or-crop-weather Oregon Crop Weather Released: September 8, 2008 Week ending: September 7, 2008 OR-CW1405 OREGON CROP WEATHER NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE USDA, NASS, Oregon Field Office Phone: 503-326-2131 Released: September 8, 2008 Toll Free: 1-800-338-2157 Week ending: cweek@, @year_cwk@ Email: nass-or@nass.usda.gov Volume: 23-08 Internet: www.nass.usda.gov/or Weather: Conditions were cool and dry to begin the week, but by week's end, temperatures throughout much of the State climbed to above 80 degrees. High temperatures ranged from 95 degrees in Medford, down to 63 degrees in Crescent City. Low temperatures ranged from 47 degrees in Portland, down to 24 degrees in Agency Lake and Worden. The Portland weather station received the most precipitation with 0.07 total inches and only five other stations reported measurable precipitation. Precipitation levels were below average State wide and temperatures were below normal in most areas. Field Crops: Fall field preparations continued throughout most of the State, especially where they were done harvesting grains. Some Willamette Valley wheat still remains to be harvested. There were continued concerns of sprout damage in the Valley wheat due to recent excess moisture. Sugarbeet seed and red clover seed harvest was near completion in Clackamas County. The mint and hop harvest in Marion County gained momentum. Grass silage and grass hay harvest also continued in some western areas. Red clover harvest was slowed by high moisture in Washington County. Vegetables: Cooler fall-like temperatures this past week slowed the maturity development of some processed sweet corn, while also helping to produce a great green bean crop in the Willamette Valley. Early harvest corn yields in the south Valley were reported to be an average 10 to 11 tons per acre. Local growers in southwestern Oregon commented that recent inconsistent daytime and nighttime temperatures have affected the form and size of their produce. Fruits and Nuts: Hazelnut orchards were prepared for harvest. Nuts have begun to fall in Yamhill and Clackamas counties. Late blackberries continued to be picked, as did summer apples, pears, and peaches. Wine grapes continued to mature. Douglas County fruits, while still behind developmentally, remain in good condition. Southern Oregon pear harvest was in full swing. The summer pear harvest continued in mid-Hood River Valley orchards and began in the upper valley. Fruit growers in the lower valley prepared for the winter pear harvest. Nectarines, peaches, pears, and apples continued to be harvested in the northern end of Wasco County. Nurseries and Greenhouses: Nurseries were busy with irrigation activities and caring for new spring-planted starts. Greenhouses were caring for fall starts and marketing landscaping shrubs and trees. Livestock, Range and Pasture: Pastures greened up some in areas that received moisture this past week, but many areas were still seeing dryland pastures deteriorate. Some Lake County producers have been forced to come off their desert allotments early due to the lack of water and feed. A few growers in Wasco County moved their cattle onto wheat stubble. The buffalo calves in Washington County were doing well. Cattle all across the State were still in good shape despite the dry conditions. Producers were preparing for winter by stocking their barns with hay. Soil Moisture-Week Ending 09/07/08 ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Very : : : : short : Short : Adequate : Surplus ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : Topsoil : 32 41 27 0 Subsoil : 34 45 21 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Progress-Week Ending 09/07/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5 year Crop : week : week : year : average -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Alfalfa hay, third cutting : 69 59 85 61 Barley harvested : 98 96 97 94 Spring wheat harvested : 96 93 98 97 : Days suitable for fieldwork : 6.9 6.1 6.5 6.