>my plants get chilly (perhaps down to 35--45F every night for a
>month or so) but I don't think this counts as a cold snap.
What do you mean that's not a cold snap?! :) thats absolutely frigid!
Seriously, you are right, it is relative, I believe that those living in the
panhandle of Florida would consider a month of nights that cold would be a
definite cold spell.