Yes I am hunkered down and ready! Boy I had off from school this week and what with the cold weather I was disappointed and now this! Thanks for the cool weather map!!!

It seems I actually lucked out with the weather this weekend. It was rainy (2.3 inches of rain, and 35 degrees now) and dreary and miserable all day yesterday but most of the country got far worse. Texas had storms and tornadoes, it apparently changed to snow and ice by the time it hit Kansas, and now New England is going to get nailed. I guess the big problem will be that it's going to hit at an extremely high tide.

There was still a chance of snow mixing with our rain last night but there was no evidence this morning. I hope it's not to bad for you northeasterners.

Karen

Wind gusts are supposed to hit 60 here - I think most of my stuff is as secure as it can get, but I'm going out to put a couple of things in the garage, and tuck one table of wintersown containers against the wall of the house to hope for some protection.

Up to 5" of rain predicted here, and it's raining lightly now - yee haw! My hope is that, where we had a nice April last year and May monsoons, maybe we're getting it out of the way earlier this year.

Wish it didn't have to be our school vacation week, though - I would have had time to do a lot more garden work if the weather was going to cooperate. I did go out and work on the new bed I'm creating yesterday, though, so the layer of dirt that went on top of the cardboard will get a good soaking. It's in a flat enough spot that it shouldn't wash away.

We had a light dusting of very wet snow overnight but it all melted within the last hour. They started out forcasting 2-3 inches of snow tonight and into tomorrow and now they are saying 3-5 inches of snow/rain mix. I just don't want to see anymore snow wind or rain...Bring on some sunshine and warm weather!

I hate to mention it here as I know that it is close to blaspheymy but I am so glad that I decided to start most of my tender perennials and annuals inside this year. Normally I even winter sow those but I didn't do it this year. I think if I had I would be buying a lot of stuff at the local garden centers to get a head start on flowers this year as my containers that are outside still have 0 germination. It will be at least a week or more before we see 50 degree days here.

Penny

Woke up to torrential rain this morning, flooded street, flooded yard, high winds, thunder and lightning. The rain has tapered off, but still thundering so it may get bad again. Our yard drains pretty fast but the street will stay flooded for two days. I'm glad to see the rain. We needed it badly. Now if it just doesn't flatten all of the ws babies I set out yesterday.

Seems like today and tomorrow will be the "test" for the new trellis's we put up a few weeks ago for the square foot veggie beds. I just really hope we don't loose power. Stay safe everyone.
Alberta

Yep! And you are sending it right in my direction Donn! Being teased today with beautiful sunshine and +9C. I expect a bit more germination out there, but with the winds predicted for Monday through Wednesday, my priority will be to make sure all is secured.

Here is a link that might be useful: Environment Canada's version.

Ho, hum de hum...grey, rainy, cold...so what else is new?...what to do, what to do...got seeds? yup. containers? yup...:)

Pamelia in SC - sounds awful!
That is what I was expecting here, but so far, just a lot of rain, according to one map we have 4 inches so far.
I have been worried about the winds, cuz then I may lose power - which is tv, computer and phone, and i'll have noone to talk to except my cat, and she sleeps all day!

All morning there has been no wind, I don't know, maybe it is still coming.

I am glad now that I started my WS late, because there are no sprouts yet, which makes it easy to cover all the containers with plastic in order to avoid being soaked. Once the little seedling are popping their heads up over the top of the container, it becomes more complicated to protect them from too much rain.

yep i've got more seeds, containers and dirt. I'm saving that for a few hours, because by the end of this day I am going to have cabin fever big time. I'll keep this task to look forward to.
I still have cypress vine, salvia, Cal.poppy, 4 oclock, and vinca, not all of which I was planning to sow, but what the heck, it's better than chewing on my knuckles while I watch the rain.

