What's the temperature where you are???

[Ponypoor]

I love most all the smells of cut grass, except the one(s) that smell like onions.
I have been waiting for years to buy some scented candles and spray and plug in air fresheners that smell like freshly cut grass

Love that smell, but it drive my allergies wild!

 

[Ponypoor]

Had about an inch or so of snow. It was -14C at 6am, dropped to -15C by 8:40am Brrr!

Only 149 days until the end of Hell Freezing Over.

After today the daylight hrs will increase, today is the winter solstice.

Seems like Stone Hinge was the place to be today.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ckg1e...er solstice is the,shortest night of the year.

 

[lagrange chicks]

We were -3F at light this morning, up to 12 now and suppose to see 18F for a high.

 

[Gill-b]

Happy Winter Solstice to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere. And to anyone in the Southern Hemisphere, such as myself, a happy longest sunlight day to you. Our Summer Solstice day is 29 degrees Celsius (84,5 degrees Fahrenheit) ...and it is predicted to be 34 degrees Celsius on Christmas day (93,2 degrees Fahrenheit).

Cape Town sunrise today: 05:32
Cape Town sunset today: 19:57

A total of 14 hours 25 minutes of day light.

And sunset is less than a hour from now.

 

[Debbie292d]

One of my favorite days. It's like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, literally.

18F
Low: 4F

Virtually no wind! (4 mph). That's so nice for a change!

 

[Golden Comet Mama]

 

[SkyAJK]

Warm sunshine
Clear blue sky

 

[kikiruru]

The shortest day of the year
338 pm 51f48 or 54

 

[007Sean]

Saturday: 4:10pm, 66°F, dew point 32°F, humidity 29%, wind ESE @ 5mph, clear, sunny! Been a nice day!

 

[Nym]

Sunday 22nd of December 9.47a.m. heavy grey overcast. 5.5 / 9.3kph NE, Hg 55%, top of 24C / 75F. Marine wind warning.

Moon is 54%

Why cicadas seem so much louder this year​

4h ago

Cicadas have favourable weather conditions to thank for their particularly active summer. (ABC Mid North Coast)

If you've stepped outside in recent days, you might have noticed the familiar sound of cicadas buzzing.

And while it's a soundtrack heard every summer, you wouldn't be wrong in thinking the insects have turned the decibels up further this year.

So why are cicadas so noisy this year?​

Dr Michael Elias, an affiliate with CSIRO's Australian National Insect Collection, said it just came down to there being more cicadas this year.

"That's most likely because of the weather conditions we've been having for the last few years," he said.

"In most of eastern Australia, the ground's been pretty wet the last few years, which leads to increased plant growth."

During their juvenile stages, cicadas live underground and feed on sap from plant roots to survive.

"So with more plants being around, there's a lot more food available for them, so you get lower mortality in juveniles."

This year, Australia experienced its wettest January to August period since 2011 and monthly rainfall records have been shattered in parts of the country.

It's been the fifth consecutive year of above-average rainfall.

Australia has experienced a string of wet years. (Supplied: Daniel James)