NW Irrigators Welcoming This Week’s Rain

It’s a story we’ve been talking about for much of the past three months; a lack of snow in the Northwest mountains.  And now that much of that snowpack has melted off, growers, especially irrigators are concerned about what that holds for the months ahead.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey said the weather system rolling across much of the western U.S. this week will be an answered prayer for many local growers.

“The fact that we are getting some moisture from Northern and Central California to the Northern Rockies will mean that those areas of the Northwest will be able to either keep the irrigation spigot off or turn them off for a little while as the natural precipitation, the moisture will help to ease those irrigation requirements for some of those irrigated crops across the interior Northwest," Rippey said.

Showers Expected Wednesday And Thursday

Rippey added this slow-moving system also slows down evaporation rates and the losses that can occur when it's been warm and dry.

“So, with temperatures coming down and precipitation falling, that will, again, kind of just forestall some of the impacts of this early snowmelt that we've been expecting," Rippey said.  "And as we move into summer, it doesn't mean we're not going to get into trouble, but it does slow down the process of this early snowmelt loss.”

Rippey said the snow in the higher elevations, it will not be enough to substantially change this very bleak water supply outlook for much of the West.  But he said it does give the Northwest farming community a little bit of a buffer; and will keep down the wildfire threat as well.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com