Minimum amount for temps above freezing to tap ?

[TerryEspo]

Looking at my most favorite weather forecaster, he is saying that my area will see temps starting this Saturday well above average. Its not great temps but great for us up north.

He is predicting a straight week of 32F-36F ( 0C - +2C) in day and 26F (-4C) or so nights.

Is the daytime high enough for me to tap ?

Temps will drop after that incredible week back to freezing days and nights.

If the those days went to the high 30,s and low 40,s, I would not ask this question but to me it is really border line to tapor not.

Thanks.

Terry

[silveradomaple]

It will depend more on sunshine than just temps. The sun will warm the trees up, so 36 degrees F sounds perfect

[ennismaple]

Terry - I'd wait until the weekend to make a decision. With temps just above freezing you may not get great flow, especially since the trees are frozen solid right now. All it would take is the next weather system from the Gulf to track a bit further south and you've got daily temps below freezing and there's no sap to gather but your taps are in and you may lose flow at the start of April.

We're gonna start tapping this coming weekend but it takes us a lot longer to get ready and we're a long ways south of the Soo!

[Mark]

If I had only that many taps I would wait until a change in the weather, or they will just stop sooner. Do you have a south facing slope? I have a north facing bush and lots of snow, it takes a bit of warm weather to get going here. Ten miles away it can be totally different. And I can always shop around and find a forecast that is in my favor.

I am 250 miles west of you.