Dave Edwards and It’s Just my Take 3-1-24
It’s been a very warm, record-breaking winter in Northeast Wisconsin. But, has it been too warm? Allow me a thought…
While I barely used my cross-country skis this winter due to the lack of snow, I have enjoyed the incredible warmth of this winter to spend more time outdoors in less than 3 or 4 layers! I am a bit concerned going forward in the next 3 to 4 weeks, though.
Maybe you remember the insanely warm winter we had about 10-12 years ago when we had little snow, ample warmth(including upper 70’s in March)…and then, bam…a chilly cold front that nailed emerging buds with a killing frost. Apple and cherry trees were badly damaged, reducing the eventual crop to nearly nothing, not to mention the flowers and even young birds that were killed by the cold.
This year’s weather seems eerily similar to that year, when outrageous, be-careful-what-you-wish-for warmth caused a lot of strife to not just the trees, but the businesses that depend on them.
As much as the warm days feel good for most of us, a more gradual trek to and through spring probably makes more sense.
