or-crop-weather Oregon Crop Weather Released: November 5, 2012 Week ending: November 4, 2012 OR-CW1405 OREGON CROP WEATHER NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE USDA, NASS, Oregon Field Office Phone: 503-326-2131 Released: November 5, 2012 Toll Free: 1-800-338-2157 Week ending: November 4, 2012 Email: nass-or@nass.usda.gov Volume: 32-12 Internet: www.nass.usda.gov/or Weather: Oregon weather was mild, as most stations reported high temperatures in the upper 60's to lower 70's and measurable precipitation. Most areas outside of the Coast had below average precipitation. All stations in the State reported above normal temperatures. Madras and Prairie City had the highest recorded temperature at 78 degrees, above their normal highs for this time of the year. Most stations in eastern and south central Oregon reported below freezing overnight temperatures. Christmas Valley had the lowest recorded temperature at 16 degrees. The warm temperatures and rainfall have been beneficial to the germination and growth of fall season plantings. Astoria received the most precipitation at 5.65 inches, above its normal precipitation for this time of the season. Field Crops: Grass seed, cover crops, and winter grains have germinated and continued to grow very nicely in lower Willamette Valley. Final acres of winter wheat were being seeded between the rains. Grass seed prices seem firm going into the winter. The mild weather of the past week or two has also allowed the southern Oregon soil temperature to be warm enough for good germination to occur with wheat, grass seed fields, and fall seeded turf grass. In the Union/Baker County area, the sunflower harvest was nearing completion. Corn harvest was just gearing up. Umatilla County corn harvest has finished for many producers. Winter planted wheat was emerging, encouraged by the recent rains and warm temperatures. In north central Oregon, good rains in the last part of October and some warm temperatures made for good grain growing conditions before winter sets. Fruits and Nuts: Lower Willamette Valley hazelnut harvest was near completion, as most producers have finished harvest. Walnut harvest continued. Some fall copper sprays were being applied in apples and pear orchards. Cranberry producers have started harvest season; crop appears mostly good at this point. Vegetables: Fall vegetable crops were also doing well. Fresh produce stands saw pretty strong use by public, but weekend rains slowed pumpkin sales. Cole crops continued to produce a nice crop. Nurseries and Greenhouses: Nurseries could use a few dry days to allow some fall crop digging. Livestock, Range and Pasture: In Wallowa County, good moisture in the form of rain benefitted rangelands, but CRP emergency grazing was still being used by livestock owners. In the Coos/Curry County area, with the moisture and warm weather, grass was growing a little, and livestock continued to use the low lying pastures unless the ground got muddy. Soil Moisture - Week Ending 11/04/12 ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Very : : : : short : Short : Adequate : Surplus ------------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : Topsoil : 8 13 70 9 Subsoil : 21 17 61 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Progress - Week Ending 11/04/12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5 year Crop : week : week : year : average -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn harvested : 93 81 - - Winter wheat planted : 95 84 95 94 Winter wheat emerged : 70 48 46 56 : Days suitable for fieldwork : 4.4 3.6 5.5 5.