Weather swings!!!

I was looking at the weather records for Sept. last week. It struck me as odd that the record high and low for Sept. where both in 1984.

I remember it being cold in 1984. The corn was planted late and much of it was still green at the end of Sept. So when it hit 29 degrees on the 29th it froze a lot of the corn. It locked it in at the moisture it was then. Which was in the high 20s-low 30s for moisture. The corn just would not dry down in the field and it was a bear in bins. Low test weights and poor storing made it a rough year.

I did not remember that Sept. 1st was the hottest day of that summer at 97 degrees. The spring of 1984 was cool and wet. I did not really remember any real hot days.

It just stuck me as odd for the two records to be in the same year.

I am wondering if we may set some records this year?? It is Cool and raining here. Saturday morning it is supposed to be 40 degrees. That is not far from frost in the low spots.

What are you fellows up in northern MN looking at for low temperatures????

Also next week there are Ember days. 17,19,& 20th.
It usually is cool and wet on those days. Poor days to harvest on usually. Crops don't store as well harvested on Ember days.

We have been getting slow steady rain tonight. This is on top of slow steady rain last night. I has an 1" and 4 this as of this morning. Are we looking at a wet fall harvest??? We wanted to start chopping later this week but it is way too soft in the fields to even think about it.

the weather in any area is directly controlled by the jet stream. It's path oscillates widely as it moves around the world and across our country. it isn't surprising that since it can push both cold and warm temps thousands of miles, in a year that the jet is being more erratic, you could get extreme temps both ways. The media, hence the public, tends to talk and think in terms of average and normal. That is scientifically silly, since what they should really be telling us it there is a normal 'range' and we could be in that 'range' any day of the year, given the season. I personally find it frustrating that the complexity of weather has been dumbed down so much, it is just basically inaccurate forecasting or even explanations more that 2-3 days out. It would be nice, just once, if a forecaster said "we have no clue what the jet stream is going to do beyond 3 days, so we are just guessing, folks". Here on the east coast, when a hurricane is coming, they actually do talk that way, and show the public the wide possible path. At least you begin to realize what a thousand mile spread really is. Otherwise, our brains think in terms of 'worse than normal' because that makes a good news story.

I think you make a good observation: some years are just tough weather. The really smart folks get that, look for the signs, plan & act accordingly. They prosper while others fail.

We planted late maturing corn this year, so it is packing starch with all the rains right now. The yields should be better than the earlier maturing corn that was packing during the drought.

We will end up doing a lot of drying if winter comes to quick.

I remember 1984 in Il. Combines were not as effective as they are today. Chunks of corn flying out as$ end with very few cobs devoid of grains. As it is with life, I really needed the income that year.
Led

The radio is talking 33 degrees set morn here in Northwest Iowa. The re plants will get nipped

If it makes anyone feel better it"s snowing here in Calgary, Alberta. Snowfall warnings both Monday and today. Sam

JD, explain the Ember Days to me. Have never heard of them.Is that a local thing or something I missed as a kid growing up.

100 miles north of twin cities they are talking low 30"s for morning temps late this week and into the weekend with highs in the low 50"s. Long range is showing mid 60"s early into next week. Started green chopping corn on Sunday to feed to the beef cows as pastures are short. Can pull the one row chopper and a half loaded wagon using mfwd with no issues. Decided against trying the two row on a bigger 2wd tractor. Don"t think that would have worked real good. Raining steady here this morning.

Look them up in the Farmers Almanac. They are tied to certain days each year.

Christian church tradition from the Middle Ages.
Ember

I turned the furnace on in the middle of September last year. There were a few more warm days,but I left the thermostat turned right up.

I have an older friend {80s} that says that brush cut or fencerows cleaned out during ember days wont grow back. I have never tried it though.

You are not the only one, In my 71 years (tomorrow) I have never heard of something like that. Also have nothing to do with the Almanac (hogwash).

They are Christian days of fasting much like lent.
3 days in the week 4 times a year that follow the start of each season.

So I know what days they are but do not understand why they would be in the Farmers Almanac.

Swinging here this morning when I went out to change the head of water, pure white. It will be a while before it all melts, not much temperature today.
Bud

JD, Looked up Ember Days, interesting reading. But I don't know of anybody that observes them. Seems as thou some churches don't follow them anymore either.Always good to learn something new.

Well guys the Ember day deal is that they are also called Amber Days as well. They are one and the same. Ember Days is actually the "correct spelling. They are a religious time of fasting but they are also called a predictor of the weather for the months ahead. Also they are called a "time of deadening" meaning if you cut a tree or grub it will die not regrow.

So If you look them up some Almanacs call them Amber Days instead of the correct term of Ember Days.

Here is a link to short article about them in the "Old Farmers Almanac"
Ember Days in the Ols Farmers Almanac