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October 2020 Weather Observations for the PNW


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1 minute ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Western white pine (Pinus monticola) is native to some areas of the Salish Sea lowlands, where it prefers areas with glacial hardpan soils.

Though on closer inspection, it looks more like a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) or a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora), neither of which are native, but both of which are commonly planted here. A picture from closer up would help.

It's called clown range for a reason.

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28 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

 

Western white pine (Pinus monticola) is native to some areas of the Salish Sea lowlands, where it prefers areas with glacial hardpan soils.

Whitebark pine and limber pine are also in the white pine family.

I’m like 80% sure it’s a white pine? The split trunk is pretty common with whitebark pine IIRC. 

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7 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Neither are commonly planted as ornamentals or native to this region.

Whitebark Pine is native to the NW. So is the western white pine.

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6 minutes ago, Eujunga said:

Weighing in on the pine question:

Grab a branch and examine the needles. They have to be in groups of 5 for it to be any type of white pine, including limber or whitebark. I doubt it's either of those, as they prefer alpine conditions at much higher elevation.

Needles in groups of 2, could be ponderosa or lodgepole or knobcone. The scraggly appearance makes me lean toward knobcone.

White pines can grow well outside their “native” range, though. They don’t procreate efficiently there, but they’ll grow.

My house is surrounded by thick stands of white pine, and this place is essentially tropical for 30% of the year. They’ve grown like weeds despite being native to the higher terrain originally. They were planted as saplings in 1984. Now they’re 60-80 feet tall. They have a distinct growing pattern vs any other conifers that grow here.

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2 minutes ago, Eujunga said:

Needles in groups of 2, could be ponderosa or lodgepole or knobcone. The scraggly appearance makes me lean toward knobcone.

Needles too short for ponderosa.

Doesn’t look right for lodgepole or shore pine (both native, both subspecies of the same species). Besides, these two are rather specialized and fussy about where they grow here and thus not common.

Knobcone is not commonly used as an ornamental or native to this area.

I’m going with Scots pine. It’s very commonly planted, and often has a sparse appearance like the one pictured.

It's called clown range for a reason.

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2 minutes ago, Phil said:

White pines can grow well outside their “native” range, though. They don’t procreate efficiently there, but they’ll grow.

Whitebark and limber pines, the two white pine species Eujunga was talking about, are not commonly grown as ornamentals. They do not fare well in a lowland climate. Whitebark in particular is adapted to the highest elevations; typically when climbing above timberline in the Cascades, the last trees one will see will be whitebark pines.

Eastern white pine, which is almost certainly the one planted at your place, yes, that is a common ornamental, even here in the west, and it does fine in the lowlands.

It's called clown range for a reason.

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44/30 here today with white Spruce trees this morning.

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Cold Season 2023/24:

Total snowfall: 26"

Highest daily snowfall: 5"

Deepest snow depth: 12"

Coldest daily high: -20ºF

Coldest daily low: -42ºF

Number of subzero days: 5

Personal Weather Station on Wunderground: 

https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KMTBOZEM152#history

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5 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Needles too short for ponderosa.

Doesn’t look right for lodgepole or shore pine (both native, both subspecies of the same species). Besides, these two are rather specialized and fussy about where they grow here and thus not common.

Knobcone is not commonly used as an ornamental or native to this area.

I’m going with Scots pine. It’s very commonly planted, and often has a sparse appearance like the one pictured.

Isn’t Scots Pine a Eurasian tree?

Beyond that, its certainly possible.

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5 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Whitebark and limber pines, the two white pine species Eujunga was talking about, are not commonly grown as ornamentals. They do not fare well in a lowland climate. Whitebark in particular is adapted to the highest elevations; typically when climbing above timberline in the Cascades, the last trees one will see will be whitebark pines.

Eastern white pine, which is almost certainly the one planted at your place, yes, that is a common ornamental, even here in the west, and it does fine in the lowlands.

We have eastern and western white pine growing here.

Planet ornamentally, obviously.

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Just now, Phil said:

We have eastern and western white growing here. 

That’s unusual. Western white pine is not commonly planted in the east, to my knowledge. It’s larger, darker, and has denser foliage and larger cones than its eastern cousin, though still obviously a white pine and very closely-related to it.

It's called clown range for a reason.

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So I will say whatever it is was probably planted soon after the house was built in the early 70s, so it could be non native. I have a few random trees that are bit out of place including what I believe to be some kind of Spruce that has huge pine cones. 
 

I planted an Alaska Cedar soon after I moved in and it is doing quite well. 

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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Just now, SouthHillFrosty said:

A lot of wind lately

Wind1.jpg

Wind.jpg

The fire station just up the road gusted to 45 the other day. They also had a 40+ gust on Sunday. They are a little more exposed than my location though. 

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Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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1 minute ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

The fire station just up the road gusted to 45 the other day. They also had a 40+ gust on Sunday. They are a little more exposed than my location though. 

You guys are also getting a little bit of wind also then!

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1 minute ago, iFred said:

I love wind storms that show up only a day or two out. I’ll be on the Edmonds ferry going to Sequim when that blows on through. Should be fun.

Don't blow away. We like the new forum updates. Also, have you ever thought of creating an app eventually? Ik that would be a lot of work

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Here are some close ups I just took of the needles. I can’t reach any of the branches so this is as good as I can do right now. 

2F8F2A15-DA6B-478F-B0FF-29366A801AF2.jpeg

6F0D184D-0350-42CB-A9BA-8BDAC9E25267.jpeg

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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This is a picture of one of the volunteers below that tree... it doesn’t even look like the same type of tree though, unless maybe just because it is an immature version? 

162A23CB-AD8B-4F11-BD51-4475BF2EFD3F.jpeg

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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November 2006 redux

December 2008 redux

January 2020 redux

February 2019 redux 

March 2019 redux

 Coming soon to a 2020/21 season near you!! 

3BC1371E-FEEF-4BCB-91BD-83B8307BB644.jpeg

B0143642-1A8D-411F-ADA5-B7F3CFF95A07.jpeg

B7B0F97E-1D14-4071-85A3-64E38C15B093.jpeg

EDADA7EC-075B-4794-AAF6-FE2DE57E08A3.jpeg

079BBF17-7417-4F5B-B895-BE70893ED790.jpeg

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  • Excited 1
  • Sun 1
  • Snow 1

Elevation 580’ Location a few miles east of I-5 on the Snohomish Co side of the Snohomish/Skagit border. I love snow/cold AND sun/warmth! 

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Just now, jakeinthevalley said:

My conifers are all dead due to the drought and heat from the last couple years.....

I was worried about that, but only a couple of them died, and only one large tree. I think we are high enough the heat and drought were not a huge issue. Down in the Eugene area it is awful. 

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Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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Looking at pictures of lodgepole cones, I think Jesse is right. Also it puts off an incredible amount of pollen in late spring.  Not sure how many conifers do that? 

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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11 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Looking at pictures of lodgepole cones, I think Jesse is right. Also it puts off an incredible amount of pollen in late spring.  Not sure how many conifers do that? 

If they are putting off lots of pollen, I'm guessing they can't be white pines, Phil says those have trouble bumpin uglies.....

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20 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Looking at pictures of lodgepole cones, I think Jesse is right. Also it puts off an incredible amount of pollen in late spring.  Not sure how many conifers do that? 

Not sure if it is a lodgepole pine or not but I have some kind of pine tree right out side here and this spring it produced big clouds of pollen for about 1-2 weeks. It was pretty bad because I'm allergic to it. Its needles are medium length and relatively thick (not short like jack pine nor long like ponderosa).

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