We’re a month and a week past the winter solstice, and the sun has begun its climb up from the southern tropics back to the equator. By February 21 the sun will be halfway back. I recently tried to explain this in an email and will quote myself:
“The sun's geographic position [that spot on the earth directly below the sun] follows a sine wave pattern above and below the equator over the course of the year. From Dec 21 [or so] to Mar 21 the upward movement of the sun is from 23° below the equator to the equator. The first 1/6 of the upward travel is from Dec-Jan, the next 1/3 of the distance from Jan-Feb, and the last 1/2 from Feb-Mar and similarly around the year above and below the equator. If you mentally picture a sine wave, Nov to Jan and May to Jul are the flatish parts near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and Feb to Apr and Aug to Oct are the parts with nearly vertical movement at the equator [equinoxes]. The northern and southern hemisphere's temp averages also follow a sine wave pattern, but lag behind the sun's position.”
There, all clear?
Evergreen Hollies, Rhodos, Hemlocks and Yews [from L to R] bend and may break under the weight of the snow.
Deciduous trees are better equipped to deal with snow burden.
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