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition-Week Ending 09/07/08 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 0 0 29 56 15 Range and pasture : 22 30 35 13 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WESTERN OREGON BENTON/LINN/LANE: Strong weekend warm winds have dried things extremely fast. Fall like weather conditions have slowed the maturity process for both silage and sweet processed corn. Corn yields in the south Valley early in the harvest season have been in the average range of 10 to 11 tons per acre. Movement of annual ryegrass seed was good for early September, but prices were sluggish. Fescue grass seed movement was nonexistent. CLACKAMAS: It was a nice week of warm dry weather. Most wet grain fields dried out and were harvested. The red clover seed and the sugarbeet seed harvests were nearly done. Late blackberries, Chesters and Evergreens, were still being picked. Filberts were starting to fall. Tomatoes were finally ripening. Local sweet corn was becoming plentiful. Cool weather has produced a great green bean crop. Pastures have greened up but need more rain to keep growing. COOS/CURRY: Temperatures were about 5 degrees below the 5-year average for the week in Coos and above the average in Curry County, with, only a trace of rainfall on Monday. The fall weather was becoming more apparent with breezy conditions helping keep the temperatures moderate for the week, with gusts to 30 mph recorded on the coast, with morning fog prevalent close to the ocean and less so inland. Bandon (Coos & Northern Curry): The low temperature for the period was 52.59 degrees, 5.2 degrees below the 5-year average. The high temperature for the period was 65.26 degrees, 5.04 degrees below the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 0.01 inches, compared to a 5-year (including drought years 2003-2004) average of 0.06 inches. Precipitation for Current weather year precipitation (began 10/07) stands at 51.67 inches, 4.44 inches below the 5 year average. Historical average precipitation through September is 60.4 inches. Brookings (Southern Curry): The low temperature for the period was 48.17 degrees, 2.16 degrees above the 5-year average. The high temperature for the period was 97.8 degrees, 14.3 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 0.20 inches. Precipitation for Current weather year precipitation (began 10/07) stands at 66.86 inches, 14.96 inches below the 5 year average. Historical average precipitation for Brookings area through September is 73.48 inches. Overall, the dry, warm, and windy conditions dried pastures and the only ones still producing grass are those that are very near the water table. DOUGLAS: Very nice late season weather is allowing fruit and vegetable crops to mature in good shape. Most tree fruit and grape crops were still about a week behind normal maturation dates but it appears there will be minimal negative impacts. JACKSON: Last week was another very dry week. There was very little dew at night, and ground was very dry. We could really use a good rain. Most all grain is now harvested. There was still some hay being made. Lots of ground preparation was being done getting ready for fall plantings. The pear harvest was getting busy. People were still picking wild blackberries, lots for their own use, but some for sale at farmers markets. There were still lots of good vegetables being harvested. Greenhouses were busy with caring for fall starts. Nurseries were doing a lot of watering and caring for new spring- planted starts. All livestock on good pastures were looking good, but dry ground feed is mostly all gone. There is a lot of irrigation being done to keep pastures growing. JOSEPHINE: Temperatures were very cool the first two days of last week. Night time temperatures were in the low 40's and day time temperatures were in the 80's. By the end of the week conditions were more seasonal with night time temperatures in the 60's and day time temperatures in the upper 90's. Our local produce growers were remarking on the quality of some of their products and lay blame on the inconsistent night time temperatures when setting fruit. Size and quantity seem to be the issues. Form and size were not what they should be