My thoughts are with you in the South some parts of which got hit so bad, and in the Northeast where you all are expecting snow. ugh

repeat after me: "Spring will come. Spring will come"
Let us all sit in a big circle and chant: "Spring will come"

ellen

Ellen are you on the coast in Jersey or further inland? I'm sandwiched between the Atlantic and the Chesapeake and we have had gusty blustery wind since well before daybreak.
By Donn's map it looks like we will be through the worst of it soon. Thanks for the map Don

Well, our rain ended around 11:00 and the sun came out, but we're still having wind with gusts to 45 mph. I just saw one of our hummingbirds for the first time this year, fighting the wind to get to the feeder.

Hubby was freaking because the noisette rose bush that's growing up (and taking over - need to prune after it blooms) one side of the deck was covered with strange long red and black striped bugs, little round red striped bugs, and a few lady bugs. I finally found them on the web - we have lady bug babies! The long ones are the larvae and the little round ones are the pupae. Some are attaching themselves to the fabric of the gazebo - I guess to molt. I'm glad to see them because the aphids are already horrendous.

"..what to do, what to do...got seeds? yup. containers? yup...:)"

Yep! I just finished sowing 64 cells with 29 different kinds of Capsicum. I must be nuts to think it'll ever be warm enough to grow them. I may just start them inside (Shhh! Don't tell Trudi!)

Beth, I'm inland -the center of the state - no flooding danger.

It sounds like you are in a potentially unpleasant place on this day.
So far, still, no wind, more rain than I've ever seen.

Someone saw the sun! Lord, what is that?!

Good luck Beth, hope you have no problem.

ellen

Donn just heard on our local weather that NYC already has over 5" of rain, not sure where on LI you are but you must be getting about the same.

Nope. Just over an inch so far. I'm 50 miles east of the city, and I watched the worst radar go by either side of us most of the day.

Its cold... its raining... and its windy. bleh....

if my ws babies get blown all over the neighborhood, I'll be sooooo mad....

It was really blowing here tonight, now it has moved on. We had a good rain last night (needed it) but I fear the wind and water will catch up together and hit you all up north!

Batten the hatches!

GGG

We've had 1.5" now, compared to 7.5" at Central Park. Top wind gust was 37, and no seawater came over the wall at last night's high tide. It was just 2" short.

Two hours before high tide, this morning, and the water has topped the bulkhead, and is 2' into the back yard.

WooHoo!

I heard there was flooding on Long Island on the radio news as I was driving to work this morning. I thought of you and Trudi, Donn. Sure hope it doesn't get too bad up there - I'm still counting on lots of gorgeous garden photos later in the season.

Y'all be safe up there. The winds were terrible here yesterday. Knocked are plastic patio table over and broke it into pieces. No biggie since were in search for nicer furniture & planned to get rid of it anyways. I'm just glad the wind pushed it left and not right into my containers.

Donn, has the storm "stalled"?
We have had no more rain the past few hours but the wind is unrelenting. We had about 5" of rain in the last 24 hours. Thank goodness the wind has turned here and is now driving water Out of the Chesapeake rather than continuing to pile it in.
Not a nice storm at all, though in August, I'll appreciate having extra water in the pond.

We were hit with torrential rains most of yesterday. The Baltimore area received about 3" of rain and today we are having the wind gusts up to 40 m.p.h.

Unfortunately, our sump pump decided to quit working yesterday during the height of the storm. Our basement which has wall-to-wall carpeting was soaked, as well as the storage area. We ran out to buy a wet/dry vacuum and preceeded to suck out over 100 gallons of water out of the carpet. We had several fans running throughout the night to help dry out the carpet. More vacuuming today to draw out any remaining water. Hopefully, the carpet isn't totally ruined! Plus, getting a plumber to replace the sump pump on a Sunday.....what a pain!!!!!!

Quite the storm overnight winds gusted close to 60 in nearby towns, at our house the howling winds sounded like a roar blowing through the trees. Lost power earlier this morning but that has been restored. Amateur weather reporters on Cape Cod reported wind gusts over hurricane force in a couple of locations.

Good luck at high tide Donn.

Yucccccccccccccch!
This is what I woke up to:
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Ugh; I'd rather have the snow! My power went out at 1am and came back on at 9:30am. I'm "working" from home today, although I haven't called to tell them my power is back on, lol. We've had about 8" of rain, the fire trucks are evacuating along the Hackensack River (I have the scanner on; DH is a FF, although at work). I couldn't get to work if I wanted to; all the roads over the Hackensack River are closed/under water. Traffic on River Road is a nightmare. DD's school closed; she's bored to death! At least I moved my containers into the gazebo yesterday...

