As a scientist, I am very familiar with most of the research dealing with global change/warming. But, I must point out that your post indicates how short our memories can be! Yes, it has been very warm this year overall. But, remember January 2004? It was in the top 10 coldest months of all time in Southern NEw England. Didn't Connecticut have one of its biggest snowstorms ever last winter? Didn't southeastern New England/Cape Cod have its snowiest winter ever two years ago (winter 04-05)? The most disturbing data that global change research shows is that Earth's climate system can be very unstable on very short time scales. Moreover, global warming models do not suggest that the earth will gradually and uniformly get warmer with time. That would be way too easy for us to deal with. Remember, a warmer than normal year can be achieved by having unusually cold winters and even more unusually hot summers (i.e. more extreme, but averaging out warmer during the course of the year). So, in short, all available data supports the claim that Earth is warming. But I can gaurantee you that we will all experience more real/old fashioned winters (whatever that means) in the not so distant future.

I DO remember the winter of '03-'04. That was only 3 years ago. Coldest here in 50+ years. Plants hardy to zone 4 were killed. I also remember the 4' (I dug down and measured) of snow we had by March of the following winter. Since then, I will enjoy the warm spells we're having but know that it won't last and very cold/snowy weather could be just around the corner, or next winter.

I remember the winter of '04-'05 here in southeastern MA.

That December I moved from an apartment in NYC to Plymouth, to start construction on an addition to the old family house. During construction I lived in a neighbor's summer cottage (heated) down the street. Dirt road, dead end, apparently last on the plowing priority list for the town. Off the top of my head I remember shovelling 4' to 5' drifts of snow. Unheard of here at the coast.

Sure was pretty though.

Claire

My Hysops are blooming, dandelions and Johny Jump Ups are flowering in my lawn, the garlic and shallots, which I plant in October, and which I never see until March, are eight inches higher than my thick layer of mulch. Buds are swelling, Muscari and Daffodils are sproating and I caught a nice mess of Brook Trout on flies last Sundy at a location which I will never reveal. I love it!! Do not be discouraged. Global warmming is a real possibility but only that. After gardening for abour 7o years, I must repeat what previous respondants have stated: Departures from normal in New England are really quite normal. Enjoy the present and wait for tomorrow. Enjoy that, too.

On the lcoal news yesterday, a weather guy showed a picture of a flowering tree in Boston that had broke bud and was nearly in full bloom. I couldn't tell what type of tree it was because the photo was only briefly displayed. It was either a star magnolia with blossoms that were about half-out, or it was a cherry--perhaps autumn cherry--in full bloom. I would not be surprised is the tree in question was an autumn cherry. But I would be very disturbed if the tree is a magnolia.

Hi All-

I just saw the ten day forecast; nothing for me to look forward to. Maybe it was better when certain types of weather caught us off guard. Such as waking up on a school day morning and listening to the radio to see if we were going to have a snow day. They were the best days. I remember one Easter probably in the mid to late 60's. Having Easter over my beloved and dearly departed Aunt Eleanor's home in Milford, CT it started to snow about 3pm. Didn't look like much but it was coming down steady. Well, around 8pm we decided to head home. When we tried to drive out of her small suburban street we knew we weren't going to make it home. So we turned around and I had a nice night with 6 of my cousins. I also love the cozy and closed in feeling snowfalls create. I drove a bus when my girls where small so it's not like I am trapped. I love to go for a spin in the new fallen snow; so does DH. We used to go make donuts in the church parking lot when we first dated! I have a friend who went up to Stratton last Friday and Saturday. The only snow was on the mountains and mostly manmade. Then it rained on Saturday. I feel for the skiers and the merchants who make their money during winter. So let's do a snow dance for Old Man Winter and hopefully he will blow some cold air and snow our way! One good blizzard; that's all I want! Is that asking for too much!! Quoting just about everyone I have talked to, "It feels more like spring than winter."

Happy New Year,
suebot in CT

OTOH, I hate driving in the snow and have loved the lack of cold and snowfall. Not sure my garden does, but I do :o) We had some very snowy cold winters in the last few years, so I know the "typical" weather will come eventually for those who enjoy it LOL

Let's hope that if the cold comes, snow comes with it. (I can't believe I said that. I hate snow!!!) But no snow cover and very cold temps will do in a lot of plants.

At lunch today here in Nashua NH, there were a few flurries. It was nice to see even though I still hate snow.

I'm with you on the Snow!!

For the last few years (flashbacks of 03'-'04) I have always left some leaves in the garden until spring... just in case there is no snow. That bad winter, left me with an excuse to put off some chores until spring!

Here in Mystic, CT, my pansies are in full bloom and have been for almost a month now. I normally don't even try to winter them. But, I blew out a knee last growing season & my fall clean-up was not as thorough as normal so the pansies didn't get yanked. They look so cheery right now but yet...they also look VERY out of place!

The worst (?) though...I've got 6 flowers open on my PJM. It's in its 3rd year from a 1 ga container & planted in a southwest, full-sun location....4' from the foundation. I'm afraid I'll lose the rest of the buds when the weather eventually returns to seasonal.

I also have daffs out of the ground. Also, my 'Joan Senior' daylilies (semi-evergreen) are out of the ground a good foot.

The weed are growing like crazy unchecked. Our grass needs to be mowed. It's on my husband's "To-Do" list for this weekend. He's NEVER mowed the grass on New Year's weekend! But, it really needs it...about 4-6" long & looking very ratty.

My moss garden is loving this weather. It's expanded much more than what I've come to expect over the fall cool-off period when it does most of its growing.

Oh, my shasta daisies are also showing new growth...I cut them down to about 6" in late October or early November. Many of my perennials were not cut down at all this fall. Not because of my knee; but, because they just never yellowed like normal & I was afraid to cut them while still actively growing fearing the weather would snap cold and they wouldn't be dormant & I'd lose them. I'm even more concerned about them now. We're hardly even freezing at night...many night are over 40 degrees.

Somehow, I'm expecting a very cold late January through February? Just a feeling...we'll see.

Tricia

I for one am not going to participate in the snow dance. Christmas is over, I don't ski, so I see no need for the stuff. The longer the snow and cold hold off, the shorter winter will feel and the sooner I can get back to gardening.

I'm with you, veilchen!

My forsythia isn't blooming, but it's close enough that cut branches would burst into bloom if brought indoors. What has recently started blooming here is Dawn Viburnum, which is a late-winter bloomer, hellebores (tho not the later x hybridus or argutifolius), winter jasmine (jasminium nudiflorum), and the heaths. Still in bloom are an indomitable fairy rose, snapdragons, and a low-growing campanula - I really wish I knew the variety of that one.

While I agree with rockman that this winter is a result of an unusually strong el nino season, I don't think we can rule out climate change as a factor in the high number of el nino years we've had recently. I'll have to look back at the wind data from our eastern Pacific buoy, and see if this one could have been anticipated ...

Meanwhile, although I'm enjoying this weather completely, I hope there will be tons of snow in Vermont and New Hampshire soon - for you skiers.

Here is a link showing how the average winter temperature in Massachusetts has changed from 1895 to present. The overall trend is for +0.20 degrees of warming every decade, on average.

Here is a link that might be useful: NCDC-National Climatic Data Center