for the produce that needs consistent temperatures above 50 degrees. The heavy smoke in the Valley from fires around the region probably had something to do with this. Livestock were fairing well. Second cutting of hay continued. Water was not an issue for those with irrigation systems; however, those without don't have the resources or the availability to water and pastures were drying up. Grapes continued to do well and the harvest is going to be good. MARION: It was as somewhat cool summer week again, but temperatures warmed up to about 90 degrees by week's end. Weather conditions improved enough to help finish up the grain and grass seed harvests. Very few fields were left to combine. Farmers were busy with after-harvest field work on a lot of the harvested fields around the County. Some field burning was being done when conditions allowed. The ground was being tilled and readied for its next crop. The hop and mint harvests were in full swing. Corn was being harvested. Hazelnut orchards have the ground smoothed out and ready for the hazelnuts to fall and be harvested. POLK: Soil conditions were dry. A lot of harvested ground was being tilled for fall planting. There are still some fields of small grains to be harvested. Unharvested small grains may suffer from sprout damage resulting from cooler temperatures and moisture in the past weeks. Evenings were cooler, lower 40's, with day time highs in the mid 80's. TILLAMOOK: Feels like fall weather, cool evenings and warming during the day. Grass silage continued to be harvested. Cooler temperatures with some moisture have helped grass growth. Some grass hay was still being harvested. WASHINGTON: The high temperature was 90 degrees and the low was 43 degrees with humidity ranging from 71 percent to 47 percent. Light rain helped prepare soils for fall planting and was encouraging pastures. Field work for the fall planting season was being accomplished. There is a growing interest in no-till planting due to rising fuel prices. Excess moisture has delayed the wind up of the spring wheat harvest; fear of sprouting mounting. Field corn was approaching harvest for silage, most hay harvesting was finished, and the red clover harvest was slowed by high moisture. Gravenstein apples, Veteran peaches, Bartlett pears, blueberries, plums, elderberries, raspberries, and blackberries were available. Wine grapes were nearing maturity. Green beans, potatoes, zucchini, new potatoes, sweet corn, carrots, table beets, onions, peppers, Swiss chard, and tomatoes were being harvested. Greenhouses were putting shrubs and trees for landscaping on the market. Nurseries were irrigating new plantings and cover crops. Range grasses greened up some after spotty rain. Buffalo calves were doing well and most cattle were looking good. YAMHILL: Warmer weather with no rain has allowed red clover to dry and continue with harvest. More straw from wheat has also dried and has been cut and baled. Much ground work was getting done to prepare for fall planting, but not much planting has been done at this point. Hazelnuts were just starting to show up on orchard floors. Grapes still need the warmer days to get them ready for harvest. EASTERN OREGON BAKER/UNION: We have had a few cold nights, but, overall, conditions have been warm and dry. Yields are up so far this year on all crops. GILLIAM: Fall wheat seeding continued in the fields with decent moisture. GRANT: There has been a lack of needed moisture. HOOD RIVER: Fair weather prevailed through the week. The summer pear harvest continued in mid-Hood River Valley orchards and began in the upper valley. Fruit growers in the lower valley prepared for the winter pear harvest. KLAMATH: Klamath County had its first night time freezing temperatures last week. There were a few nights in the low 30's and high 20's. The grain harvest was continuing, as was mint and the third cutting of hay. Day time temperatures were also cooler. LAKE: No precipitation fell during the week. Day time temperatures were warmer toward the middle of the week and over the weekend. Some livestock producers have been forced to come off the