2022 West Coast Weather and Farming Thread

[Casey Hartlip]

Way to carry the torch for Anderson Valley. We leave for AZ in 12 days and I get my last check next week.

[Bdklein]

Assuming there is no freeze/frost, and focusing only on the impact on the 2022 growing season, are there any possible negative impacts if there is rain in the next week or so?

[Joe Webb]

Assuming there is no freeze/frost, and focusing only on the impact on the 2022 growing season, are there any possible negative impacts if there is rain in the next week or so?

Had another hard frost last night, overheard sprinklers for the win. Not enough inversion to get mich use out of fans.

Rain is ok, and desperately needed. Until bloom there are no issues to be concerned about.

[Ken Zinns]

I read on Facebook last night that a Sierra Foothills grower / vintner I've visited in the past lost a lot of their new buds and vine growth to frost damage the other night. Wouldn't be surprised if there are others in various parts of California who've had frost damage this week.

And I got an email last night from a friend who lives just outside of Portland with photos of snow and hail yesterday! Hope the weather up that way doesn't cause too much crop damage.

There's been a little rain - though not very much - coming through the Bay Area in the past week with more expected today, Saturday, and possibly next week. May not end up amounting to a lot but anything should help right now. Except that it's a pain bottling wine in rainy weather, which I'll be doing today.

[Merrill Lindquist]

We had a substantial rainfall overnight. In Calistoga....

The flower formations look good. I'll get out and take a look around when this rain ends, but now I am grateful for the rain for 2 reasons: 1) the obvious in regards to drought. but 2) the rain generally keeps the frost away.

Am under contract to TRB at Elusa Winery at the Four Seasons here in Calistoga for my 2022 fruit. Won't miss bottling days!

[Rick Allen]

I read on Facebook last night that a Sierra Foothills grower / vintner I've visited in the past lost a lot of their new buds and vine growth to frost damage the other night. Wouldn't be surprised if there are others in various parts of California who've had frost damage this week.

And I got an email last night from a friend who lives just outside of Portland with photos of snow and hail yesterday! Hope the weather up that way doesn't cause too much crop damage.

There's been a little rain - though not very much - coming through the Bay Area in the past week with more expected today, Saturday, and possibly next week. May not end up amounting to a lot but anything should help right now. Except that it's a pain bottling wine in rainy weather, which I'll be doing today.

The Hood River valley farmers believe they lost a good chunk of their cherry crop due to the snow. This is the latest measurable snow we've ever had at PDX.

[Ken Zinns]

I read on Facebook last night that a Sierra Foothills grower / vintner I've visited in the past lost a lot of their new buds and vine growth to frost damage the other night. Wouldn't be surprised if there are others in various parts of California who've had frost damage this week.

And I got an email last night from a friend who lives just outside of Portland with photos of snow and hail yesterday! Hope the weather up that way doesn't cause too much crop damage.

There's been a little rain - though not very much - coming through the Bay Area in the past week with more expected today, Saturday, and possibly next week. May not end up amounting to a lot but anything should help right now. Except that it's a pain bottling wine in rainy weather, which I'll be doing today.

The Hood River valley farmers believe they lost a good chunk of their cherry crop due to the snow. This is the latest measurable snow we've ever had at PDX.

Hearing today of more Sierra Foothills vineyards with vines that got fried by the recent frost.

[Steve Edmunds]

Shake Ridge got frosted; don't know the extent yet

[R M Kriete]

We had a substantial rainfall overnight. In Calistoga....

The flower formations look good. I'll get out and take a look around when this rain ends, but now I am grateful for the rain for 2 reasons: 1) the obvious in regards to drought. but 2) the rain generally keeps the frost away.

Am under contract to TRB at Elusa Winery at the Four Seasons here in Calistoga for my 2022 fruit. Won't miss bottling days!

Does this mean you are finished producing Black Cat?

[mattcitrang]

We had a substantial rainfall overnight. In Calistoga....

The flower formations look good. I'll get out and take a look around when this rain ends, but now I am grateful for the rain for 2 reasons: 1) the obvious in regards to drought. but 2) the rain generally keeps the frost away.

