-
The Fruit Growers News republished a story this week from the University of Idaho discussing how trends in minimum temperature over time are likely to change where some crops grow. The annual coldest temperature is linked to some crops’ ability to thrive, and is the basis of the USDA plant hardiness zone map. These temperatures are expected…
-
Doug Ohlemeier reported in The Packer this week that Georgia is expecting a peach crop which could be the biggest in over a decade and double what was packed last year. After a slow start to chill hour accumulations in the extremely warm December, more typical weather in January and February provided enough chill hours…
-
My friends from the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (my alma mater) wrote a nice description of how remote sensing is used in many aspects of safety and information. Radar and satellite imagery are both examples of atmospheric remote sensing, but there are others as well. You can read more…
-
The 7-day QPF map shows that much of the Southeast will receive several inches of rain in the next week, making it much above normal in precipitation. The exception is the Florida peninsula, which should remain fairly dry. The cause is a very slow-moving front which is draped across northern Florida now and which will…
Posted in: Climate outlooks -
As we approach the Easter weekend, with baskets full of chocolate bunnies, I was interested to note a report in AgWeb about adverse impacts of the current strong El Niño on the production of cocoa beans, used to make chocolate. I’ve put a map of the major production areas below along with a map showing…
-
As a meteorologist, I am a member of the American Meteorological Society, the primary professional society for meteorologists (and other atmospheric scientists, including climatologists) in the country. So are many other meteorologists, including those who work for the National Weather Service, private forecasting firms, and television broadcasters. This week the AMS released the results of…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
AgWeb reported this week that the mild winter experienced in Europe this year has led to a potentially bumper crop in wheat there this year. This may add to an oversupply of the grain due to a surge in production over the last two seasons. They report that “crops are about two weeks ahead of…