OR-crop-weather Oregon Crop Weather Released: June 16, 2008 Week ending: June 15, 2008 OR-CW1108 OREGON CROP WEATHER NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE USDA, NASS, Oregon Field Office Phone: 503-326-2131 Released: June 16, 2008 Toll Free: 1-800-338-2157 Week ending: June 15, 2008 Email: nass-or@nass.usda.gov Volume: CW1108 Internet: www.nass.usda.gov/or Weather: A decrease in precipitation along with warmer, more summer-like temperatures finally started to arrive at the end of last week throughout the State. High temperatures ranged from 89 degrees in Medford down to 59 degrees at the Bandon and North Bend stations. Low temperatures ranged from 46 degrees at the Astoria/Clatsop, Crescent City, and Portland stations, down to 27 degrees at the Worden station. The Detroit Lake weather station received the most precipitation with 1.65 total inches and was the only station to receive over an inch. Eighteen out of the forty three stations received no precipitation at all. Field Crops: The later part of last week brought gradual warming across most of the State. Hay was cut quickly as the warmer temperatures permitted for good baling conditions. The warmer weather was much needed to help field crop development. However, temperatures were still colder in some areas of the State. Frost may have hurt some winter wheat fields in central areas, while crop development was delayed by heavy frost in Lake County. Vegetables: Summer vegetable crops were finally getting the warm temperatures, mainly at the end of this past week, which they need to start putting on some good growth. For the most part, many vegetables have been growing very slowly throughout the Willamette Valley because of the unseasonably cool spring. This warmer weather is also good for the planting of cannery crops where processor contracts specify planting dates. Sweet corn was showing good growth in Jackson County. Fruits and Nuts: Strawberries became widely available throughout the Willamette Valley last week. Overall, the berry crops are two to three weeks late this year. Some cherry growers prepared to apply pre-harvest brown rot fruit sprays. Harvest was still at least two weeks away for most growers on the Valley floor. Apples and pears both look to be heavy crops that will need thinning. Hazelnuts looked to be a medium sized crop. Douglas County fruit growers need more heat units for development. Unsettled weather prevailed during the week in Hood River County. Summer orchard operations continued throughout the Hood River Valley. Cherry fruit fly spraying continued all week in Wasco County. Most southern Oregon vineyards were in bloom and some had set fruit. Nurseries and Greenhouses: Greenhouses remained busy getting out vegetable and flower starts, and trying to keep up with the brisk sales this past week. Nurseries continued to get balled/burlapped and potted plants out. Both nurseries and greenhouses carried on with weed control activities. Livestock, Range and Pasture: Pasture and rangeland across the State were still in good shape with this past week's mostly dry, warm weather. Livestock were doing well. Soil Moisture-Week Ending 06/15/08 ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Very : : : : short : Short : Adequate : Surplus ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : Topsoil : 3 27 62 8 Subsoil : 3 27 65 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Progress-Week Ending 06/15/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5 year Crop : week : week : year : average -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Alfalfa hay, first cutting : 64 55 92 31 Winter wheat headed : 90 84 100 93 Barley headed : 95 33 100 61 Spring wheat headed : 71 55 74 57 : Days suitable for fieldwork : 6.2 4.8 6.0 6.