No relief in sight for parched West. Ag Minute for July 24, 2015

The West is experiencing low stream flows but the summer dry season is far from over, so drought conditions are expected to become more severe. Click here for full story.

Severe drought conditions spreading rapidly in Washington. Ag Minute for July 10, 2015

U.S. Drought Monitor reports a dramatic spreading of severe drought conditions in Washington state. Click here for full Story.

Hydrologist predicts neutral Southern Idaho winter outlook - AgMinute for November 21, 2014

A National Weather Service climatologist says conditions are in line for Eastern Idaho to get a start on its mountain snow pack, but the winter outlook is for a weak El Nino pattern, which could bring slightly warmer and drier than normal weather to the state in the coming months. Click here for the full story

A warmer winter is coming — AgMinute for Sept. 11, 2013

Winter temperatures in the Pacific Northwest will increase during the next several decades, and the best climate estimates show “this will be a different place,” according to Nicholas Bond, Washington state climatologist.

Read about more innovative farmers in Western Innovators, a new Capital Press ebook available on iPad.

Rain and drought — AgMinute for Sept. 9, 2013

Heavy early September moisture has come at an opportune time for southern Idaho agriculture. Most of the region, however, was dryer than normal during August.

China wheat — AgMinute for July 26, 2013

Weather damage to China's wheat crop has opened export opportunities for wheat producers in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the U.S., according to wheat industry sources.

Read about how farmers are confronting controversy over biotechnology in "Surviving a Biotech Backlash," available at http://bit.ly/BiotechBacklash

Low flow — Idaho AgMinute for April 8, 2013

Farmers and irrigation companies in southwestern Idaho are closely monitoring the water situation and expect supplies to be tight this season. The weather forecast calls for some major storms during the first part of April and farmers hope it's accurate.

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Storm sinks spuds - AgMinute for Nov. 6

As the potato demand ramps up in advance of the holidays, spud growers in Washington and Idaho are coping with logistical problems on the East Coast caused by Hurricane Sandy.

AgMinute is sponsored by the ebook "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators

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Bean bonanza - Idaho AgMinute for Sept. 27

An extended period of high heat resulted in lower yields for early-season dry bean varieties planted in Idaho this year, but growers say mid- and later-season varieties are looking extremely good.

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AgMinute for Sept. 7, 2012

Idaho apple production in 2012 is expected to be up from last year, as better weather resulted in more ideal growing conditions for fruit crops.

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Podcast: How do you like them Grapples?

In this podcast, editors and reporters discuss a family farm that’s invented a better apple, the global thirst for new dairy-based beverages, a legal ruling that may dramatically limit the use of antibiotics in livestock, the science of long-term weather patterns and the latest legal settlement between an environmental group and federal agencies.

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Podcast: Produce promotion, walnut and sugar lawsuits, hog regulations and strawberries

In this podcast, writers and editors at the Capital Press talk about the potential benefits and difficulties of united produce promotion, a lawsuit over claims of the healthfulness of walnuts, a million-dollar business dispute over a sugar refinery, the impact of cold, dry weather on California, declining hog production in the wake of gestation crate bans, and trends in strawberry production.

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Podcast: Farmers' share of turkey, giving thanks for the harvest and the yearlong forecast

This podcast highlights some stories from this week's edition of the Capital Press. We'll take a look at farmers' share of the Thanksgiving meal, hear a selection from the Capital Press Opinion page and gain some insight about the yearlong forecast for the West Coast, and what La Niña and El Niño weather patterns mean for farmers.

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Podcast: Prisoners pick apples, slaughterhouse audits and stopping invasive species

The cover story for this week's edition of the Capital Press is on prison inmates recruited to pick apples near Quincy, Wash. Prisoners were bused 300 miles from Forks to pick high-value apple varieties because of the worst labor shortage in a decade, Dan Wheat reports.

Mateusz Perkowski talks about slaughterhouse audits and Grupo Bimbo's court battle for Sara Lee's baked goods division.

Tim Hearden examines a legislative push for increased efforts to stop invasive species at the border and the seasonal forecast for California.

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California rainfall, reservoirs by the numbers

Redding's 8.39 inches of rain for March is nearly twice the normal 4.63 inches the city has normally received at this point of the month. But we don't hold a candle to the coast; Eureka's 11.61 inches of precip for March obliterates its normal of 4.96 inches.

Here's where everything stands.

