THE ANDERSON VALLEY WINEGROWERS got Mother's Day off to an early start when many of them turned on their frost protection fans at 4am this morning, although the lowest recorded temperature in the Anderson Valley this morning was 44 degrees, far above freezing. The rationale for what seems to be a deliberately malicious provocation is not yet forthcoming from the vineyard owners who claim the fans are only necessary to protect grapes against freezing temperatures. This morning's din was particularly intense at the south end of Boonville. This morning's high decibel onslaught marks the 12th morning this growing season that Anderson Valley's vineyard owners have disrupted the sleep of roughly 2000 residents.
The National Weather Service in Eureka issued a frost advisory for inland Mendocino County valleys at 9 PM Saturday and 3 AM Sunday.
Potter Valley, usually colder than Anderson Valley, fell to 40 degrees.
After failing to forecast some damaging frost events several years ago, the NWS has frequently done so inaccurately since.
The wineries in AV need to base their frost protection on some better forecast models.