Weather Outlook this Fall Pt 1

Weather Outlook this Fall Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. Our spring and summer was certainly a warm one as many Northwest growers dealt with some degree of drought, AND in the months ahead we could see more of that trend.

Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond says many are looking for some level of relief ...

BOND ... "This is the time of year in which we can look forward to the onset of the fall rains and what's kind of interesting about that is that it's highly variable about when they're going to start. Sometimes they start around Labor Day. Sometimes it's well into October before they really get going and that can be a big deal for a lot of interests, everything from water managers to wildlife, stream health and of course the agricultural interests."

Bond says the questions for many this time of year is whether to expect an El Nino or a La Nina winter ...

BOND ... "Those are the sort of things we look at because while they don't absolutely dictate the weather, they do load the dice or stack the deck, whatever casino analogy you'd like to use, towards one kind of weather or another."

Bond says El Nino winters are typically warmer than average with a lower snowpack, while La Nina winters, that we've experienced the past two winters, are usually a little cooler and wetter than normal. However, he warns, his prediction of an El Nino this year is no reason to panic.

Listen tomorrow for more on the Northwest weather we can expect in the months ahead.

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BL: Welcome back to another "Fruit Bites" brought to you by Valent U.S.A. And we are joined, once again, by Valent's Allison Walston. And this week Allison, let's talk about a new group within Valent, the Sustainable Solutions Business Unit.

AW: Sustainable Solutions will be comprised of a group of specialists that primarily focus in organic and transition acres. We, at Valent, are making a commitment to put ability in sustainability and to become leaders in sustainable agriculture.

BL: What types of things are going to be done for growers?

AW: We are putting growers first, discussing where they are on their sustainable journey and providing them with our latest research, science, products and field experience.

BL: Is this within just Sustainable Solutions or the entire Valent organization?

AW: This will reach to through the entire company to search for new & better ways to bring solutions and what is best for growers, people and the earth. Your earth. One example is working with mycorrhizae and bettering soil health.

BL: Well, thanks Allison. Join us again next time for Fruit Bites, brought to you by Valent. Until then, I'm Bob Larson.

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