Ag Weather Impacts

Ag Weather Impacts

It's fair week in Walla Walla and Ellensburg. Now I know back on Friday, I said likely no rain until after Labor Day. Latest weather maps and satellite are showing a weak surge of mid level moisture that may allow isolated thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening mainly south of Sunnyside to Dayton. Rainfall amounts of only a tenth of an inch or less are expected, so if you have done some early fall planting, the light rainfall amounts should produce very little soil crusting. For late this week and next week, warm and dry conditions will be the rule. In the meantime, for this week, hot is the word as summer gets in some last licks. Tomorrow looks to be the hottest with temperatures in the mid and upper 90s which is about 10 to 15 degrees above normal for late August. This may cause moderate to severe heat stress on cattle in the afternoon due to the light wind and intense solar radiation. The light winds though will favor spraying conditions. Crop water use the next 7 days will range between an inch an a quarter and inch and a half for alfalfa, silking corn, and apples. Lawns, grapes, and late potatoes will need between and inch and inch and a quarter. Field burning will have poor smoke dispersion today and Wednesday, due to the light winds. Better smoke dispersion is possible on Thursday, but there is the potential for gusty winds near thunderstorms, especially in the southern third of the Columbia Basin.
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