Late Season Weather Critical to Harvest Decisions
October 18, 2011 The harvest season is much anticipated for farmers across the country who eagerly wait to see how much the season’s hard work has paid off. Despite being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, weather still plays a critical role in last minute crop management decisions on the farm. Farmers can rely on Farmers’ Forecast (www.weather.com/farming) this harvest season for their agriculture-specific weather forecasts.
“The ability to make smart and accurate decisions based on the weather can dramatically affect a farmer’s ability to increase their bottom line, especially at harvest,” said Scott Rismiller, Interactive Marketing Lead for Monsanto. “Monsanto and The Weather Channel designed Farmers’ Forecast to be a year-round tool for farmers to help them make the right weather decisions and in turn, become more efficient.”
Parts of the country have seen way too much rain this summer, while others haven’t seen enough. When harvest season approaches it is critical that crops, especially those that have endured adverse weather conditions, have seen the appropriate time and conditions to be harvested. The Growing Degree Days Calculator on Farmers’ Forecast can help farmers determine the right time to harvest and help them plan their activities for the fall.
New in 2011, Farmers’ Forecast features TruPoint Radar Mapping which provides detailed weather conditions accurate up to 1.5 miles to track and project weather specific to their farm. The map displays a loop of various selectable weather conditions for the previous two hours and animated predictions for the next six.
Even though the La Nina event that occurred over the past winter and spring is now over, it will take time for overall weather patterns to shift.
“Unfortunately, outside of a tropical cyclone, we don’t see any significant, immediate relief in the drought-plagued Southern Plains,” said Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist at The Weather Channel. “However, this current active hurricane season is not letting up, and the continued threat of tropical cyclones may continue to soak parts of the central and eastern Gulf Coast, extending into the rest of the East. Farmers who continue to use Farmers’ Forecast will receive the location specific forecasts they need to better plan their work throughout the harvest season.”
To access all of the ZIP code specific agricultural weather data available from Farmers’ Forecast, visit www.weather.com/farming
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