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition - Week Ending 11/04/12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter wheat : 1 3 38 54 4 Corn : 0 0 8 92 0 Range and pasture : 13 23 40 24 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Western Oregon COOS/CURRY: Lows were about 3.5 degrees above the 5-year average for both counties. Coos County maximum high temperature was 2.42 degrees above the 5- year average. Maximum high was 2.2 degrees below the 5-year average in southern Curry County. Cool mornings and rainy conditions prevailed most of the week along the Coast, with heavy rain mid-week, and a drier, unseasonably warm weekend. With the moisture and warm weather, grass was growing a little, and livestock continued to utilize the low lying pastures until the ground gets muddy. Cranberry producers have started harvest season; crop appears mostly good at this point. Bandon (Coos and Northern Curry): Official Low temperature for the period was 43.88 degrees, 3.62 degrees above the 5-year average. High temperature for the period was 69.18 degrees (on Sunday), 2.423 degrees above the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 3.12 inches, which is 1.86 inches above the 5-year average for the week. Bandon got 1.36 inches on Wednesday alone. Weather year 2012 (through 9/30/2012) ended with a total of 65.04 inches, 11.27 above the 5-year average, and 4.64 above the historical average. Weather year 2013 (began 10/1/2012) precipitation stands at 8.89 inches, 4.03 inches above the 5-year average. Historical average precipitation for October is 4.07 inches. Brookings (Southern Curry): Low temperature for the period was 48.3 degrees, 3.59 degrees above the 5-year average. High temperature for the period was 66.86 degrees, 2.22 degrees below the 5-year average. Precipitation for the period was 1.64 inches, which is 0.28 inches above the 5-year average. Brookings got 1.15 inches on Wednesday. Weather year 2012 (through 9/30/2012) ended with a total of 91.91 inches, 11.61 above the 5-year average, and 18.43 above the historical average. Weather year 2013 (began 10/1/2012) precipitation stands at 10.81 inches, 3.66 inches above the 5-year average. Historical average precipitation for October is 5.22 inches. DOUGLAS: Another wet week has created a good fall moisture recharge of soils to catch up for the late rainy season start. Most areas of the County had over two inches of rain for the month of October. The mild weather of the past week or two has also allowed the soil temperature to be warm enough for good germination to occur with wheat, pasture grasses, grass seed fields, and fall seeded turf grass. Fall vegetable crops were also doing well. The County could use a few dry days now to allow some fall nursery crop digging and fall orchard spraying. JOSEPHINE: Overnight temperatures were 40-50 degrees. Daytime temperatures were 52-70 degrees. Precipitation of 1 3/4 inches of rain. Beautiful fall color and weather! Lots of work done. Burning, spraying, mulching, planting and fertilizing of pasture and hay fields. Perfect weather for germination and growth. Harvesting was about done, fields were being tilled under for winter. LANE: Conditions remained wet in the southern Valley. Hazelnut harvest was near completion, as most producers have finished harvest. Final acres of winter wheat were being seeded between the rains. Grass seed prices seem firm going into the winter. It is the time for winter meetings to begin. Fresh produce stands saw pretty strong use by public, but weekend rains have slowed pumpkin sales. Most farm stands finish this time of year or around Thanksgiving, so call before heading out to one. Cole crops continued to produce a nice crop. Grass seed, cover crops, and winter grains have germinated and continued to grow very nicely. YAMHILL: Walnut harvest continued. Some fall copper sprays were being applied in apples and pear orchards. Eastern Oregon HARNEY: The County remained dry. The area did receive some snow two weeks ago, but last week was dry. Temperatures were still cooling off at night with lows in the 20's and 30's. KLAMATH: Another week of warm temperatures. Some rain during the week brought nearly a quarter inch of precipitation. Fall harvest was finishing