February 3, 2017
By Jim Skorulski, agronomist, Northeast Region
Open ponds, frost-free soils and healthy turf in central New York in January brings guarded optimism, but nobody knows what the remainder of winter will bring.
January has been dominated by above-normal temperatures and periodic rain events. The extended period of mild temperatures and rain has eliminated ground frost and snow cover over a large part of the Northeast Region. Concerns about ice cover have been replaced by fears of desiccation. The mild and rainy weather, though beneficial in many ways, has also disrupted tree removal programs and other winter projects in southern parts of the region.
The recent return of colder temperatures reminds us not to become complacent. The remaining weeks of winter can still bring brutal weather conditions such as heavy snow, freeze and thaw events, and flash freezes that can be devastating to turf. The good news is that turf appears to be in relatively good condition and is mostly ice-free across large parts of the Northeast Region. Hopefully, this will help turf survive whatever the remaining weeks of winter have in store.
