or-crop-weather Oregon Crop Weather Released: September 21, 2009 Week ending: September 20, 2009 OR-CW1405 OREGON CROP WEATHER NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE USDA, NASS, Oregon Field Office Phone: 503-326-2131 Released: September 21, 2009 Toll Free: 1-800-338-2157 Week ending: September 20, 2009 Email: nass-or@nass.usda.gov Volume: 25-09 Internet: www.nass.usda.gov/or Weather: Some rain fell in western Oregon, and was welcomed by most. Temperatures were above normal. Highs ranged from 95 degrees in Medford, down to 71 degrees in Crescent City. Low temperatures ranged from 28 degrees in Christmas Valley, up to 51 degrees in Medford and Ontario. Sixteen stations reported a measurable amount of rain along the Coast and in the Willamette Valley, with the Florence station reporting 0.73 inches. Field Crops: Fall field work was active. North central Oregon wheat seeding progressed despite dry soil. Some was up and growing, but needed moisture. Grain harvest continued in parts of the State. Grass seed prices were historically low across the board, with annual rye varieties being moved steadily but perennials, particularly fescue, moved slowly. Haying continued in southern Oregon. Vegetables: Still some good vegetables being harvested, with fall squash about to be ready as well. Farmers markets still had plenty of vegetables, but increased irrigation was needed to keep crops coming up to head off the drier weather. Fruits and Nuts: Growers prepared for plum and prune harvest. Filbert orchards were being heavily littered with fallen nuts ready to be swept. Douglas and Jackson counties reported vineyards closely watching their grapes and checking sugar levels. The pear harvest continued. In the Gorge, winter pear harvest continued as did apples, and local wineries began to press grapes. Nurseries and Greenhouses: Greenhouses continued planting fall starts. Nurseries were expected to start balled and burlapped digging within the next couple of weeks. Livestock, Range and Pasture: Dry land pastures had greened from rains earlier in the month, but continued to need more moisture. Irrigated pastures were doing well. Spring calves were being weaned and prepared for sale. In Lake County, fall calving was well underway. Soil Moisture - Week Ending 09/20/09 ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Very : : : : short : Short : Adequate : Surplus ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : Topsoil : 32 45 23 0 Subsoil : 37 39 24 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Progress - Week Ending 09/20/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5 year Crop : week : week : year : average -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Alfalfa hay, third cutting : 94 89 82 83 Winter wheat planted : 27 24 17 15 : Days suitable for fieldwork : 6.5 6.8 6.5 6.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition - Week Ending 09/20/09 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 0 5 33 54 8 Range and pasture : 17 25 40 18 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Western Oregon CLACKAMAS: Experienced warm and dry conditions. Pastures were greening up a little from the Labor Day rain. However, we really need more moisture to get pastures going. Red clover seed all finished. Field work now fully devoted to tillage for fall seeding. Calves weaned and vaccinated, and getting ready for feeder sales. Prunes and peaches were about done. Filbert orchards were heavily littered with nuts ready for sweeping. Vineyards were also looking heavy with fruit. Pumpkins and winter squash vines drying down. Still lots of green tomatoes hoping to escape an early frost that frequently sneaks in about the middle of this week. COLUMBIA: Last of the peaches were being harvested and vegetables were still strong. Apples, pears, and plums were being harvested as well. Some of the fields were being prepared and planted in winter wheat and grass. Light rain on Wednesday did not interfere with most farming activities. However, rain on Saturday did limit most field work. COOS/CURRY: Low temperatures were 3 to 5 degrees above the 5-year average in both Coos and Curry counties. High temperatures through the week were about 