March rainfall
Here are the March and seasonal precipitation totals and comparisons to normal for selected California cities, according to the National Weather Service. Totals are as of March 28:
Eureka: Month to date 11.61 inches (normal 4.96 inches); season to date 38.07 inches (normal 32.33 inches)
Redding: Month to date 8.39 inches (normal 4.63 inches); season to date 30.26 inches (normal 28.25 inches)
Sacramento: Month to date 6.94 inches (normal 2.54 inches); season to date 21.4 inches (normal 15.92 inches)
Modesto: Month to date 3.15 inches (normal 2.07 inches); season to date 13.1 inches (normal 11.3 inches)
Salinas: Month to date 4.19 inches (normal 2.13 inches); Season to date 14.54 inches (normal 11.43 inches)
Fresno: Month to date 3.46 inches (normal 1.99 inches); season to date 14.94 inches (normal 9.64 inches)

Reservoir levels
Here are the percentages of capacity for California reservoirs as of midnight March 27, according to the Department of Water Resources California Data Exchange Center:
Trinity Lake: 85 percent
Shasta Lake: 92 percent
Lake Oroville: 81 percent
New Bullards Bar Reservoir: 80 percent
Folsom Lake: 66 percent
New Melones Reservoir: 79 percent
Lake McClure: 74 percent
Millerton Lake: 87 percent
Pine Flat Reservoir: 78 percent
Lake Isabella: 41 percent
San Luis Reservoir: 100 percent

The San Luis Reservoir, near Los Banos, can hold 2,039,000 acre-feet of water and has 2,035,210 in it, according to state figures. The reservoir has bounced all the way back from about two years ago, when it was only about 20 percent full.

Storms topple California almond trees

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The past week's storms knocked down almond trees in Tehama County and elsewhere. Almond industry and UC Cooperative Extension experts say about 1 to 2 percent of older almond trees were blown over by strong winds, mostly during last weekend's gusts that approached 60 mph.

The photo above is of Rick Buchner, a UCCE farm advisor in Red Bluff, surveying a row of downed trees in an orchard near Gerber. Below, a driver thinks the better of trying to pass through water that flooded out Flores Avenue near Gerber.

Among the state's orchard crops, almond trees are probably the most vulnerable to winds because they leaf up sooner than plum or walnut trees. Older trees are all the more vulnerable because they're bigger and because root decay can undermine their grasp of the ground.

I'll have a full report on how this month's cold and wet weather has affected crop development in next week's Capital Press.

Low snow levels for NorCal on Thursday

The National Weather Service predicts it's likely that snow will fall Thursday in Redding, Calif., with accumulation of less than a half-inch during the day and another half-inch Thursday night. In fact, the weather service predicts an outside chance of snow for Red Bluff.

Kathy Hoxsie, the weather service's warning coordinator in Sacramento, told me today that she expects this persistent parade of weather systems in California to last at least until early to mid-March. Then once we dry out a bit, another week or two of storms could arrive in April or early May, she said.

Here is the February and seasonal rainfall totals and comparisons to normal for Redding and other selected California cities, according to the NWS. Totals are as of Monday:
Redding: Month to date 3.42 inches (normal 4.16 inches); season to date 20.93 inches (normal 22.29 inches)
Sacramento: Month to date 2.06 inches (normal 2.70 inches); season to date 13.12 inches (normal 12.54 inches)
Stockton: Month to date 1.68 inches (normal 1.89 inches); season to date 10.49 inches (normal 9.44 inches)
Modesto: Month to date 1.89 inches (normal 1.82 inches); season to date 9.39 inches (normal 8.67 inches)
Salinas: Month to date 2.48 inches (normal 1.87 inches); season to date 9.92 inches (normal 8.69 inches)
Fresno: Month to date 1.02 inches (normal 1.56 inches); season to date 10.90 inches (normal 7.09 inches)

Low snow levels in NorCal

After an unexpected spring break, winter is back in session in far Northern California. Light snow has been falling this morning along the Sacramento River in central Redding, though the ground is too wet for any to stick.

Here's Redding's seven-day forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

Today: Showers. High near 41. South southeast wind between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tonight: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming north northeast between 5 and 8 mph.

Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. North northeast wind between 3 and 7 mph.

Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. North northwest wind between 5 and 8 mph.

Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Washington's Birthday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.

Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Tuesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 51.

A winter storm warning is here. Chain requirements are in effect on many mountain roads; if you're in the area, you can listen to continuous Caltrans radio updates at AM 1610.

California's big group shower: breaking it down

The storms that have been pelting California in the past few days have begun to rack up some impressive rainfall and snowpack numbers.

