dryness

While we haven’t seen very hot weather across the Northwest, it has been warm enough, long enough, to dry out area soils.

What might weather look like where you are at at this month and the summer months? USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey offers an outlook, including:   “We are watching the western and central U.S. for the possibility of drought expansion or intensification. We do exp...

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...

The U.S. winter wheat crop planting passed the halfway mark over the past week to reach 51% complete by Sunday October 6th, one point behind the five-year average.   “One thing we have noticed is that planting has been delayed in a few areas due to dryness," noted USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  "And so ...

When it comes to winter wheat, 21% of the crop is in the ground nationwide, which is ahead of the five-year average of 17% for this time of year, and also ahead of last year’s rate by roughly 1%.  And of that winter wheat crop, roughly 2% has emerged nationwide, which is in line with the five-year average.  But USDA mete...

Winter wheat needs moisture, especially at critical stages of development. So what happens to winter wheat that doesn't get enough water? "Once those winter wheat plants are vegetative, which we are seeing across the southern great plains, you get the growth of the stalk, and then it begins to head out," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey ...