Weather

[Maplewalnut]

I know forecasts change by the minute but the 15 day for NEPA doesn't have much wether even above freezing. Hopefully their wrong because I very rarely make any syrup in April. Just don't have the cold nights by then. Might be a short season this year.

Anybody else getting concerned?

[MaplePancakeMan]

My 15 day forecast is much the same only a few days over freezing and the majority of the nights in the teens. Which means it would take half of the day to thaw it out. I've made syrup in april but toward the end of march and april it gets too warm. It may be a short season but hopefully atleast 3 heavy runs and that should make up for it.

We shall see. I have a test tap in and its been in for 1.5 months now and when i tapped it we had that rain storm that came up the coast. I got 7 gallons of sap from it and made 20 oz of syrup roughly a little more. Since then i've only had 2 gallons of sap in 35 days. This is on a tree thats wide open and has a large crown.

I'm skeptical at best that this will be a good season.

[Z/MAN]

Mike, Looking at the forecast it has me wondering also if we will ever get sap. It is helping in one way, I am still working on the new evaporator but it should be done in the next few days. I know you have some taps in, did you get anything yesterday? The sun was very warm here but the temps just hit 32. I will probably tap this weekend if I see any good weather next week. Channel 16 calling for 35 degrees but that is in the valley. I'm at 1,900 ft.
Paul

[Maplewalnut]

Paul,

Turned the pump on when it was still 30 degrees at the house and let it run a few hours. Lines thawed enough to melt what had been previously frozen in the lines but nothing new from the trees. Turned pump off a few hours later when everything froze back up. I'm same as you just over 1700 ft, lot different than the valley. Subtract a few more degrees for the woods and we were no where near freezing yesterday. Probably never reached 25 in the forest yesterday but for an hour or two.

[bprzyw]

Hey all, been watching the weather too, getting concerned. Going to tap this week, thursday, and hope for the best. A buddy of mine tapped sunday, in springbrook twp, pa. got 1/2" of sap it was 36 degrees out. Still a bit chilly.

[3rdgen.maple]

15 day looks pretty sad here as well. Funny how the closer it gets to march the worse the forcast looks. Concerned at this point is an understatement. Fingers are crossed and hopefully it changes soon.

[maplemat1]

where do you guys find the 15 day forcast all i can get is ten day from twc website or noa

[sweetwoodmaple]

accuweather has 15 days. I have it posted on my website.

I am tapping this weekend as well. Could be a few days of 35 deg or so next week, but that is nothing with 2 foot of snow on the ground. (Just checked, they are now calling for rain??)

I have only been sugaring for 10 years, but in my experience, tapping in March for me can mean a short season.

Incidentially, I'm adding extra cooling capacity to my vacuum pump so I can just let er run and get as much as I can if the season is short.

[Father & Son]

Is the Accuweather site opening properly? I haven't been able to get into it all day.

Jim

[wnybassman]

They are showing 36 for next Thursday and mid 40's for next Friday. That's a long ways off for accuracy though.

[KenWP]

Weather has me weirded out also. Was really warm today and the forecast called for below freezeing. So I have no idea where its going to go. I figure to wait til lthe first of March and see what happens. I Have a week off school so who knows. I figure it will be green beer day before much happens anyways.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

These guys can hardly predict today, much less 7 to 10 days from now. They have been pretty dead on the last 3 months but I wouldn't worry too much. We are close to March and weather is unpredictable to say the least.

[Jim Brown]

We can get a 50 degree day or two(2) any day now. I would have the taps in and wait on the weather.Being tapped now is not too early nor is it too late.
As Theron would say "Its' Go time"

Jim

[sweetwoodmaple]

Yes, Jim..you are right. For those of us on vacuum...be very careful setting your spiles with the trees frozen so hard. Tap Tap...Tunk...as the video says. (and a light Tunk at that).

Better to go around and give an little bump once the trees thaw that ruin the taphole or use massive CFM per number of taps on the vacuum.