Ag  Weather Impacts

Ag Weather Impacts

Rainfall amounts Wednesday and Thursday averaged around only a tenth of an inch across most of the Columbia Basin so planting and field work delays have been minimal. Now, heavier rain of a quarter to half inch fell near the Blue Mountains which aggravated minor flooding and kept fields too soggy for field work. This is the same area that got over an inch of rain last weekend. High pressure and drier weather will make a brief appearance today and Saturday which will continue to give good conditions for field work in the drier areas. The next series of pacific weather systems will begin to affect the region Saturday afternoon through Tuesday. And again look for rainfall amounts to vary widely from less than a quarter inch in the central Columbia Basin to around a half inch near the Cascades and Blue Mountains. Soil temperatures are in the mid 40s to lower 50s and likely will not show much warming until Thursday. Pastures and winter wheat should continue moderate development and recently seeded spring wheat and barley should be able to germinate with these temperatures. Corn and other warm season crops will have better germination conditions beginning late next week. Chemical applications will be favored by lighter winds today and early Saturday, but then there's the washoff risk beginning late Saturday. Yesterday, NOAA's Climate prediction center updated their El Nino advisory to have a weak El Nino continuing through the summer. There is even a 50 to 55 percent chance for the weak El Nino to persist into fall.
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