As of today, the water content in snowpack statewide is 204 percent of normal for this time of year, including 274 percent of normal for the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The abundance follows nearly a week of virtually nonstop precipitation throughout the state – particularly in usually-parched Central California. About 40 residents of the San Joaquin Valley farming community of McFarland were briefly evacuated Monday for fear of flooding.

From Friday through today, Visalia sopped up 4.29 inches of rain, while 3.92 inches fell on Bakersfield, 4.41 inches were recorded in Delano and 3.25 inches fell in Hanford, according to the National Weather Service.

Fresno has received 3.19 inches of rain so far in December – a big leap from its normal 0.8 inches.

“I haven’t seen this much (rain) at one time in quite a while,” said Bob Blakely, director of industry relations for the Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual. “It’s pretty much shut us down for the week, although we’ve gotten a break today (Tuesday) which may allow some packing houses to get in if they’ve got some sandier soil and the fruit dries off.”

A breakdown of all things rain and snow:

December rainfall
Here are the December and seasonal rainfall totals and comparisons to normal for selected California cities, according to the National Weather Service. Totals are as of Monday, Dec. 20:
Redding: month to date 4.97 inches (normal 2.84); season to date 12.35 inches (normal 9.80)
Sacramento: month to date 4.08 inches (normal 1.47 inches); season to date 7.91 inches (normal 5.02 inches)
Stockton: month to date 2.53 inches (normal 1.12 inches); season to date 6.34 inches normal 4.14 inches
Modesto: month to date 1.97 inches (normal 1 inch); season to date 4.80 inches (normal 3.61 inches)
Salinas: month to date 1.36 inches (normal 1 inch); season to date 4.06 inches (normal 3.44 inches)
Fresno: month to date 3.19 inches (normal 0.80 inches); season to date 5.43 inches (normal 2.83 inches)

Reservoir levels
Here are the percentages of capacity for California reservoirs as of midnight Dec. 20, according to the Department of Water Resources California Data Exchange Center:
Trinity Lake: 67 percent
Shasta Lake: 73 percent
Lake Oroville: 55 percent
New Bullards Bar Reservoir: 78 percent
Folsom Lake: 52 percent
New Melones Reservoir: 58 percent
Lake McClure: 72 percent
Millerton Lake: 73 percent
Pine Flat Reservoir: 54 percent
Lake Isabella: 37 percent
San Luis Reservoir: 67 percent

Snowpack
Here are average snow water equivalents and comparisons to normal for the date in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, according to the Department of Water Resources California Data Exchange Center. Totals are as of Tuesday, Dec. 21:
North: 13 inches, 164 percent of normal
Central: 17 inches, 197 percent of normal
South: 26 inches, 274 percent of normal
Statewide: 16 inches, 204 percent of normal

For my complete story, check CapitalPress.com soon.

Report: Freeze coming to California orange groves

Alex Sosnowski, senior expert meteorologist for AccuWeather.com, reports:

AccuWeather.com reports the stormy, snowy weather pattern underway in the West will culminate with a mid- to late-week freeze over California's San Joaquin Valley, home to many orange groves.

Temperatures over the lower part of the valley, where most of the groves are located, will dip into the middle 20s at the core of the cold air.

The cold will challenge record low temperatures in the region which are generally in the upper 20s to near 30 degrees. Lows this time of the year tend to average near 40 degrees.

The lowest temperatures are forecast to occur late Wednesday night into Thanksgiving Day morning, when several hours of below-freezing temperatures can occur in areas between Porterville and Bakersfield.

According to Agricultural Meteorologist Dale Mohler, "Low temperatures in some of the groves may dip as low as 24 degrees Thursday morning."

"Temperatures could also dip into the upper 20s for a few hours late Thursday night into Friday morning," Mohler added.

While near-freezing temperatures are also forecast for the lower San Joaquin Valley Monday night and Tuesday night, it would only be for a very brief time and damage is not expected.

The magnitude of the cold air is very unusual so early in the season.

"You are much more likely to see a freeze like this late in December, rather than late November," Mohler said.

The groves in the region are known for their table oranges, but also a small amount of juice oranges are grown in the area as well.

"Lemons, grown farther south in California, will also be hit with freezing temperatures for a few hours late in the week," according to Western Weather Expert Ken Clark.

Clark added, "These areas are likely to experience low temperatures in the upper 20s Thursday morning and again Friday morning."

Interests in the orange and lemon grove regions are advised to take protective measures or risk damage.