Ag Weather Impacts

Ag Weather Impacts

As we close out July, and head into August, the weather pattern is not expected to show much day to day change across the Columbia Basin. A weak disturbance may bring a few showers Thursday night or early Friday to mainly the Blue Mountain foothills, but any rainfall should be less than a tenth of an inch. So grain harvest and alfalfa drying and baling should be able to proceed with little or no delay. With the low humidity, combines should be able to roll from around 8am to near midnight. The low humidity of 15 to 20 percent in the afternoon means alfalfa baling will be limited to the overnight and morning hours. This low humidity in combination with temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s creates a high fire danger in the dry straw, but fortunately winds will be light most days, except on Friday when a little stronger winds are possible following that weak disturbance. Crop water use for alfalfa, corn, onions, late potatoes, and apples the next 7 days will range between 2 and 2 and a ¼ inches. Lawns will need between an inch and ¾ and 2 inches. The outlook into the middle of August shows a fairly dry weather pattern continuing with temperatures averaging above normal, but at this time do not appear to be extremely hot. For the month of July, most farms in the Columbia Basin are going to end up with temperatures near to slightly below normal and less rain than usual. Moses Lake was one of the few areas to get over ½ inch.
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