasters starting point, and if you go to your local NWS page and read the area forecast discussion, they usually tell what ratio they believe a system will have as it moves through your area.

Removing Water

Removing water before it turns to ice seems to be a successful strategy for us. We are not sure if it's the ice or the sudden temperature drop that kills poa, but removing water from playing surfaces is key to preventing winter damage.

Today we are out checking drains and removing as much standing water as possible. The ground is frozen about 4" below the surface so that is preventing some of the water from moving down in to the soil.

#1 green South

#9 South

Storm Damage

During the last storm we lost a total of 13 trees. None were critical to play. Unfortunately, one of those trees was a large Oak to the right of #18 fairway estimated to be more than 130 years old. Although not in play, it was native to the property. The others were Spruce, Willow, Linden and an old apple tree. The cleanup will be completed this week.

Downshift

When the temperatures are below 85 degrees, it's easier to push on the acclerator and drive the turf towards the edge. Double cutting greens and rolling them and irrigating less to keep the greens firm and fast  doesn't cause too much harm if we pay attention.

But when the temperatures are North of 90 degrees, as in 97 degrees Thursday, it's time to let up on the gas and downshift into a lower gear. That kind of weather is not the time to be a hero and drive over the cliff.

So for the next two days we'll be using good judgment with turf conditions and you might expect to putt greens a little slower than they have been over the past 6 weeks.

June Solstice 7:08 PM EDT

The summer solstice is also named the June solstice, the first day of summer and the day with the most daylight for those of us living north of the equator. At this point in the year, the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer and is at its furthest point from the equator. This date is also known as the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. After today at 7:08 PM EDT, the days slowly start getting shorter.

The June Solstice is explained very well at the following link:

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html