Yep, it's pretty disgusting here in Philly. There's snow gathering only on the part of the garden where my sweet peas were starting to come up.

I was somehow inspired to poetry, so here's my hopeful "nor'easter" haiku:

Wind, rain, snow, ice--gross
April is the cru'lest month
Winter sown sprouts live!

I think you all should move to the Inland NW LOL! That is if you don't mind it dry/hot in the summer. I imagine dry would sound pretty good to some of you right now...hot even too! Oh yes, you'd have to put up with a dust storm or two clocking about 70mph winds....eeeeeck!

Wishing you better weather.....quickly!!

Vera

This morning's high tide:

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There are 5 'Black Knight' Buddleia in that little bed behind the boat planter:

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From the bottom of my driveway, looking south toward the bay:

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People who live down the street have to park their cars up at my end when this happens. It looks like I'm throwing a party.

Wild and woolly night here - we lost power for good for a few hours, but NStar guys have us up and running again. I want to bet that we had wind gusts well ABOVE the 60 mph they were predicting. Three or more trees are down in the neighborhood; one is resting on my next door neighbors' roof.

From a quick look out the back door, my WS containers appear to be all on their shelves. I'm going out to check drainage in awhile, as we are due for another round of this tomorrow.

Voices in my head are saying, "Patience, grasshopper"...

I was thought you'd get some washover there Donn, sorry to see it happen to you.

T

Winds are continuing again here today. I went home from lunch and found several containers blown away. I have tops with no bottoms or vice versa. I guess the Kolkwitzia will never germinate for me since it blew away. A quick search of the area came up with nothing.

I hope warm, calm Spring weather will be here for all of us soon.

Donn, I hope you don't have any damage.

Karen

Trudles and Karen...The only potential damage is lawngrass (y'all know my feelings about that) and the Buddleia. They were WS'd 2 years ago, and I have plenty waiting in the wings if they succumb to the saltwater. I look on it as another experiment. If they can survive being submerged in brackish water for 30 minutes, they're another candidate for my new business. If not, I'll know not to put them there any more.

Stuff in the boat planter and the one pot with anything live in it (a Curly Willow) should be ok. They were thoroughly saturated with rainwater before the flood, and I can't imagine any salt getting into them.

Wowsers!!!! Glad to read your sense of optimism Donn, and happy to hear that everyone waethered the storm safely.

Just started here. Had winds all day - nothing spectacular - but around 5 pm the rain started and now the wind and rain are having a competition. Coming home you could see the waters of Prospect Bay were going to hit the roads tonight. Oooh... wash out...would I be so lucky for a day off tomorrow???

Our biggest problem is the 60+ ft spruces surrounding the property which were weakened by a hurricane 3 years ago and never really recovered. Three of them will definitely not make it through the night - one has already come down. Thank goodness they aren't aiming for the house.

Donn, should you need them I have three large containers of a mix of rooted cuttings and seeded buddleias...most will be pink. Each container has about two dozen year old shrubs. If you want any of them they are yours.

T

I didn't think we had gotten as much rain as we did. The already swollen creeks are beginning to go over the banks in our area. One creek that I drove past Monday evening was coming close to overflowing onto the road and some of the large willows that flanked the banks had toppled into the creek. It is a pretty big creek that flows into the Erie Canal and on into the Niagara River. I haven't been further down to see how it is near the river.

As someone else mentioned on another forum, my yard would be a good candidate for growing rice about now.

Penny

Thanks, Trudi. I have plenty of them in reserve, including one of your rooted babies, of unknown color, from last spring.

What's your method for doing cuttings from Buddleia? I have some white ones I'd like to duplicate.

I'm pleased to report all 5 of the 'Black Knight' BB's are still alive. A couple have just now started to send up new growth, and the other 3 look normal.

I think the rain following the flooding may have washed the salt away quickly enough for them to pull through.