El Nino is back

[imafan26]

It looks like El Nino may be coming back in the secon half of 2017. That on top of the continuing melting of the ice sheets we will probably be in for another warm year. Last year was the second hottest on record. Maybe we will be setting new records again.

In the meantime it may mean that northern gardeners will experience an earlier Spring

I am seeing less rain than usual but the storms that do come are bringing much more rain when it does arrive that our total rainfall is just borderline below or near average. The weather has been a bit crazy with some temperature fluctuations where one day is nice and sunny and the next is cold and wet all day long. Right now the average temperatures (minus the crazy cold days) are just about average, the windy season is about a month late. My citrus trees have started to flower a month earlier so they think it is warmer too. The bees looks like we will be in for another early flow.

I guess we all have to adapt to the changing conditions. I will probably be able to plant some things before my usual dates, but I should probably plan on a hotter summer so I need to pick the most heat resistant things I can find. I may have to consider trying out other ways of mulching and shading to conserve water in the yard. I may even get around to building the keyhole garden I have been planning for a couple of years or not. So far, I have collected a few cans and three bricks toward the project.