Ag Weather Impacts

Ag Weather Impacts

A ridge of high pressure over the eastern pacific will bring a dry northwest flow aloft to the Columbia Basin. As the ridge moves inland, much above normal temperature will prevail this weekend and early next week. The next chance for showers and possibly thunderstorms will hold off until around the middle of next week when a southerly flow returns unstable and moist air to the region. In the meantime, though, look for temperatures to average 5 to 8 degrees above normal the rest of the week and 8 to 12 degrees above normal beginning Sunday. Soil temperatures at the 2 inch depth continue to increase and are now averaging in the mid 60s to lower 70s with just a few isolated cooler spots where soils are still a little moist. Soils will likely warm another 2 to 4 degrees going into early next week, so this bodes well for germination and early development of warm season crops. You know it was less than a month ago, soils in many areas were too wet for field work and planting and now after 3 weeks of little or no rain crops and pastures on shallow soils may need supplemental moisture before the showers return next week. Irrigators can plan on crop water use fo around an inch and a half in wheat and alfalfa and an inch and a quarter for lawns these next 7 days. Chemical applicators in the Ellensburg and Moses Lake areas may need to schedule spraying in the early morning when winds are less than 10 mph through Thursday.
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