Am under contract to TRB at Elusa Winery at the Four Seasons here in Calistoga for my 2022 fruit. Won't miss bottling days!

Does this mean you are finished producing Black Cat?

viewtopic.php?p=3328992#p3328992

[Merrill Lindquist]

We had a substantial rainfall overnight. In Calistoga....

The flower formations look good. I'll get out and take a look around when this rain ends, but now I am grateful for the rain for 2 reasons: 1) the obvious in regards to drought. but 2) the rain generally keeps the frost away.

Am under contract to TRB at Elusa Winery at the Four Seasons here in Calistoga for my 2022 fruit. Won't miss bottling days!

Does this mean you are finished producing Black Cat?

Yes, at least for now. My last vintage was 2019, which is 10 months in bottle and showing very well. I have recently heard that the 2019s are showing well very early.

[Jason L.]

Frenchtown Farms in Yuba reported they lost most of their crop to frost. It looks like Forlorn Hope also was affected.

[larry schaffer]

Shake Ridge got frosted; don't know the extent yet

Keep us posted please . . .

[Joe Webb]

Another fan and almost water last night. Low of 30ish. Got a little over an inch of rain with another inch or more on the way.

Second round of mowing done in the vineyard.

Probably another frost tonight.

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[Tom DeBiase]

Shake Ridge got frosted; don't know the extent yet

So sad to hear this, so many great wines are made from that vineyard.

Please let us know if you get more info.

Tom

[Merrill Lindquist]

Right now the wind machines are on and it is reportedly 38 degrees. They are saying a chance of rain later and through the week, which should keep the temps higher. The only thing to do is hope.

[leslie renaud]

Now hearing from our Lodi grower that the season might be a total loss for pinot noir on some ranches, and 75% loss in others.

[Marcus Montanile]

Morgan Twain-Peterson posted on instagram this morning 4/18 they had some frost damage. Not sure the extent

[Chris C a r y]

Washington had pretty nutso weather most of last week, with snow, freezing temps just about everywhere in Eastern Washington. Bud break or not is a bigger question and in my case I had not seen any bud break yet. My coldest night was 26 F and no signs of damage so far after checking buds yesterday. I'm expecting to hear/see some reports of damage but mostly it's too early to tell. Forecast is a bit warmer this week, but still not out of the woods.

This was my vineyard last Monday, and it melted and re-covered about 2-3 times last week before a "final" melt off yesterday.

[Jason L.]

Washington had pretty nutso weather most of last week, with snow, freezing temps just about everywhere in Eastern Washington. Bud break or not is a bigger question and in my case I had not seen any bud break yet. My coldest night was 26 F and no signs of damage so far after checking buds yesterday. I'm expecting to hear/see some reports of damage but mostly it's too early to tell. Forecast is a bit warmer this week, but still not out of the woods.

This was my vineyard last Monday, and it melted and re-covered about 2-3 times last week before a "final" melt off yesterday.

wow. i have cherry tomatoes and squash growing already. i feel like we are on different planets! hoping you avoid damage.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

General question - have the recent bits of rain done anything to move the needle in Northern California, or is it still wildly below normal for the year?

[Steve Edmunds]

Because of a very wet October, and an even wetter December, the numbers in the Bay Area actually are just about normal, but the previous two years (especially last year) have been so dry, it feels like we're way behind.

[Stewart Johnson]

I seem to have dodged the frost bullet in Marin, but my Mom lost quite a bit (30% estimate) of her sangiovese in Amador County.
The main thing the recent rains have done is help the topsoil soil consume my massive cover crop. It smells like I'm turning compost while disking out there, the soil tilth is the best it has ever been, and every fistful is laced with fungal hyphae. It's the picture of health.
I had to just leave last year's canes out there to produce whatever they could this year. Due to the drought, there weren't suitable replacement canes to lay down. It's turning out better than expected, as the majority of the nodes are putting out shoots with flower clusters. There are certainly more blanks than normal, but it's not the complete disaster that I had feared.

[Joe Webb]

Another frost scare last night, thankfully the fog came in.

Weak shoot thinning this week should be done today.

Absolutely great wine pouring and growing weather.