3 degrees or more above the 5-year average in Coos County while the heat wave in southern Curry rose to nearly 19 degrees above the 5-year average. Trace precipitation on 2 days and nearly 0.1 on 2 other days in Bandon and 0.12 in over 2 days in Brookings. Morning fog persisted near the Coast most of the week. Bandon (Coos & Northern Curry): Low temperature for the period was 49.63 degrees, 5.28 degrees above the 5-year average. High temperature for the period was 71.5 degrees, 3.67 degrees above the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 0.22 inches, 0.95 inches below the 5-year (including drought in 2004 & 2005) average for the week of 1.17 inches. Precipitation for current weather year precipitation (began 10/08) stands at 41.97 inches, 15.58 inches below the 5 year average, and 18.43 inches below the long-term historical average. Historical average precipitation through September is 60.4 inches. Brookings (Southern Curry): Low temperature for the period was 51.19 degrees, 2.84 degrees above the 5-year average. High temperature for the period was 90.5 degrees, 18.86 degrees above the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 0.12 inches, compared to a 5-year (including drought in 2004 & 2005) average of 0.37 inches. Precipitation for current weather year precipitation (began 10/08) stands at 71.93 inches, 10.13 inches below the 5 year average. Historical average precipitation through September is 73.48 inches. DOUGLAS: Normal weather persists. Warm dry weather great for ripening wine grapes and finishing pears, apples, prunes, and nut crops. Growers have had to keep irrigation going with the higher than normal temperatures. Fall nursery digging for balled and burlap will begin within the next two weeks if temperatures moderate some. River levels were extremely low. Irrigation needs have reduced levels but that demand should end this month. JACKSON: Still some grass and alfalfa hay being made. Some ground preparation for fall grain planting being done, but most all soil was too dry for planting. Pear and apple harvest still quite busy. Vineyards were getting ready for harvest as grapes get sugars up to desired levels. Still some good vegetables being harvested. Fall squash was about ready. Farmers markets still had lots of good vegetables. The drier than normal weather was taking lots of irrigation to keep crops coming. Green houses were busy with growing starts for the fall season. Nurseries kept busy with new and ready for sale stock. Irrigated pastures were still holding up, but it was using all the watering they can get to keep forage growing. Dry ground pastures were just that, dead dry, with little or no good forage. Ranchers were getting ready to bring cattle down from higher ranges. Lots of weaning of early spring calves in preparation for fall sales. JOSEPHINE: Lovely weather this week. Night temperatures were in the upper 30's and 40's day time in the upper 80's lower to upper 90's. We had light rain not measurable one day and coastal influence most of the week. Harvest continued for truck gardens. Hay was all in for second cutting. Yield off this year even on irrigated acres. LANE: Grass seed prices remained at historically low prices across the board. Movement of annual rye varieties remained steady while perennials, especially fescue, were slow. Fall planting of annuals was underway. MARION: A few showers this week, but not enough. MULTNOMAH: Still some spring wheat on the Sauvie's Island that hasn't been harvested. POLK: Scattered rain showers and cloudy, cool weather have improved soil moisture conditions slightly and helped control pests in corn crops. Ear worms were less of a problem this year than they were last year. WASHINGTON: Fall field work included preparing for clover, filbert, and prune harvests. Rain was timely. YAMHILL: Corn silage harvest got started late in the week. Earliest grapes got started as well as first totes spotted on Friday in Dundee. Rains were very welcome this week as fall preperation work continued and planting is starting. Some early hazelnut harvest had begun. Apple harvest continued and prune harvest started this week as well. Eastern Oregon GILLIAM: Early planted wheat had germinated