desert allotments early due to lack of water and feed. MALHEUR: Weather was dry and temperatures were below normal last week. Some corn may not mature before the first frost. Harvest started on early onions, potatoes and alfalfa seed. Harvest continued on hay. Fall work started on harvested grain fields. SHERMAN: School started and fields were being prepared for seeding. UMATILLA: The Pendleton Round-Up begins this week. WALLOWA: Cooler temperatures prevailed through most of the week. WASCO: Dry weather prevailed through the week. Fieldwork included fertilizing, weeding, and getting ready for fall grain seeding operations. Rain is needed to improve seeding conditions. Nectarines, peaches, pears, and apples continued to be harvested in the northern end of the County. Table grapes were being picked in home gardens. Commercial wine grapes will be picked later. Growers are currently testing the grapes for sugar levels. Alfalfa hay operations were winding down for this year's season. Cattle were still doing fairly well on dry pastures, and a few were being moved onto wheat stubble. Stockman are currently purchasing and filling their barns with alfalfa hay for the winter months. Weather data for selected stations in Oregon, Week ending: September 7, 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 80 60 +0 70 +0 0.01 -0.52 1 64.04 -2.96 96 203 Bandon 8/ : 43 65 56 -3 45 -11 0.01 -0.33 1 53.50 -5.78 90 190 Crescent City : 43 63 54 -5 32 -31 - -0.32 - 45.35 -20.22 69 126 Florence : 38 77 56 -6 41 -36 - -0.45 - 88.48 11.52 115 172 North Bend : 45 70 56 -4 46 -22 - -0.35 - 58.97 -4.72 93 162 Tillamook : 45 86 60 +2 68 +6 0.01 -0.68 1 58.86 -30.54 66 188 WILLAMETTE : VALLEY : Aurora 8/ : 42 86 64 -1 97 +0 - -0.35 - 43.26 1.81 104 178 Corvallis : 39 86 63 -2 94 -4 0.01 -0.27 1 43.90 0.88 102 164 Detroit Lake 8/ : 42 86 62 +4 88 +25 0.01 -0.43 1 91.91 23.86 135 192 Eugene : 39 89 64 -2 98 -9 - -0.35 - 35.72 -14.05 72 147 Hillsboro : 38 85 61 -3 80 -13 - -0.31 - 31.95 -5.97 84 149 McMinnville : 35 87 62 -3 85 -14 - -0.31 - 34.31 -9.21 79 152 Portland : 47 88 65 +0 110 -2 0.07 -0.31 1 34.09 -2.64 93 170 Salem : 42 89 64 -2 98 -2 - -0.29 - 37.20 -2.29 94 141 SW VALLEYS : Grants Pass : 43 91 64 -4 100 -24 - -0.14 - 28.23 -2.94 91 125 Medford : 43 95 69 +0 132 +1 - -0.18 - 16.39 -2.66 86 105 Roseburg : 46 89 66 +1 116 +2 - -0.23 - 31.92 -1.07 97 142 NORTH CENTRAL : Condon : 37 83 59 -2 62 -14 - -0.21 - 12.14 -2.15 85 107 Echo 8/ : 38 85 63 -4 92 -26 - -0.14 - 7.92 -1.20 87 100 Heppner : 38 83 60 -5 72 -28 - -0.14 - 14.05 -0.02 100 122 Hermiston : 39 86 63 -5 89 -29 - -0.14 - 7.91 -1.21 87 86 Madras 8/ : 36 84 59 -3 67 -18 - -0.14 - 8.13 -2.45 77 100 Moro : 39 88 61 -2 78 -11 - -0.14 - 9.68 -1.60 86 90 Parkdale 8/ : 34 81 59 -5 61 -31 - -0.23 - 22.63 -8.45 73 116 Pendleton : 40 81 62 -5 85 -34 - -0.14 - 11.64 -0.53 96 100 Prairie City 8/ : 36 84 59 -3 67 -18 - -0.14 - 8.13 -2.45 77 100 The Dalles : 43 88 67 +5 122 +32 - -0.14 - 13.23 0.56 104 85 SOUTH CENTRAL : Agency Lake 8/ : 24 83 56 -3 48 -11 - -0.14 - 12.90 -3.47 79 97 Bend : 30 83 56 -3 46 -16 - -0.14 - 11.84 -0.02 100 78 Burns : 28 82 56 -3 45 -18 - -0.14 - 9.12 -1.00 90 103 Christmas Valley 8/ : 25 83 54 -9 32 -55 - -0.14 - 7.36 -5.17 59 74 Klamath Falls : 31 85 60 -4 71 -16 - -0.14 - 9.72 -3.94 71 84 Klamath Falls 8/ : 29 84 62 -1 85 -2 - -0.14 - 10.96 -2.70 80 108 Lakeview : - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lorella 8/ : 29 85 57 -6 50 -37 - -0.14 - 9.40 -4.26 69 110 Redmond : 32 84 57 -4 54 -19 - -0.14 - 2.90 -5.83 33 45 Worden 8/ : 24 83 56 -7 47 -40 - -0.14 - 8.38 -5.28 61 102 NORTHEAST : Baker City : 26 78 54 -8 29 -48 - -0.21 - 10.10 -1.01 91 121 Joseph : 34 79 53 -4 26 -23 - -0.28 - 19.65 -5.52 78 135 La Grande : 30 81 58 -7 57 -39 - -0.23 - 14.93 -2.79 84 109 Union : 33 80 56 -5 47 -32 - -0.28 - 12.35 -1.76 88 107 SOUTHEAST : Ontario : 39 85 64 -4 100 -20 - -0.14 - 6.33 -3.51 64 71 Rome : 33 84 59 -5 65 -31 - -0.14 - 7.10 -1.34 84 88 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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, 2008. 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.