Chilly Florida

Bright sunshine and blue skies reflect off of part of the Big Pond.

The cooler weather gave us the opportunity to continue the fencing

project around the Big Pond.   

This is the most difficult part of the project because an enormous amount of sand

must be excavated and moved so that no sand touches the new fence.  Anywhere

the sand encounters the fence, termites tunnel up and begin eating the fence.

It is impossible to eradicate the termites, so we use pressure treated support

poles which are toxic to termites, and raise the fence up at least 

6-inches (15 cm) above the sandy soil 

A very cold air mass surging southward across Florida will only allow

for temperatures to rise into the 50°s F (13° C) this afternoon.  The apparent 

temperature will feel cooler due to the effect of breezy north wind and

occasional cloud cover.

The cool, dry air has prompted a Red Flag warning until nightfall due

to very low relative humidities and gusty winds.  This means that wild fires are

a high probability.

Part of the Big Pond as never before revealed.   The pond was constructed 17 years

ago after the fence had been erected.  It was open to the surrounding woods only

temporarily as we quickly erected the new fence.

In the suburbs north of Orlando last night the temperature fell to 32° F (0° C) 

just before sunrise.  Tonight's low temperatures should be similar.

In the city temperatures stayed just above freezing.

Above:  On a warmer day it would have been difficult to remove the

hundreds of pounds of sand (227 kg) that we excavated along the path of the fence.

Due to the thick woods on one side -- and pond on the other -- the sand must

be carried out by hand in buckets.

The remaining fence will have to be raised higher still. . . the slope gets steeper

as we move up the berm above the distant lake.

As has been the case all winter, this biting cold air won't last long.  High pressure will slide

into the southeastern part of the USA early next week, sending a west-southwest

flow of air across Florida. . . and returning temperatures to the 80°s (28° C), only

72 hours from now.

A section of the Big Pond.  The house is in the distance, hidden by

a jungle canopy of bamboo and palms.

Above:  Before. . .  Below:  After

The old sections of fence are being moved and erected on another

part of the property, in dense woods to the east.  There too

we are erecting the old fence at least 6-inches above the

ground to prevent more damage by omnipresent termites.

This part of the project will soon be completed.  We have to fence around

a telephone pole feeding power to the house.  After that is complete we

will stop fencing until next winter. . . as temperatures will likely soon

be prohibitively high for doing this type of work.

TROPICAL CYCLONE GIOVANNA

Meanwhile, half a world away. . . a large and powerful tropical storm

is bearing down on Madagascar.  There is little chance that they might escape the 

devastation that this Category 3 storm will likely bring to the island.

The storm is currently north of the islands of Port Louis and Reunion, and is

barreling southwest, toward the eastern Madagascar coast.

Tropical Cyclone Giovanna appears to be undergoing an eye wall replacement

cycle which has resulted in temporary weakening of the storm.  Favorable 

conditions for strengthening exist all the way to the coast of Madagascar which

would suggest that strengthening may occur.

Once the storm reaches the island late Monday or early Tuesday, sustained

winds up to 130 mph (112 knots; 209 km/h), torrential rains, and mudslides are likely.  

It is possible the storm could survive its crossing of Madagascar and impact the coast of

Mozambique by mid-week.