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition-Week Ending 06/15/08 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter wheat : 8 17 46 25 4 Spring wheat : 6 15 43 26 10 Barley : 4 13 47 29 7 Corn : 0 0 23 64 13 Range and pasture : 2 10 30 46 12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WESTERN OREGON BENTON/LINN/LANE: Crops remain two weeks behind schedule. Early varieties of peaches have been hit hard, but a few orchards have a decent crop. It appears to be over a 70 percent crop reduction in cherries with only a few out there. Apples and pears are looking good with a large expected crop. Both will need thinning. Hazelnuts are looking like a medium crop. Blueberries are off to a good start so far. The first picking of strawberries has started this week with a lot of varied colors and different stages of ripeness. Vegetable crops are growing very slowly in most areas. Farmer's markets are doing mediocre. Greenhouses are keeping busy with brisk sales at the moment. COOS/CURRY: Temperatures in Southern Curry County were well above the 5-year average by the end of the week. Hay production was active with the good weather and prospects for adequate drying conditions. Low temperature for the period was 47.38 degrees, 0.51 degrees above the 5-year average. High temperature for the period was 88.9 degrees, 14.04 degrees above the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 0.0 inches, compared to a 5-year (including drought years 2003-2004) average of .52 inches. Current weather year precipitation (began 10/07) stands at 64.09 inches, 15.6 inches below the 5 year average. Historical average precipitation for Brookings area through June is 69.98 inches. DOUGLAS: Dry weather and gradual warming this past week. The heat is needed. Most fruit crops are two weeks behind normal development pace. Grape growers are getting concerned that without heat units, a late fall with no precipitation will be a must. Summer vegetable crops are finally getting what they need. They have been slow to develop. JACKSON: Warmer weather has haying off to a very busy time. There is a lot down with some being baled with even more ready to bale. Plenty is still being cut as well. Grain crops are looking good. Apples and pears are looking good with some cover sprays being applied. Most vineyards are now in bloom and some have fruit set. It has been a good week for vegetable gardens; sweet corn is now showing good growth. Lots of cultivation for weeds is ongoing, some by hand and some by tractors. Greenhouses are getting out vegetable and flower starts. All livestock is looking quite good and pastures are still in good shape. Some pastures are looking a little dry, but still some green spots. I would say haying has been the heavy work this week, as the weather helped with drying the wet hay. MARION: This past week started out cool and mostly overcast with highs in the lower 60's and ended up as wonderful clear weather with highs in the mid to upper 70's. The farmers were able to work their fields all week. Beans are growing rapidly. Some of the first strawberries to finally ripen started appearing at market. Grass fields are headed out and this week pollen clouds started being noticed drifting over some fields. Most grain plantings are headed out. Second cutting of hay is starting to be cut. Weather is good for the planting of cannery crops where contracts specify planting dates. The past few days remind us that summer is finally coming. WASHINGTON: First cutting of hay is done for most of the county. Irrigating of row crops is occurring. Red clover being cut for haylage. Strawberry stands are open. All berry crops are two to three weeks late this year. YAMHILL: Warmer weather finally arrived this week on Thursday. Some cherry growers are preparing to apply some pre-harvest brown rot fruit rot sprays. Harvest is still at least two weeks away for most growers on the Valley floor. Make hay while the sun shines is certainly true in Yamhill County! Farmers have been waiting for a 5 day stretch without the