[William Segui]

Hearing reports of bloom, that feels 3-ish weeks early

[Merrill Lindquist]

Hearing reports of bloom, that feels 3-ish weeks early

Nothing here.

[leslie renaud]

We're definitely in it in RRV.

[Stewart Johnson]

No bloom, but yellow starthistle is freakishly early -- like 6 weeks ahead of normal.

[Casey Hartlip]

Here I am in AZ and retired, but still following my buddies back home. Seems like Anderson Valley has been very cool and damp. The good thing is they have had almost 4" of rain in April, bad news is vines are way behind for the season. I hear from friends that vines are yellow and stunted. They also say cluster counts are very much on the high side. Guess I'll be watching from 1200 miles away!

[Al Osterheld]

You know you miss it.

-Al

[Bdklein]

You know you miss it.

-Al

My magic 8-ball says “road trip”.

[Casey Hartlip]

Sure, but gonna enjoy the industry as an observer rather than a participant.

[Al Osterheld]

Probably will sleep better, too!

-Al

[larry schaffer]

Very very windy down here in SBC - not sure if flowering has begun in many sites, but if so, no bueno . . .

[D@vid Bu3ker]

Hail storm today in Napa/Sonoma?

[Steve Edmunds]

couple more chilly, windy days ahead, too. quite brisk down here.

[William Segui]

two straight days of fans running here in the Valley. consistent winds & reports of scattered rain and hail (yesterday). High in the upper 50's today and forecasted to be 90 by the weekend.

[Ed Steinway]

Hail storm today in Napa/Sonoma?

Some in Napa and St. Helena today, per KRON-4 News.

https://www.kron4.com/news/napa-hailsto ... -on-video/

[Brian Tuite]

St Helena. Dr Crane

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[Casey Hartlip]

St Helena. Dr Crane


B6321A37-C6E8-4280-B6B6-A64EF1205866.jpeg

A guy I follow on Facebook showed video of hail in St Helena. He said his Cab Franc and Chard are very well into bloom now. Really horrible news. One can only hope that the hail stones weren't very large and didn't shred any leaves or damage the clusters too much.

[Bdklein]

I have been told from a good friend who had dinner with a prominent winery owner and prominent winemaker that there is definitive damage to some vineyards from the recent hailstorm , but too early to tell the ultimate impact . Any insight from anyone ??

[Chris C a r y]

An update from my (very) small corner of Washington. Our vineyard doesn't seem to have suffered any severe damage from the snow and freezing events of mid April. As hoped for, since we had not budded then, there was less affect, and most, if not all, primary buds survived. April had a grand total of 5 GDD at my nearby weather station, and another whopping 25 or so in May, does still mean that I am still just in bud break mode across most of the vineyard. A long ways until my typical pick dates which are late October/early November, so a lot can happen, good and bad. Folks in Washington already comparing 2022 to 2011, and again a lot can change, but it's definitely a cool/late start.

[Merrill Lindquist]

I have been away for a week and missed the rain/hail event. Everything looks great in the vineyard - no damage. Only problem is I now have a full cover crop again due to the weather pattern. Knee high mustard in May anyone?

[Merrill Lindquist]

Another tour of the vineyard and I smelled the telltale signs of early bloom. Upon close inspection I found some lightly fraying edges of the flower formations. Just lovely.

[Casey Hartlip]

Another tour of the vineyard and I smelled the telltale signs of early bloom. Upon close inspection I found some lightly fraying edges of the flower formations. Just lovely.

Any pics of that bloom?

[larry schaffer]

I heard Paso got hit with frost again last week . . .

[Steve Edmunds]

Placerville did, too

[Ken Zinns]

Placerville did, too

Sorry to hear, Steve, especially after last month's frost damage in the Foothills. Any report on damage to the vineyards you source fruit from?

[Steve Edmunds]

I spoke with Chuck the morning after, and it was a bit too soon to know the full extent, Ken, but it's at least the 2nd occurrence, so far, this season, so their crop will be a different one, this year. And fire season still ahead...

[Ken Zinns]

I spoke with Chuck the morning after, and it was a bit too soon to know the full extent, Ken, but it's at least the 2nd occurrence, so far, this season, so their crop will be a different one, this year. And fire season still ahead...

Thanks for the update, Steve.