Lake County >> Recent warm temperatures are said to be caused by the same weather conditions that set the stage for the December and mid-February showers and the current drought.
“Simply, it’s just really a ridge of high pressure,” National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Dang said. That’s caused the high winter temperatures in Lake County and throughout California.
The average January median temperature is 43.7 degrees, but last month’s average reached just under 51 degrees, Dang said. For February, the average is 45.8 degrees, but so far it sits at 53.3 degrees.
Pear and grape growers are already seeing the beginnings of blooms they don’t expect until about April because of the higher temperatures.
“It’s pushing a very early bloom,” Diane Henderson, Kelseyville pear grower, said. “We’re not even out of February and they’re already pushing. We’ll be at full bloom in March if this keeps up.”
Pedro Rubio, general manager for the 1,350-acre Beckstoffer Vineyards in the Red Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area), said they are experiencing similar early blossoms.
However, both growers say that the temperatures may not necessarily affect the crop — at least not directly.
“The warmer weather will make us have a very long frost season,” Henderson said. “Once the bloom is out they’ve got baby pears susceptible to freezing. Right now, dormant cold doesn’t hurt them but once they turn to flowers, baby pears are sensitive to cold.”
Rubio said warmer weather affects the grape’s hydration, but the extent won’t be realized until the summer when they are closer to harvesting.
Dang predicted the temperature to fall back to the mid-60s next week, only a drop of two or three degrees, which he said was, “not too meaningful.”
“We do have a steady trend downward in temperatures, but probably not too substantial,” Dang said.
As for rain, Dang doesn’t expect it any time soon.
With the uncertainty of rainfall, Henderson and Rubio said they are relying more on careful water management and conservation.
One instrument detects the water content on leaves, based on that growers can apply only the amount of water needed and, “don’t just irrigate out of control,” Rubio said.
“I think that growers are pushing technology to find better ways to monitor soil moisture, nutritional needs and fertilizer to be as minimal and accurate as possible,” Henderson said.
The weather pattern is a familiar one, at least to those who forecast such things. A ridge of high pressure along the West Coast blocks Pacific winter storms from reaching California and moves them north to Alaska and Canada, which has resulted in drier conditions. While a high pressure ridge typically breaks down, Dang said this one has been in place since late 2013 or early 2014. Another defining characteristic is that it’s situated more to the east, which has allowed the two “Pineapple Express” storms that have temporarily eased some of the drought affects to pass through California.
Its tropical origins have also brought warmer temperatures with it.
Dang said the next best chance of rain is probably coming in at end of February or beginning of next month, “but that’s so far off we cant say how likely that is.”