rain and they finally got it. Trying to pollinate rye and tall fescue in cool, damp weather up until now should have taken off like gang busters with the warm, breezy weather. Strawberries are in full swing. Caneberries are in bloom. EASTERN OREGON BAKER: We had a snow storm come through and drop some snow on the West half of the county, the rest of the county saw some rain. Pastures are looking strong with the amount of rain that we have received lately. Crops are growing well with the moisture. Temperatures have been on the cool side which has stunted growth a bit but still growing and looking good. Hay cutting is expected to begin on Monday if weather permits. CROOK/DESCHUTES/JEFFERSON: Grass and some alfalfa hay harvest started last week, but it is in full swing this week and will be next week across the central Oregon area (mostly in Jefferson County, but some happening in Crook and Deschutes). The cereal leaf beetle has moved into the spring cereal fields. It is possible that three different days of frost might have hurt some of the winter wheat, depending upon its growth stage. Weevil control on alfalfa is still occurring. Frost occurred three days this week and would have frosted some leaves and some of the flowers in certain areas. Some frost this week may have hurt some grass seed fields in bloom. Chemical applicators are scrambling the last four days of this week to catch up on pesticide applications for many different crops that have been delayed for weeks because of either cold, wind, rain, or all of the above! GRANT: The sun is shining and it is finally starting to warm up and make things grow. HARNEY: Only trace amounts of precipitation were received during the early part of the week. Daytime temperatures warmed during the latter part of the week; however, nighttime temperatures are still dipping down into the mid 30's. Cool temperatures, especially nighttime temperatures that have dominated spring and early summer, have delayed alfalfa phenology. Precipitation received over the last few weeks has improved range pastures considerably. HOOD RIVER: Unsettled weather prevailed during the week. Summer orchard operations continued throughout the Hood River Valley. Cherry fruit fly first emergence was predicted for the lower (June 5) and middle valley (June 11). KLAMATH: Warmer weather during the week. First cutting of hay dropped with some being baled. Potato and onion plants are emerging. Some freezing nights throughout the week. LAKE: Heavy frost mid-week was affecting crop growth. No precipitation during the week. Alfalfa producers will begin first cutting within the next week. MALHEUR: Cool weather to start off the week turned to hot weather during the last part of the week. No precipitation, some wind. Most crops liked and needed the warm weather. SHERMAN: Cool weather has kept development of grain slow but steady. It might be a good year to test varieties for wind-shatter susceptibility. We could use a bit more rain, but it appears that warmer weather is around the corner. UMATILLA: Last week's cool and wet weather has added more precipitation that the crops on the ground needed. Cool weather has not helped with the first alfalfa cutting, but warmer temperatures towards the end of last week gave producers an opportunity to get the first cutting on the ground. UNION: Snow on Tuesday. Over two inches of precipitation so far this month. Haying is delayed by wet weather. Pastures look good. WASCO: The first half of the week was cool and windy while temperatures peaked in the 80's over the weekend. Cherries are late getting started this year due to the cold spring. Cherry fruit fly spraying continued all week. Strong winds hampered weed spraying on no-till grain stubble fields. Winter wheat fields in Northern Wasco County look very good. Southern areas look somewhat stressed. Mustard fields near Maupin are in full yellow color. Hay growers were putting up their first cutting of hay all week. Cattle continue to do well on mostly good pastures. Weather data for selected stations in Oregon, Week ending: June 15, 2008 (as of 11:00 am) 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : Growing : Last week precip. 