COLUMBIA, S.C. — This week’s weather feels like a typical May day with highs reaching the lower 80s. That continues the trend of our abnormally warm February which currently ranks as the 7th warmest on record not including this week’s very warm weather.
The real concern comes with our overnight lows which have not been cold. Our low of 30 degrees this month is the warmest minimum temperature for the month of February ever.
Plants have taken this warmth to their advantage and are in full bloom across the Midlands weeks ahead of schedule. Fruit trees like peach trees need cold weather to develop healthy fruits. The range of 32 to 45 degrees is known as chilling hours and is vital for these plants before the Spring arrives.
Looking at how many hours peaches need, it typically falls between 600 to 800 over the winter months. Currently, in Columbia, we are sitting at 575 hours.
With a very warm forecast going into the month of March the number of chill hours could be on the lower end. How this will affect the peach crop in South Carolina, we will have to wait and see.