12 May 2011

Would you like your mornings frostier?

| johnboy
Join the conversation
26
frosty barbie

Apparently it’s been the coldest May week since 1972. Rosebud has sent in this picture of Jack Frost’s wicked work upon poor Barbie in Ainslie.

For those without good heating the bad news is the bureau is forecasting Friday’s 1-14 is the warmest ahead with Sunday and Monday particularly icy.

Join the conversation

26
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Good grief! I’m currently in Riyadh where it is 41 and we are expecting 43 on Tuesday and Wednesday and it is still only May! I have a trip planned to Canberra in July – August s that should be interesting. Tell me it’s not going to get any colder please! Please!

We are all lucky “Robertson” – there are no laws against humour here.

Rawhide Kid Part311:02 am 29 May 11

Jivrashia said :

Not long before the first snowfall on the Brindies?

That’s when you’ll fee the cold here….

I am now happy that we had that really cold spell. It was a huge shock to our system as it happened when we’d just come back from an unusually warm European spring and 3 days in sweaty Singapore!

But now when the temperature stays on or just above zero, it seems balmy! And I got into the habit of taking a hot water bottle to bed and now received the electric blankets I ordered that week. Bring it on!

(It’s not having a positive effect on my carbon footprint though. But I’ll somewhat make up for it in summer as I don’t have aircon.)

There’s no urban heat island effect out at the airport.

Canberra Airport this May has had more minimum temperatures under zero degrees (19 so far) than any years since 1957 (which had 27).
http://www.warwickhughes.com/blog/?p=1014

Just checked out BoM daily min temp data back to 1939 at the Airport and figured how to work COUNTIF function in Excel. Yair I know – it takes a 7 year old.
This month has had 17 days under 0 degrees – which equals 1976 with 4 days to go. 1961 and 1959 had 18. But 1957 wins by a country mile at 27.
So this May is pretty nippy considering too the numbers are despite the ever growing urban heat island.

I see the Airport has had 16 mornings under 0 degrees up until this morning 26th. (assuming Sat the 21st was also under 0 – which the BoM has missing now)
Does anybody know how this month stands in the record books so far ?

Thanks, you three! What excellent recipes. With all the leaves blackened and shrivelled, I can see ALL my tomatoes and 10kg might have been conservative. All three recipes will get a run for sure. I did a green tomato chutney years ago, and was underwhelmed with it, and forgot about it. Opened a jar of it a year or so later and hello! It had become proper chutney.

The pickle doesn’t need processing in a water bath? good. That’ll save some processing. I have quite a few that did turn red, so there’ll be a big batch of Italian tomato sauce, too. Busy weekend.

Green Tomato Cake – something a little different

4 cups chopped green tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Place in a colander, rinse well with cold water and drain.
2. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease and clour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy.
4. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and soda. Add raisins and nuts to dry mixture; add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Dough will be very stiff. Mix well.
5. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.

kean van choc6:01 pm 12 May 11

Green tomato chutney

3kg green tomatoes
1kg brown onions
1kg white sugar
1.2 L white vinegar
1Tbs tumeric
1Tbs ground brown mustard seed
1/2 Tbs curry powder – i use Herbie’s korma mix
1Tbs salt
4Tbs pl flour

Cut up the onions and tomatoes – sprinkle the salt over and leave overnight covered in the fridge.
Drain tomatoes very well.
Pour tomatoes into a pot – add the sugar, 3/4 of the vinegar and bring to the boil.
Simmer this for over an hour (may take longer depending on your tomatoes!)
Add the spices
Make a past with the remaining vinegar and flour.
Cook this only for a few minutes into the mixture.
Bottle in clean jars.

Eat with smoked ham, corned beef, or just a nice cheddar cheese – awesome.

EvanJames said :

Now, does anyone have a recipe for green tomato pickles? After last night’s horrible frost, I’ve got about 10 kgs of tomatoes which will never ripen.

