so we all know cold air settles in low spots. and as you go higher in altitude the air thins and it gets colder also. my place is at 324ft. above sea level and im in z4a. 200yrds down the hill is the st. john river thats about 50 ft. above sea level. that’s a microclimate ive been told is 2b. im planting 3 acres right now that’s at 682ft above sea level up hill from me. what should i expect the climate zone there to be?
Probably 5 or 6 degrees (perhaps more) colder…but (the good part) not so much late damaging frosts.
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The lapse rate is ~5F per 1000 ft. So 350ft would be about 2F colder. If the air drainage from the higher location is good, cold events shouldn’t be any worse than at 324ft, maybe no colder at all.
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The issue is not the zone as much as the season shortening. My home is at 5k something feet and I have from May to end of October to grow stuff which is pretty adequate for most stuff bar things like the late bearing apples. Go to where my work is at 6800 feet and you lose a month of growing. Go up to Conifer which is 8k-10k feet you have from June until September only to grow which is not enough for most stuff.
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