From the TTA President

Weather Roller Coaster

Ihope that everyone is surviving another volatile summer season and thankfully fall is just around the corner. I have been in the green industry for over 30 years and have experienced my fair share of weather extremes. I have worked through a micro-burst with sustained winds over 100 mph, three direct hits from Hurricanes – Charley, Francis and Jean, ice storms, snowstorms, temps below zero and well above 100. You work in the green industry long enough and you pretty much will experience it all.

The transition zone is unique in so many ways and the weather is no exception. We get to experience it all in the Tri-Star State and the weather only seems to be getting more volatile. The 100-year rain seems to come every few years and the summer thunderstorms only seem to be getting more severe. This season has seemed to be exceptionally volatile with a steady pattern of storms that I cannot recall to this degree. We had a drought in June, but ever since I feel like I am back in Florida where you could set your clock to the daily thunderstorms that would pop up around 3 p.m. Just when we needed more work to do, right? Thankfully, we do have better tools, with turbine blowers, super 600’s, and bunkers with hard liners. Still, it is disruptive and a lot of thankless work while we are still battling the worst staffing crisis of our careers. I would ask for some average weather, but we all know that is purely a mathematical equation as we never really experience any average weather in the Volunteer State.

Again, thankfully fall is just around the corner when things should settle down a little. I am very much looking forward to the consistency that the fall typically brings with our weather with the reduced humidity, less rain, and chances of severe weather. While my Hokies are struggling on the football field these days, I am still very much looking forward to football season and some good ole Tennessee fall weather.

Hoping everyone finishes the season strong and remember that we are all in this together.

Godspeed my Turfgrass Friends,

Christopher C. Sykes

TTA President