GREEN TOMATO PICKLES
Preparation time: 25 minutes + overnight soaking
Total cooking time: 40 minutes
Makes 1.25 litres
1.25 kg green tomatoes
2 onions
1/2cup (120 g) cooking salt
1 cup (250 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) cider vinegar
2 teaspoons curry powder
Cayenne pepper/chilli to taste
2 teaspoons cornflour

1 Slice the tomatoes and onions -into thin rounds. Combine with the salt in a large non-metallic bowl and add enough water to cover. Place a small plate on top of the vegetables to keep them submerged. Leave to stand overnight.
2 Drain the tomato and onion and rinse well. Place in a large pan and add the sugar, vinegar, and chilli. Stir over low heat for 5 minutes, or until all the sugar has dissolved.
3 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often, or until the vegetables are soft.
4 Add 2 teaspoons water to the cornflour, mix well and stir into the mixture. Stir over medium heat until it boils and thickens.
5 Spoon immediately into clean, warm jars and seal. Turn the jars upside down for 2 minutes, then invert and leave to cool. Label and date. Leave for 1 month before opening to allow the flavours to develop. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. Refrigerate after opening for up to 6 weeks.

Pommy bastard said :

EvanJames said :

You’ll notice that we haven’t had real rain for many weeks.

I wonder what that cold wet stuff that soaked me when I was on top of Mt Painter yesterday was in that case?

You’d best alert the Bureau then. As yesterday’s official rainfall for ACT was 0.2mm. That, my friend, is not real rain.

total rain this month is 0.8mm. The long-term May average is 21mm, which is not a lot, but I don’t think we’ll get near it if the dry trend continues.

Pommy bastard2:42 pm 12 May 11

EvanJames said :

You’ll notice that we haven’t had real rain for many weeks.

I wonder what that cold wet stuff that soaked me when I was on top of Mt Painter yesterday was in that case?

The cold weather has happened earlier than usual, and this is magnified by the way we’ve had very long Indian Summers in the last few years. This year, we had an early and rather abrupt descent into winter. The records being broken confirm that. We don’t usually experience severe frosts and 10c days in early May. And we certainly haven’t in recent years.

So people who are feeling a bit disgruntled about it, you have just cause!

Now, does anyone have a recipe for green tomato pickles? After last night’s horrible frost, I’ve got about 10 kgs of tomatoes which will never ripen.

vg said :

just a few weeks earlier

I thought that was what the article was about? Not about the fact that we get mild frosts in Canberra, we all already knew that.

Holden Caulfield1:48 pm 12 May 11

Mr Gillespie said :

More like back to normal, it is supposed to be frosty in Canberra. It’s the only capital city in Australia where winter really happens!

What did Hobart ever do to you?

Mr Gillespie said :

More like back to normal, it is supposed to be frosty in Canberra. It’s the only capital city in Australia where winter really happens!

😀 And I wouldn’t change it for quids.

Stock standard Canberra winter, just a few weeks earlier. Live here long enough you get used to it. Visted friends in Canada once who were getting over consistent -20 degree temps. Put our temps in a little more perspective. Something Channel 9 could do when Sydneysiders bleat over their ‘cold’ weather

Holden Caulfield11:28 am 12 May 11

Jivrashia said :

Not long before the first snowfall on the Brindies?

There is/was a light dusting of snow on the Brindies this morning.

EvanJames said :

La nina has broken down and gone. In a La Nina winter, it is wet and therefore warmer. You’ll notice that we haven’t had real rain for many weeks. Dry = clear = cold

Thanks, I wasn’t sure if La Nina could cause cold winters perhaps. And I was out of the country for 5 weeks, so have no idea about recent weather. Except for that the paddocks looked dry when I came back.

And much rather a dry cold winter than a warmer wet one!

Mr Gillespie10:36 am 12 May 11

More like back to normal, it is supposed to be frosty in Canberra. It’s the only capital city in Australia where winter really happens!

Not long before the first snowfall on the Brindies?

La nina has broken down and gone. In a La Nina winter, it is wet and therefore warmer. You’ll notice that we haven’t had real rain for many weeks. Dry = clear = cold.

the day temperatures next week will be back into the mid teens as the sun is still quite high, but we are getting this cold air pushing up from the south, so the minute the sun is gone, the cold goes into overdrive.+

When I got my bike out of the bike shed at work last night (I did not choose to ride, mind I add) someone on his way to his car burst out laughing when he spotted me and gloated “You’ll be SO cold”! That did kind of sum up my ride home indeed.

Is this still that La Nina b!tch’s fault?

The government should step in and do something.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.