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.