Rare Mid-May Frost Hits Parts Of Nelson County, Virginia : 5.19.09

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A rare mid-May frost settles on raked grass in this field waiting to be bailed. Greenfield/Afton, Virginia
A rare mid-May frost settles on raked grass in this field waiting to be bailed. Greenfield/Afton, Virginia

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia

With summer barely more than a month away, (June 21st) folks got a taste of Winter Tuesday morning in Nelson County, Virginia. A late spring cold front that moved east of the area in the past 24 hours brought in very cold air overnight Monday into Tuesday. The morning low at our NCL-Nelson County Life WeatherNet Station here in the Rockfish Valley in Greenfield was 32° as of 6:45 AM

The concern this late into May is potential crop damage at area vineyards and orchards. Over at Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery, Tim Gorman was up in the wee morning hours just to be sure. “I turned the wind machines on at 3:45 @ 34.6F. We hit 31.4F at 6:40 this morning. There was ground frost in the vineyard, but I pretty confident we avoided crop loss… though I still have the machines on. Sun up brings the coldest temps, ironically,” Tim tells NCL. He also says all varieties of grapes are vulnerable at this point in the growing season. “Not only out like bud break, the shoots are 12″+ long. When you get a frost this late it looks like someone is hanging seaweed from the trellis by the late afternoon. Think cooked spinach,” Tim continues.

Frost covers this shed's rooftop in Greenfield just north of Nellysford, Virginia
Frost covers this shed's rooftop in Greenfield just north of Nellysford, Virginia

Due to a slightly warmer layer of air above, the mountains did not drop as low overnight as the valley. At our NCL-Wintergreen Nature Foundation WeatherNet station on Devil’s Knob (3500 feet) the overnight low reached 36°.

The weather in the coming days will be a total contrast to the frost. Look for sunny days and warming temperatures for the remainder of the week into the Memorial Day weekend.

3 COMMENTS

  1. That figures. It was 39 degrees outside my window this morning and I am a little lower in altitude than the Wintergreen Nature Foundation.

    Paul P

  2. Thanks for the weather info. I’m a little worried about tonight(Tues. pm, Wed. am), though. Seems like it will be awfully clear again. But I’m a worrier.

  3. Tim, I’m a little more optimistic about tonight, dewpoints shouldn’t get as low, though they will be close as you mentioned. Certainly worth watching.

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