4/ : Season cum. precipitation 5/ : Air temperature 2/ : degree days 3/ :-------------------------------------------------------------- Station :-------------------------------:-----------------: Total : : : Total : : Pct. : : Low : High : Avg. :DFN 6/ : Total :DFN 6/ : inches :DFN 6/ :Days 7/: inches :DFN 6/ : normal :Days 7/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ COASTAL AREAS : Astoria/Clatsop : 46 62 53 -4 22 -24 0.32 -0.27 2 60.21 -2.71 96 183 Bandon 8/ : 42 59 52 -5 11 -30 0.05 -0.33 2 52.41 -4.58 92 172 Crescent City : 46 60 52 -5 18 -26 - -0.33 - 44.19 -19.24 70 114 Florence : 35 64 50 -8 6 -44 0.12 -0.48 2 84.43 11.08 115 157 North Bend : 45 59 52 -6 15 -34 0.02 -0.39 1 57.80 -3.51 94 149 Tillamook : 37 63 51 -5 13 -26 0.24 -0.55 2 56.74 -27.23 68 171 WILLAMETTE : VALLEY : Aurora 8/ : 43 76 56 -6 44 -33 0.03 -0.39 2 41.50 2.73 107 165 Corvallis : 40 76 55 -7 36 -37 0.02 -0.28 1 42.26 1.43 104 151 Detroit Lake 8/ : 37 77 54 -4 40 -13 1.65 1.11 3 89.10 24.60 138 177 Eugene : 34 77 55 -7 35 -45 0.01 -0.34 1 34.53 -12.71 73 136 Hillsboro : 37 74 55 -6 37 -40 0.01 -0.34 1 30.44 -4.93 86 137 McMinnville : 38 76 55 -6 40 -35 0.02 -0.24 1 33.84 -7.74 81 148 Portland : 46 74 58 -6 58 -33 0.06 -0.30 3 32.49 -1.51 96 154 Salem : 38 78 56 -6 42 -35 0.04 -0.31 1 35.92 -1.39 96 134 SW VALLEYS : Grants Pass : 40 87 60 -6 75 -35 - -0.14 - 28.00 -2.14 93 123 Medford : 41 89 63 -3 95 -15 - -0.14 - 16.34 -1.51 92 101 Roseburg : 42 83 60 -3 73 -18 0.02 -0.19 1 31.84 0.47 101 138 NORTH CENTRAL : Condon : 34 80 54 -5 37 -27 - -0.28 - 11.23 -1.27 90 98 Echo 8/ : 43 85 61 -6 77 -38 0.17 0.04 2 7.70 -0.50 94 97 Heppner : 39 81 57 -6 54 -35 0.46 0.24 2 13.64 1.11 109 115 Hermiston : 41 86 61 -6 81 -34 0.17 0.04 3 7.51 -0.69 92 80 Madras 8/ : 31 79 53 -8 35 -43 - -0.21 - 7.43 -1.71 81 93 Moro : 36 77 55 -7 38 -36 0.01 -0.13 1 9.34 -0.76 92 85 Parkdale 8/ : 34 75 52 -10 19 -62 0.29 0.13 2 21.97 -7.75 74 109 Pendleton : 38 83 59 -8 72 -37 0.65 0.51 3 10.76 -0.12 99 93 Prairie City 8/ : 31 79 53 -8 35 -43 - -0.21 - 7.43 -1.71 81 93 The Dalles : 45 82 62 +2 86 +10 - -0.14 - 12.70 1.23 111 79 SOUTH CENTRAL : Agency Lake 8/ : 35 79 55 -2 46 -5 - -0.21 - 12.51 -2.28 85 92 Bend : 30 77 51 -6 22 -30 - -0.21 - 11.64 1.39 114 76 Burns : 32 82 54 -4 35 -18 - -0.21 - 8.64 0.09 101 96 Christmas Valley 8/ : 28 82 52 -10 27 -50 - -0.26 - 7.16 -3.73 66 71 Klamath Falls : 29 82 55 -6 46 -27 - -0.15 - 9.38 -2.89 76 80 Klamath Falls 8/ : 28 82 55 -6 46 -27 - -0.15 - 10.62 -1.65 87 104 Lakeview : - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lorella 8/ : 28 81 53 -8 34 -39 - -0.15 - 9.01 -3.26 73 104 Redmond : 28 82 53 -6 35 -29 - -0.18 - 1.83 -5.46 25 38 Worden 8/ : 27 83 54 -7 38 -35 - -0.15 - 8.07 -4.20 66 99 NORTHEAST : Baker City : 31 78 50 -10 19 -50 0.47 0.12 5 9.46 0.69 108 109 Joseph : 31 73 50 -5 18 -15 0.36 -0.06 2 18.14 -4.06 82 123 La Grande : 34 79 55 -8 47 -36 0.88 0.53 3 13.91 -1.42 91 96 Union : 33 77 53 -8 31 -35 0.76 0.36 2 10.94 -0.68 94 96 SOUTHEAST : Ontario : 42 88 63 -6 90 -36 0.06 -0.13 1 5.89 -2.89 67 67 Rome : 34 88 59 -5 65 -31 - -0.24 - 6.99 -0.05 99 82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Summary based on NWS data. Copyright 2008: AWIS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2/ Air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. 3/ Growing degree days base-50 degrees Fahrenheit. 4/ Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches. 5/ Season cumulative precipitation starts September 1, 2007. 6/ DFN=Departure from normal (using 1961-1990 normals period). 7/ Precipitation days = Days with precipitation of 0.01 inch or more. 8/ Agri-Met weather stations.