A good weather forecast for 2012 crop wheat
Washington Ag Today November 21, 2011 It may be on the dry side this fall in the Pacific Northwest but wheat farmers shouldn’t fret. A pretty friendly weather forecast for this winter, next spring and summer was delivered to the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention in Spokane Friday by Dr. Art Douglas, retired climatologist from Creighton University. Douglas: “I would say you sure are not going to have the wet snowy winters we have seen the past couple of years. We just don‘t have the heat in the ocean to provide the moisture. On the other hand I wouldn‘t be overly concerned about drought. More of a type of winter, spring and early summer in which you have just the right amount of rainfall in a very right amount fashion every other week or so to keep the crop going. So, overall I think crop production ought to be okay. Normal to above normal in the Pacific Northwest but not phenomenally great like it has been in the last few years.” Douglas said El Nino could return in the summer which could mean a dry fall and winter in 2012. As for mountain snow pack for irrigation water supplies, Douglas said there shouldn’t be a lot of concern there. Douglas: “Overall though with the decreased amount of moisture in the atmosphere I think our total water content is going to be below normal and there might be some concerns on irrigation later in the summer. If we have an El Nino then and we know we have to get through next fall and winter with a dry winter, then you starting worrying about how much water is there going to be in the reservoirs.” I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
