soil moisture

It may be winter, but some portions of the Northwest continue to deal with drought conditions.  The latest figures from the U.S. Drought Monitor show over 66% of Washington on par with soil moisture numbers for this time of year.  The dry conditions are primarily found in the central portion of the state stretching down to the Palouse and the L/C Valley.     O...

Drought numbers improved slightly in Washington, with 34% of the state where it should be soil moisture wise this time of year.  While that news is an improvement from last week, 44% of the state is under a D-1 or Moderate Drought designation, and 9% is under a D-2, or Severe Drought.  And those numbers...

Much of the Northwest already knows this, but now the numbers just prove those thoughts.  Soil moisture levels across the western portion of the U.S. remain very low, even for this time of year.  Nationally, 62% of the country is dealing with soil moisture numbers that are very short to short.  The top state, wh...

The 2024 season had its fair share of victories and struggles for canola growers.  Unfortunately, when it was all said and done, the struggles outnumbered the wins.  Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Canola Association said the yields were disappointing.   “You know ...

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 ...

This is the first week of October, which means we’re well into fall panting for winter wheat across the country.   “As we start October, 44% of the winter wheat production area in the United States is in drought," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  "That's actual...

Via an Executive Order, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared a drought in Lake County, and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region.  According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Lake County has been in moderate drought since July 9th.  Drought...

While a few fields of spring wheat remain across the Pacific Northwest, now is the time for wheat growers to think about the 2025 crop and harvest.   “So what leads to a good start?" asked Cat Salois, Director, Research and Technology Division with the McGregor Company. "Many people t...

According to the latest figures from the U.S. Drought Monitor, only 13% of Washington is where it should be soil moisture wise for this time of year; and much of that is on the Peninsula.  Over 2% of the Evergreen state is under a D-3, or Extreme Drought designation, with most of that reported in the central part of the state.     ...

Governor Tina Kotek has issued two more drought declarations in Central Oregon.  The emergency declarations for Deschutes and Grant counties clear the way for state coordination of resources in an area now in its fourth year of drought.  ...