up. Some pre-irrigation for next year was occurring. LAKE: Did not receive any precipitation during the week. SHERMAN/WASCO: Good rains in the last part of October and some warm temperatures made for good grain growing conditions before winter sets. UNION/BAKER: October rain was highly variable. Some areas had over 3 inches of rain while other areas only received about eight tenths of an inch. Sunflower harvest was nearing completion. Corn harvest was just gearing up. UMATILLA: Corn harvest has finished for many producers. Winter planted wheat was emerging, encouraged by the recent rains and warm temperatures. WALLOWA: Good moisture in the form of rain was helping all crops and rangelands, but CRP emergency grazing was still being utilized by livestock owners. Weather data for selected stations in Oregon, Week ending: November 4, 2012 (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 : 47 61 55 +7 37 +29 5.65 +3.69 7 14.35 +4.35 144 26 Bandon 8/ : 44 69 57 +7 53 +33 3.12 +1.41 6 8.94 +1.92 127 25 Crescent City : 47 67 59 +7 63 +36 0.61 -1.37 5 6.13 -1.89 76 23 Florence : 47 65 55 +5 38 +21 2.97 +0.79 7 12.92 +2.98 130 24 North Bend : 48 70 59 +7 62 +41 1.65 -0.24 6 6.62 -1.13 85 19 Tillamook : 50 64 59 +10 62 +53 5.57 +3.05 7 15.82 +3.18 125 23 WILLAMETTE : VALLEY : Aurora 8/ : 46 72 58 +10 55 +48 1.90 +0.76 7 7.62 +1.83 132 25 Corvallis : 45 72 58 +10 56 +49 0.96 -0.27 6 5.78 +0.29 105 22 Detroit Lake 8/ : 45 63 52 +11 22 +22 1.65 -0.30 6 13.49 +4.94 158 24 Eugene : 45 74 59 +10 61 +48 1.03 -0.47 5 4.85 -1.29 79 19 Hillsboro : 47 69 58 +11 56 +49 1.71 +0.65 7 5.85 +0.78 115 23 McMinnville : 47 70 58 +11 60 +51 2.31 +1.10 7 6.69 +0.99 117 21 Portland : 50 68 59 +11 68 +54 2.03 +1.06 6 6.69 +1.61 132 21 Salem : 47 73 59 +11 63 +56 1.91 +0.75 7 6.69 +1.34 125 23 SW VALLEYS : Grants Pass : 42 71 56 +6 42 +25 0.60 -0.38 2 3.54 -0.48 88 14 Medford : 40 73 55 +7 39 +28 0.44 -0.15 4 2.00 -0.76 72 14 Roseburg : 45 76 59 +9 64 +47 0.49 -0.54 5 2.55 -1.68 60 19 NORTH CENTRAL : Condon : 36 64 52 +11 22 +19 0.26 -0.10 3 1.80 -0.16 92 13 Echo 8/ : 39 72 54 +9 31 +24 0.06 -0.17 4 1.49 +0.30 125 14 Heppner : 37 68 54 +9 34 +27 0.28 -0.06 3 1.55 -0.52 75 13 Hermiston : 39 72 54 +9 30 +23 0.19 -0.04 3 1.68 +0.49 141 15 Madras 8/ : 32 78 57 +13 51 +44 0.14 -0.13 2 0.86 -0.54 61 13 Moro : 36 67 52 +10 20 +17 0.29 -0.01 4 1.85 +0.36 124 15 Parkdale 8/ : 37 68 52 +7 22 +15 1.25 +0.36 5 5.96 +1.99 150 24 Pendleton : 42 70 57 +11 48 +41 0.17 -0.12 2 1.62 -0.03 98 14 Prairie City 8/ : 32 78 57 +13 51 +44 0.14 -0.13 2 0.86 -0.54 61 13 The Dalles : 41 71 56 +13 43 +36 0.53 +0.22 4 2.05 +0.48 131 13 SOUTH CENTRAL : Agency Lake 8/ : 25 64 45 +6 - +0 0.32 -0.14 1 1.45 -0.85 63 6 Bend : 34 67 52 +11 21 +21 0.07 -0.20 1 0.92 -0.38 71 3 Burns : 22 66 47 +9 3 +3 - -0.26 - 0.77 -0.69 53 7 Christmas Valley 8/ : 16 70 47 +4 4 +1 0.05 -0.27 2 0.70 -1.08 39 10 Klamath Falls : 29 67 48 +6 3 +3 0.17 -0.21 2 0.58 -1.29 31 7 Klamath Falls 8/ : 29 68 48 +6 4 +4 0.21 -0.17 3 0.73 -1.14 39 11 Lakeview 8/ : 20 67 46 +6 1 +1 0.12 -0.29 2 0.70 -1.41 33 9 Lorella 8/ : 24 67 47 +6 3 +3 0.19 -0.19 2 0.92 -0.95 49 9 Redmond : 28 70 53 +11 27 +27 0.06 -0.16 2 1.34 +0.25 123 13 Worden 8/ : 23 68 46 +5 - +0 0.15 -0.23 2 0.52 -1.35 28 10 NORTHEAST : Baker City : 25 63 48 +8 3 +3 0.09 -0.11 1 0.75 -0.74 50 12 Joseph : 33 68 48 +11 8 +8 0.25 -0.33 4 2.11 -1.49 59 17 La Grande : 34 66 54 +12 36 +29 0.21 -0.21 1 1.03 -1.48 41 9 Imbler 8/ : 34 66 51 +11 19 +19 0.37 -0.23 4 3.64 +0.43 113 21 SOUTHEAST : Ontario : 31 68 50 +6 10 +8 0.01 -0.21 1 0.96 -0.32 75 10 Rome : 24 73 52 +10 23 +23 - -0.15 - 0.38 -0.85 31 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Summary based on NWS data. Copyright 2012: 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, 2012. 6/ DFN=Departure from normal (using 1961-1990 normal period). 7/ Precipitation days = Days with precipitation of 0.01 inch or more. 8/ Agri-Met weather stations.