La Nina Weather Continues Pt 1
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. Every year, farmers never know what the weather will bring. And now, what turned out to be a wetter and cooler than normal April is, as we’re seeing, carrying over into May.
And, according to University of Washington atmospheric sciences professor, Cliff Mass the past month has really helped out what WAS looking like a weak mountain snowpack …
MASS … “The snowpack is extraordinarily strong and to have it this good, this late is very helpful. So, you know, in fact we’re May now and the snowpack is well above normal in much of the areas in Washington state. So, yeah, so it’s pretty good.”
And, Mass says seeing another “heat dome” like last year …
MASS … “Like last year’s is extraordinarily unusual. I mean last year was just a one-off, just an extreme event that we probably won’t see for 50-years. So, the chances of seeing another crazy heat-wave like last year, I think, is infinitesimal.”
So, any drought worries? …
MASS … “No, I can’t see how it can. I mean, reservoirs are in great shape. So, snowpack is good, rivers are good, reservoirs are good, that’s all solid.”
And the ground, Mass says is in pretty good shape …
MASS … “Soil moisture is, you know, the west is, you know, it’s superb, and Southeast Washington, it’s getting good. And the places where it’s a little drier than normal, well that’s, it’s irrigated anyway. It’s kind of immaterial almost. It’s just, everything’s in great shape. I mean, there’s no reason to go drought worrying at this point.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on our weather expectations near term.
