With a frosty night expected, some orchards are taking precautions just in case. At Beak & Skiff Apple Farm in Lafayette, they plan to run a wind machine tonight. They also have a few oil heater pots that they'll run if it gets cold enough, but they're hoping for some cloud cover to keep the frost away.
At Cornell Orchards, they'll be bringing potted tree experiments into greenhouses tonight. Otherwise, they're hoping for the best, hoping it stays cloudy and that the wind blows to keep the frost off. Many other crop owners we spoke with tell us their trees aren't in bloom yet and they don't think the temperatures will get low enough for this to be a big concern for them.
Here's the latest forecast from CNY Central meteorologist Peter Hall:
Skies will clear out late this afternoon into this evening. Clear skies throughout the overnight coupled with essentially no wind will allow temperatures to fall to near or below 32° over a good chunk of our viewing area. This is a very typical scenario for mid-April late nights and early mornings.
However, the unusually warm weather that we have had so far this spring has started the growing season a few weeks ahead of time. These near to sub-freezing temperatures, in addition to the threat for frost to form where the temperature meets the dew point, will give the potential for blossoming flowers, fruits, and or vegetables that are not hearty varieties, to potentially suffer damage.
This is particularly important for our area farmers and local gardeners. Proper precaution should be taken to preserve these crops and flowers.
