Lovely!
This week’s forecast was for snow at low elevations here in Ventura county. That didn’t materialize but we did
get hammered again with heavy rain - 5" in 48 hr. Bringing total season to date of 25" - 10" more than long-term average, and way more than 2021’s 11" or 2020’s 3.5". And the rain season still has a month to go!
So, so much rain here, and very cold. Managed to get my vineyard pruned on a rare clear day. All this rain means easier farming this year, which is welcome.
The sun is out! The sun out! Still cold mid morning, but we’ll take it.
It’s certainly not for lack of rain, but this is the worst cover crop year I can remember. This time last year, mine was head high, and it’s barely at my ankles now. It seems pretty universal – pastureland, vineyard and completely uncultivated ground all have pretty weak stands of grass, at least through Marin/Southern Sonoma/Southern Napa. This is a year when I could use a big cover crop to suck up some moisture in the Spring, but it doesn’t look like that help is on the way. I guess I should brace for extra vigor.
Too cold and too little sunshine?
-Al
That sounds right. The hope is that there is at least some tradeoff with the cold pushing back budbreak, but Mother Nature isn’t known for her sense of fair play.
This has been one of the cooler starts to a year I can remember in a while. Highs in wine country may not clear 60 in March. My backyard vines often show obvious signs by now, this year nothing. I’d say it’s likely to be average-to-late.
More rain next few days?
Indeed. Potentially a lot more. Has already started here in Calistoga, I didn’t think it was going to get rolling until tonight. Hope everyone is and stays safe out there.
More rain down here, more snow in Sierras at least at higher elevations. Some of the lower elevations will get rain, because it’s a warmer storm than the ones the past few months.
-Al
How are you folks in Santa Barbara County doing? It looks like you’re getting a pretty good soaking.
Saw that Cambria, on the coast is flooded, and a lot of flooding around the central valley, particularly foothill areas that are drainage routes off mountainous areas. I’m in socal, so just getting a bit of rain this afternoon, and haven’t been watching weather news, but amazingly seems like there are more flooding events now than there were from the big december/january storms.
Did everyone survive the latest inundation?
It was brutal in coastal areas, one town is partly underwater after a levee gave way. Also the snow piled up in San Bernardino mountains has started to melt and is causing problems.
My immediate area got much less rain that in some earlier storms. The snow is finally gone from the nearby peaks (warmer storm). It lasted at least two weeks, but not sure exactly when it disappeared because there were low clouds blocking the view.
The official rain gauge for my town stopped working for a few of the storms, eg, 0.8" on another gauge was 0.01" at the official gauge. But, I think we are now over 150% of average annual with more storms on the horizon.
-Al
Seems appropriate for the first day of Spring 
Man! Nothing happening. Slow cover like Stewart says and buds are either looking interested or super tight still. Going to be a late harvest this year unless we get some heat soon. Even some of the wildflowers are late. Sonoma Botanical garden was barren except for some cherry, magnolia and some wildflowers. Tulips, though are right on time loving the cold. I have a picture of last year and my roses were already out in full bloom. This year barely a few inches out.
It’ll give me some time to fix the tractor and sprayer if it ever stops raining.
Looking into my crystal ball, I see this pattern continuing at least until the end of March. Late, cool spring, late budbreak. Accuweather shows a normal May and June…but I wonder. Despite all of the recent scientific advances, weather forecasts still aren’t very accurate beyond 5 days.
At least, the farmers who depend upon irrigation water should be happy this year…
More rain in California this week?
