Ag Weather Impacts

The frontal system that swept through the Columbia Basin Wednesday night brought anywhere from just sprinkles up to a tenth of an inch on most farms. Areas near the Blue Mountains though got close to a ¼ inch. Temperatures really didn’t change that much, but look for progressively colder air into Sunday as a series of disturbances move across the region. The best chance for additional rainfall will be tonight into tomorrow with the strongest of the weather systems tapping into abundant Pacific moisture. Most farms should get a quarter inch or less, but areas near the Blue Mountains could get a third to ¾ inch. Young or weak livestock in these heavier rain areas could experience moderate to severe cold stress , especially tonight if left exposed to the rain, colder air, and wind exceeding 10 mph at times. Although the soil moisture will show improvement in many areas, the colder air will slow pasture and wheat development. Soil temperatures are averaging in the lower and mid 50s and will likely dip into the upper 40s to around 50 by early next week. On Tuesday’s ag weather impacts, it looked like the drier period starting Wednesday would carry through the end of October. Now it looks like the next chance for rain could actually arrive on Halloween. Yesterday, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center issued the outlook for November which calls for temperatures averaging near normal and precipitation also totaling near normal. The December through February prediction is for above normal temperatures and near normal precipitation.