Ag Weather Impacts

A little more active weather pattern will develop over the Columbia Basin the rest of this week and next week. A weak cold front today may produce a few light showers, but any rainfall amounts should be less than a tenth of an inch. Then we’ll return to an upper level ridge for Wednesday and Thursday which will signal a return to dry and mild conditions. On Friday, another pacific weather system will bring scattered light showers again followed by high pressure on Saturday. A series of disturbances early next week for Sunday into Tuesday likely has the best chance for rain and temperatures will show cooling as well. This may be a good snow producer in the mountain. Mild and mostly dry weather this week, though will favor fall field work, late harvest operations and farm to market transport. Field burning will be limited by poor smoke dispersion much of this week. Pastures and winter wheat should continue to develop and show at least slow to moderate growth. Soil temperatures have risen 2 to 3 degrees from last week and are now in the lower and mid 40s. Soils will likely maintain this warmth this week and then cool slightly early next week. The mild and mostly dry conditions will continue to keep livestock cold stress at bay this week, but be prepared for increasing cold stress with the moisture early next week. Then the latter part of next week looks to be rather unsettled with temperatures near to slightly below normal.