and was growing, but needs rain. GRANT/HARNEY: Things were dry and not much activity. Harvest was done. HOOD RIVER: Mild weather conditions prevailed through the week. Winter pear harvest continued in lower and middle Hood River Valley orchards and began in the upper Valley. KLAMATH: Third cutting was delayed in some areas of the cutting due to delays at first and second cutting. Scattered showers came through the area over the past weekend and some hay that was down was rained on again. More warm temperatures during the week with cooler night time temperatures. Grain harvest continued. Some third cutting hay was still being put up. LAKE: No precipitation during the week. Fall calving operations had majority of calves on the ground. SHERMAN: Dry conditions continued but seeding started anyway. Cooler night temperatures helped bring up some moisture. WALLOWA: Dryland grain yields coming in pretty close to normal, with irrigated grain crops still being harvested. WASCO: Fruit harvest continued on pears and apples and wine grapes were being pressed at local wineries. Winter wheat growers prepared for seeding next year's crop. A few fields were being planted at the higher elevations. Lots of rain is needed to improve topsoil moisture. Alfalfa hay operations were winding down for this season and cattle were still doing fairly well on dry pastures. Weather data for selected stations in Oregon, Week ending: September 20, 2009 (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 : 47 77 63 +5 91 +33 0.58 -0.12 3 2.07 0.33 119 8 Bandon 8/ : 50 72 60 +3 71 +19 0.22 -0.18 4 0.75 -0.28 73 9 Crescent City : 50 71 61 +3 76 +18 0.10 -0.31 3 0.57 -0.45 56 7 Florence : 43 77 61 +2 79 +10 0.73 0.14 2 1.90 0.44 130 4 North Bend : 45 73 61 +3 75 +14 0.33 -0.09 3 0.99 -0.08 93 6 Tillamook : 45 79 62 +6 88 +35 0.53 -0.38 2 1.39 -0.88 61 6 WILLAMETTE : VALLEY : Aurora 8/ : 44 84 63 +3 95 +15 0.19 -0.23 3 1.44 0.33 130 7 Corvallis : 42 83 62 +0 83 +3 0.09 -0.26 3 0.97 0.05 105 5 Detroit Lake 8/ : 45 86 65 +10 103 +58 0.04 -0.50 1 1.50 0.11 108 3 Eugene : 41 84 63 +0 92 +4 0.12 -0.30 1 1.01 -0.06 94 5 Hillsboro : 41 83 62 +3 89 +15 0.23 -0.12 4 1.26 0.31 133 8 McMinnville : 40 84 62 +0 82 +2 0.03 -0.37 1 0.51 -0.49 51 4 Portland : 50 85 67 +4 119 +27 0.28 -0.14 3 1.34 0.19 117 8 Salem : 43 83 64 +3 98 +19 0.19 -0.18 3 1.03 0.08 108 6 SW VALLEYS : Grants Pass : 49 92 67 +3 122 +20 - -0.21 - - -0.52 - - Medford : 51 95 71 +6 146 +40 - -0.21 - - -0.56 - - Roseburg : 48 89 66 +3 115 +21 - -0.28 - 0.54 -0.20 73 1 NORTH CENTRAL : Condon : 38 90 64 +8 97 +45 - -0.14 - 0.07 -0.46 13 1 Echo 8/ : 38 89 66 +4 109 +20 - -0.08 - 0.10 -0.24 29 2 Heppner : 41 90 66 +7 116 +42 - -0.21 - 0.09 -0.43 17 1 Hermiston : 41 89 68 +6 125 +36 - -0.08 - 0.15 -0.19 44 1 Madras 8/ : 37 82 62 +4 83 +21 - -0.14 - 0.18 -0.22 45 1 Moro : 41 89 64 +6 98 +35 - -0.14 - 0.22 -0.18 55 1 Parkdale 8/ : 40 82 61 +3 80 +11 - -0.28 - 0.51 -0.23 69 3 Pendleton : 46 85 66 +4 114 +25 - -0.14 - 0.02 -0.37 5 1 Prairie City 8/ : 37 82 62 +4 83 +21 - -0.14 - 0.18 -0.22 45 1 The Dalles : 47 88 69 +10 132 +65 - -0.14 - 0.18 -0.22 45 3 SOUTH CENTRAL : Agency Lake 8/ : 31 83 57 +4 49 +10 - -0.14 - 0.05 -0.35 13 1 Bend : 36 86 60 +5 71 +27 - -0.11 - - -0.37 - - Burns : 33 87 61 +7 77 +38 0.08 -0.06 2 0.08 -0.32 20 2 Christmas Valley 8/ : 28 87 58 -1 58 -6 - -0.14 - - -0.38 - - Klamath Falls : 37 86 61 +3 75 +11 - -0.12 - - -0.35 - - Klamath Falls 8/ : 36 87 61 +3 79 +15 - -0.12 - - -0.35 - - Lakeview : 37 87 59 +2 65 +12 - -0.14 - - -0.40 - - Lorella 8/ : 33 88 59 +0 64 +0 - -0.12 - - -0.35 - - Redmond : 30 85 60 +4 73 +21 - -0.07 - - -0.31 - - Worden 8/ : 33 88 59 +1 64 +0 - -0.12 - - -0.35 - - NORTHEAST : Baker City : 35 88 60 +5 74 +23 0.02 -0.13 2 0.02 -0.52 4 2 Joseph : 37 83 61 +10 80 +49 - -0.34 - - -0.86 - - La Grande : 39 91 65 +7 109 +41 - -0.21 - - -0.63 - - Union : 41 90 66 +10 112 +58 - -0.22 - 0.02 -0.72 3 1 SOUTHEAST : Ontario : 51 93 70 +9 144 +56 - -0.14 - - -0.40 - - Rome : 44 88 66 +8 114 +46 - -0.14 - - -0.40 - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Summary based on NWS data. Copyright 2009: 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, 2009. 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.