Ag Show weatherman sees good spring moisture for PNW
Farm and Ranch February 3, 2010 Despite an El Nino, Creighton University Emeritus Professor of Climatology Dr. Art Douglas, told the Pacific Northwest Farm Forum in Spokane Tuesday that the Pacific Northwest will have a wet spring. He says that is because the warm body of Pacific Ocean water behind this El Nino is farther to the west rather than closer to the shores of South America. Douglas: “Precip wise with that westward displaced El Nino precip about 110, 120% normal for the spring. Then as we get into the summer that will start dropping off. Maybe starting on the slightly wet side in the early part of the summer, say June, 110%, but then as we get into July and August dropping down to about 80%.” Douglas doesn’t see anymore artic cold outbreaks that could damage the regions winter wheat. Douglas: “To the north we develop a high pressure ridge in Canada and that kind of props up all the Artic air across northern Alaska and Canada and just doesn’t let it come down. So from an insurance standpoint this El Nino is going to keep cold to the north. The idea of bare wheat fields out there that might be prone to a severe Artic outbreak is not as big a concern as long as you have an El Nino.” Looking ahead to the fall of 2010 and winter wheat planting, Douglas thinks we will be back in La Nina, which should make for good seeding conditions. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ? ?
