El Nino Spring and Summer Ahead Pt 2

El Nino Spring and Summer Ahead Pt 2

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. The Climate Prediction Center is calling for an El Niño weather pattern to continue through spring and summer this year.

But, State Climatologist Nick Bond says it's not likely to be a very strong El Niño ...

BOND ... "The official forecast from the Climate Prediction Center for the 3-month period of March through May has us at above normal temperatures for that extending into the summer. And so, I think it is, that's not a certainty, but the evidence is on that side, and that would be indeed consistent with what we've seen in past El Niño's with the recognition that this is a weak one and the atmosphere is kind of been thumbing its nose at it all along anyway."

And, Bond says the El Niño's warmer and drier weather pattern should carry through the months ahead ...

BOND ... "There's not much of an indication for precipitation one way or another, but that warmth in part because, you know climate trends and that sort of thing, is liable to persist through the summer."

But, what will it mean for the growers?

BOND ... "For some agricultural interests, that could be really good. If you've got enough water maybe you get another crop of alfalfa out of your field or you get early-ripening fruit and so forth, and so, as long as we don't have temperatures that are too hot, I think it's going to be a good year ahead."

On top of that, thanks to the recent snows across the state, Bond says the snowpack in the mountains is looking good.

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