Weather

Attention farmers in Washington State: Have your say in the future of agriculture. Take the WSDA survey now.

Here are five important agricultural-related highlights from the first week of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference.

The USDA has released its weekly crop progress and condition report for the Pacific Northwest. This week's report covers October 30 through November 5, 2023.

The maple tree sap started flowing a couple of weeks early this year in eastern Canada and that’s not really a good thing.  Stretches of mild weather in January and in February is expected to produce smaller volumes of processed syrup, along with a less than perfect product.  Extended...

The past two years have been challenging for potato growers across the Pacific Northwest.  Last year, the growing and planting season was delayed thanks to a late spring snow storm that dumped several inches of snow in several locations.  An...

After a month of several winter storms, the Oregon snowpack is much improved from January.  Matt Warbritton, with NRC Oregon, says most basins across the state are near or above average for this time of year.  Some of the best performing basins right now are found in the southeast portion of the state, including:  The Lake County-Goose Lake at 124% of normal  The Owyhee Basin at 118% of average T

Central Oregon’s Crook County remains the only place in the western United States under a D-4, or Exceptional Drought, designation.  And again, county leaders have asked for a state drought declaration.  County Judge Seth Crawford says he’s also talked with the Governor about funding a biomass plant that would use juniper trees to create power, but more studies are needed.   “Then we can go to dif

Four western senators introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires across the region.  The Wildfire Emergency Act, introduced by Oregon’s Ron Wyden, California senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla as well as Montana’s Steve Daines would allow the Forest Service to leverage private financing to accelerate forest restoration projects and create a program

The Washington snowpack is looking good for this time of year.   But good is not great.   Scott Pattee with NRCS Washington said December was a bit of a letdown after such as strong start to the snow year in November.   “Quite a bit less than it was last month.  But surprisingly, ...

According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Drought monitor, only 9% of Oregon is where it should be for soil moisture numbers for this time of year.  And of that 91% that’s dry, the driest conditions are found in the central part of the state, with a large portion of Crook County under a Exceptional Drought designation.  While snowpac...