Getting cold. -36 F this morning. At this temperature plants start
to die. There are 48 inches of snow on the ground so plants low to
the ground are OK. Snow is a good insulator. Snow doesn't melt here
during the winter. It is getting a little warmer than it was only
five years ago. Every winter there would be two week long cold snaps
of -20 F highs and -40 F lows. If the warmer temperature continues
the native forests will weaken and the trees will die. Warmer
weather trees will gradually move here. I attended a Minnesota DNR
conference in Duluth where it was explained how trees in Northern
Minnesota are becoming more diseased due to the slightly warmer
weather. This is also happening in Alaska.
[NAFEX] plant protection,
Ernest Plutko, 01/21/2011