Microclimates

Do you know what a micro-climate is? A micro-climate is a defined as “the climate of a very small or restricted area, especially when this differs from the climate of a surrounding area.”

Why do microclimates matter to you? Did you know that even if the air temperature is above freezing, your property can still be forming ice or freezing? Determining what your property’s microclimate is important as we begin to approach winter if we want to keep everyone safe!

Here are a few reasons why microclimates form. We use this guide to help you determine whether or not you need to procure specialized snow and ice removal for your property.

Here Comes the Sun!

• Exposed surfaces may cool and warm depending on the exposure of each section of your property to sun. In particular, those aspects of your property that contain rock are more susceptible to the formation of microclimates.

• If there are gaps and cracks between these rock surfaces on your property that are exposed to sunlight, this provides the possibility for moss and lichen to grow thereby impacting the potential for that part of your property to freeze.

• If there is a slope facing the sun, this may cause differentiation between levels of your property.

• If there is a pocketed section of land that is exposed to sun, this too may warm and cool faster than other layers on your property thereby creating another microclimate.

Let it snow!

• The refraction of light from a bright white snowy surface lends itself for a different experience of heating and cooling that those aspects of your property that are rock and exposed to sun. If your property has snow in patches, warm air trapped beneath the surface of snow will contribute to the formation of a microclimate.

Where’s the water?

Are there bodies of water on your property? How much moisture is in the air around your yard? The amount of water underground and in the air impact the timeline of the heating and cooling of your yard.

How many plants do you have?

Plants can hold onto water with their roots, act as a filter for sunlight, act as a barrier to particles, and transpire moisture back into the air. The presence, or lack thereof of plants in a yard impacts the formation of microclimates.

Look at your buildings!

Anything that has been manufactured on your property, from your house to your driveway to the synthetic rocks you use as decoration in your zen garden! Each manufactured item impacts the storing and releasing of heat on different timelines that can contribute to the formation of microclimates on your property.

Contact us today to learn whether or not your property needs some extra special attention to its microclimates!