Weather

Snowpack and reservoir levels are already creating concerns for irrigators in the Yakima Basin.  But it looks like, according to one expert, that Mother Nature will help in other ways this year.  When it comes to the temperatures growers can expect this season, Drew Lerner, Senior Agricultural Meteorologist at World Weather, Inc., said central Wash...

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is out with its recap of the winter of 2024-2025, which includes December, January and February.    “We are seeing that it was our 27th warmest winter out of 130 years, going all the way back to 1895-1896.”    USDA...

Like other programs under the USDA’s umbrella, NRCS has undergone budget cuts because of the Trump Administration’s effort to trim federal spending.  Matt Warbritton with NRCS said those cuts have translated into the termination of three staff members, leaving five full time positions to cover Washington, Oregon and northern California.   “Across that...

We’re in the final stretches of winter; the first day of spring in March 20th.  But, we still have a few weeks to go, and research shows 40% of Americans report their mood declines during the winter.  Gloomy feelings this time of year can lead to fatigue and depression, but experts have strategies to boost your mood year-round.   Rhonda Randall, ...

As of February 13th, the Washington Department of Ecology said it was too early to tell if enough snowpack had accumulated to lift the 2024 drought declaration.  Experts are concerned that at this point, it will take more snow than Washington will likely see before the spring to offset the dry conditions the state experienced last year.   ...

Last week, Oregon’s Ron Wyden joined other senators to reintroduce legislation making a $60 billion investment in forests across the West.  The Democrat lawmakers say these funds will lessen wildfire risk, restore watersheds, protect communities, and reduce wildfire suppression costs.   Wyden ...

It may be early February, but there’s already concerns about irrigation this spring and summer because of the light snowpacks being reported across the west.   “The Snow Water equivalency percentage of averages to below normal just about everywhere and that does include much of the Northwest outside of Oregon and outside of the eastern slopes of the Northern Rockies,” said USDA Meteorologist Brad

This Sunday is Groundhog Day, and it will be the 139th time Punxsutawney Phil has forecasted the weather, letting us know if we have six more weeks of winter in front of us or if we can expect an early spring.   "I would not be surprised to see clear skies and a forecast for another six weeks of winter," noted USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  ...

In apple orchards, heat stress can cause severe damage to trees and fruit.  And with climate projections suggesting stronger heat events, and more frequent events in to the future, Washington State University is out with a free guide helping growers look at cooling down their orchard.   ...

It may be cold across the Northwest, but these temperatures are nothing like what our friends back east are dealing with right now.  The National Weather Service said multiple low-temperature records could be broken stretching from the upper Midwest to the east coast.  In addi...