THE ARBOR DOCTOR

The term “chemical free”  is a pet peeve of mine.  Technically, it is impossible.  Everything is made of chemicals, including air, water, soil, plants, you and me.  Plants are chemical factories.  You CANNOT go chemical free!!!   This was first pointed out to me by a chemist!  Now, the proper, targeted, and limited use of herbicides and pesticides is another story!  The term “chemical free” is becoming popular.  If someone uses it, challenge them and see if they can defend it!

Widespread heavy rain again affected the area Friday.  February rainfall at my Cheviot 0.9SSE location now stands at 4.91 inches, or about 2 inches above normal.  Read more rainfall totals here and here>>>

Even before this latest rain, Cincinnati was moved out of any drought category in the US Drought Monitor here>>>

STRONG LOW PRESSURE AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY ON MONDAY. HEAVY RAIN AND A STRONG WIND ENVIRONMENT WILL ACCOMPANY THIS WEATHER SYSTEM.  Read more>>>

Also read more here>>>

I was glad to hear Gary Sullivan on Brian Thomas’s show this morning talk on how trees get the blame for clogged and broken sewer pipes when it is generally clay soil shrink/swell. I can’t tell you how many people have been told by “experts” to cut down a beautiful tree because it was supposed to be ruining their foundation or sewer line. I have investigated this and have never found research based grounds for this, but it is repeated all the time.

The National Weather Service winter forecast called for normal to mild temperatures with flooding rains in the Ohio valley.  After a week in late November that mirrored this exactly, the Ohio valley settled into a cold pattern with lots of relatively small snow systems which, when all was melted down, added up to a snowy but dry winter.  Now, as we near the end of meteorological winter, the predicted pattern appears to be coming into play.

Monday’s rainfall was heavy and widespread, and it appears that it may only be the beginning.  1.98 inches of rain Monday propelled the February total to 3.15 inches, about a quarter inch above normal and only the third above normal month since October, 2009.  There’s more where that came from.

It appears a large storm will drive up the Ohio valley Thursday dumping heavy rains in the Ohio river valley,  heavy snows in the lower great lakes, and widespread severe weather in the deep south.  Rainfall in this system could be similar to Monday’s storm in Cincinnati and even heavier in Kentucky.  Severe storms may extend up into western Kentucky.  Chicago has a chance at being dumped on again depending on the eventual track of the storm.

If this storm develops as expected, we could end February 2 or 3 inches above normal in rainfall (but below normal in snowfall!) with another wet storm system possible early next week.  Monday’s rain drove area creeks to bank full and the Ohio river to 40 feet.  Forecast rainfall may lead to river flooding if it materializes.

Widespread heavy rains swamped the area on Monday, putting a serious dent in the dry winter.  Here are some area rainfall totals:

COCORAHS PRECIPITATION SUMMARY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH

902 AM EST TUE FEB 22 2011 

COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS

THESE REPORTS ARE CONSIDERED SUPPLEMENTAL AND UNOFFICIAL.

VALUES ARE FOR THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS ENDING AROUND

7 AM LOCAL STANDARD TIME / 8 AM LOCAL DAYLIGHT TIME. 

.:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN SOUTHEAST INDIANA

:                                                       PCPN /  SFALL/  SDEPTH / SH20EQUIV

INDR3   : AURORA 3.9 W             *   : 1.51 /  MM /   MM /   MM

INDR7   : MOORES HILL 5.7 SSE      *   : 1.33 /  MM /   MM /   MM

INRP4   : OSGOOD 4.1 NE            *   : 2.41 / 0.0 /  0.0 /   MM

INRP6   : BATESVILLE 0.4 SSW       *   : 2.31 /  MM /   MM /   MM

INWN2   : RICHMOND 0.9 SE          *   : 1.10 /  MM /   MM /   MM:

:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY

:                                                   PCPN /  SFALL/  SDEPTH / SH20EQUIV

KYBN9   : UNION 3.0 W              *   : 1.25 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00

KYGL1   : GLENCOE 3.8 NNE          *   : 0.67 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00

KYKN1   : PARK HILLS 0.6 NE        *   : 1.83 /  MM /   MM /   MM

KYKN6   : MORNING VIEW 2.9 SW      *   : 0.82 /  MM /   MM /   MM

KYMS2   : MAYSVILLE 6.8 SSE        *   : 0.37 /  MM /   MM /   MM:

:COCORAHS PRECIPITATION REPORTS IN SOUTHWEST OHIO

:                                        PCPN /  SFALL/  SDEPTH / SH20EQUIV:

OHBT1   : HAMILTON 4.7 E           *   : 2.02 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00

OHCK1   : SPRINGFIELD 1.1 NNW      *   : 1.18 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00

OHCM2   : GOSHEN 1.2 SW            *   : 1.98 /  MM /   MM /   MM

OHCN1   : PORT WILLIAM 6.1 W       *   : 1.67 /  MM /   MM /   MM

OHDR1   : BRADFORD 2.3 NW          *   : 0.60 / 0.3 /  0.5 /   MM

OHFR8   : NEW ALBANY 2.8 SSE       *   : 0.74 / 0.3 /  0.5 /   MM

OHFR10  : WESTERVILLE 0.2 WNW      *   : 0.82 / 1.0 /  1.0 /   MM

OHFR21  : MARBLE CLIFF 1.1 WNW     *   : 0.98 / 0.8 /   MM /   MM

OHFR23  : HARRISBURG 3.7 WNW       *   : 0.99 /  MM /    T /   MM

OHHM3   : WYOMING 1.2 NW           *   : 2.49 /   T /  0.0 /   MM

OHHM5   : CHEVIOT 0.9 SSE          *   : 1.98 /   T /    T /   MM

OHHM13  : CINCINNATI 8.9 NW        *   : 2.37 /  MM /   MM /   MM

OHHM14  : SHARONVILLE 1.4 SE       *   : 1.91 /  MM /   MM /   MM

OHMY5   : FARMERSVILLE 1.7 E       *   : 1.39 /   T /  0.0 /   MM

OHPB1   : EATON 1.0 N              *   : 1.55 / 0.0 /  0.0 / 0.00

OHSC4   : ROSEMOUNT 0.3 W          *   : 0.80 /  MM /   MM /   MM

OHSH4   : ANNA 3.1 NNW             *   : 0.77 / 2.1 /  2.1 / 0.77

February 8, 2011

Q: Where does all the salt go? When we get a big rain in the next few weeks and the salt on the roads is washed away into the streams and such, does it ever have an actual effect on the salinity of the creeks, ponds, and streams? Does an extra slick winter give any extra impact on the salt content of the water runoffs? Does this have any positive or negative effect on the growing times of plants in the spring?

A: The secret to pollution is dillution.  Salts cause dehydration in plants and animals.  It is not uncommon to see trees and grass in heavily slated areas brown, a process called dessication.  Commonly you will see the eastern red cedars along highways brown due to the airborne salts thrown up by cars.  Water dilutes salt, so the more water content in the snow, and the more rain following snow, the more dillution occurs and the less of an issue the salt is.  Cincinnati has been below normal in rainfall in all but two months since November 2009, so the dillution hasn’t been working out to well.  In addition, there are concerns about broader environmental impacts.  One article about this is detailed here>>>

Read this new and informative research document here>>>