Vineyard Frost Protection
Freeze versus Frost
The terms frost and freeze are often used interchangeably but refer to two different weather events. The term adjective freeze is normally used to describe an invasion of a large, very cold air mass while a radiant frost typically occurs when winds are calm, and skies are clear.
Advective Freeze
Advective freeze occur when large masses of polar or arctic air move into a large area to replace warmer air that was present before the weather change. It is associated with cloudy conditions, moderate to strong winds, no temperature inversion, and low humidity.
Radiant Frosts
Radiant frosts are common occurrences and are more frequent and severe in inland regions. They are characterized when a dry, cold air mass settles into an area where there is no cloud cover, very little wind and low dew-point temperatures. Under such conditions, it can be relatively warm throughout the day with the ground retaining heat.
Click on the following topics for more information on vineyard frost protection.