Sacramento, Calif., (August 22, 2017) – Mostly dry conditions and near normal temperatures dominated the weather this week. With some areas of rain concentrated mostly in the higher elevation regions on the eastern side of the state, with Yosemite Valley receiving a total of 0.45 inches for the week. Continued heat in the higher elevations has nearly melted all snow, except for those shaded locations near Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Temperature highs were in the 60s to 70s along the coast, 80s to 90s in the mountains, 80s to 100s in the valley, and highs in the 100s in the desert. Temperature lows were in the 40s to 50s along the coast and the mountains, 50s to 60s in the valley, and the 70s in the dessert.
Alfalfa continued to be cut and baled. Safflower was drying in the field. Sorghum for silage was cultivated and irrigated. Cotton was blooming and forming bolls, and continued to be irrigated. Corn for silage was harvested. Black-eyed beans were maturing and nearing harvest. Rice was heading ahead of schedule.
Peach, nectarine, Asian pears, and plum harvest continued. Harvested stone fruit orchards were pruned and topped. Fig harvest began. Table grape and finger lime harvest continued. Wine grape harvest was underway. Olives were developing well. Valencia oranges were harvested, however, regreening continued to be a problem.
Almond harvest was underway in some groves as hull split progressed. Almond orchard ground preparation continued for later varieties. Walnut and pistachio orchards continued to be irrigated. Both mechanical and chemical weed control continued in orchards.
Processing tomato harvest was progressing well. Legumes and fall squash were flowering. Brussel sprouts in the vegetative state were growing rapidly. Fresh tomatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, summer squashes, eggplant, and peppers were harvested. Sweet corn harvest continued. Monterey County strawberry production was impacted slightly by pest pressure due to fog. Melons were harvested and some later harvest fields irrigated. Fall ground work, including discing, chiseling, and land planning, was underway in some fields. New drip tape was installed in new and existing beds.
Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland quality continued to deteriorate. As the nutritional quality of range grasses diminished supplemental feeding increased. Some livestock were evacuated due to grass and forest fires. Sheep grazed retired pasture and dormant alfalfa. Bees worked melon fields.
