Weather is going to be the future money variable

[Deleted]

This epiphany hit me today when I went outside to water. My pretty peppers (yesterday) had melted. I need to call the lawn guy and say "wait a week" (and he only comes every other week now).

It is 100 degrees in central Alabama right now. We'd normally be in the low 80s with relatively low humidity. There is no rain in the forecast for at least a week.

So crops are either dying or need watering. Lawn people are no doubt suffering. I don't see how you can do construction work or outside painting or much of anything outside in this kind of weather.

This is August for us . . . usually our only bad month.

Has your weather changed significantly? I'm not talking about stuff like tornadoes. We've had tornadoes in Alabama in the same places at least twice before (newspaper article traced the path in different colors . . . exact same path 3 or 4X since 1950).

And do you see it having an economic impact or stuff like food, which is already being hiked for fuel prices?

Just something new to complain about. . . I don't have any co-workers for the next two months except my DH who is now in Phoenix where, believe it or not, it is much cooler. Lol.

[Havoc]

Absolutely.... and it is already pretty big news in the farming communities and the commodity traders.

Eg, Kansas is one of the biggest wheat producing states in the US, and there are already estimates that they will lose up to HALF of their wheat harvest this year due to the drought that they are in, and there is a lot of discussion as to how permanent these disruptive weather patterns are going to be.

[phil5185]

except my DH who is now in Phoenix where, believe it or not, it is much cooler. Lol.

Well, not exactly, about 103 here. But for us that's great, we're enjoying it as we get ready for the 115 - 118 when the solstice comes in a couple weeks.

[busymom]

Yup, we've had weird weather here since last year. I was noticing when I went on a walk with DS last week that insects are out now that we usually don't see until August. And the monarch butterflies were hanging around the end of May!! What's up with that?! I don't have a lot of confidence in the growing season this year.

[Deleted]

Ok, Phil, he LIED. He said it was in the mid 90s. Lol. That sounds much cooler than the 100s. But maybe he was factoring in that "dry" factor you guys talk about.

[midjd]

We had torrential rains here for at least a month... the farmers have only been able to get crops in the ground over the last week or so. I'm not sure how the harvest will be affected (IN is primarily corn/soybeans/tobacco) but it will definitely be a late one.

Since it stopped raining, it has been hellaciously hot. Our flower garden looks great from 6-8 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. but looks half-dead the rest of the day. We also spend a heck of a lot of time watering it. At least water is pretty cheap around these parts... for now.

[debtheaven]

Definitely. It rained today for the first time in (literally) two months here (suburbs of Paris). I spent a bunch of money updating / extending our watering system, and replacing a leaky hose reel, all within the past 48 hours.

Of course, then it finally hailed (yes, in June, in a temperate climate), and poured. It then slowed down to a steady, light and welcome rain. And I think now it's stopped.

I freelance as well as teach, and my latest freelance article was for a scientific revue, about the effects of climate change (ie increasing temps, generally speaking) on the world's vineyards. Very interesting.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

It's raining here. In June. Which is very rare.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

From today's local paper (central California):


The cooler temperatures – about 10 degrees below normal – have slowed the development of fruit and row crops by one to two weeks. For grape and cotton farmers, that means harvesting during potentially rainy weather.

Tree fruit growers, meanwhile, say the fall-like weather puts a damper on consumers' appetite for summertime fruit such as peaches, plums and nectarines.

Thiesen said cooler weather across the country has created a sluggish market for early varieties of summer tree fruit.

At the worst, the Valley's tree fruit industry may have fewer days to sell its fruit. But growers such as Wayne Brandt in Reedley are optimistic they can make up any lost marketing opportunities this summer.

"Once schools let out and the temperatures start to warm up, things will start flowing," Brandt said.

Grape and cotton farmers are hoping the Valley's weather returns to a more normal pattern. The two crops are major commodities in the Valley, and both are susceptible to late-season rains.

Too much rain can ruin raisin grapes and reduce the quality of cotton.

Wet weather also could lead to more mildew problems for wine and table grapes, especially with rainy weather in the forecast.

Cotton growers are increasingly anxious. High prices have prompted more growers to farm cotton, and no one wants a disappointing season.

Cotton growers got off to a slow start last year, too, but they got lucky with ideal fall harvesting weather: dry and mild temperatures.

[debtheaven]

This message has been deleted.

[DVM gone riding]

rainiest spring on rec in NW--finally heat 80 today. had to run the heat all of May

[Deleted]

It's been perfect here in the So. Cal mountains at 5,500' for the last week. 60-high 70s depending on time of day and elevation.

But it was odd that on last Sunday (May 29th) we had a heavy drizzle. Usually in the Coastal areas we don't see rain much past April, but plenty of fog; our May Gray and June Gloom at the beaches.

Still big patches of snow on the trail at 9,000' . I was really glad I bought trekking poles to keep here at the cabin. Otherwise I would be slip-sliding down the mountain! I don't think they grow anything around here except for squirrels.

"we're enjoying it as we get ready for the 115 - 118 when the solstice comes in a couple weeks."

Yeah, I am NOT looking forward to my AZ trip on July 5th. I will be driving in from La Jolla Shores (San Diego). I really should organize my trip differently going to AZ first. Although I'll be in the north part of the valley. So when it's a blistering 121 degrees in Phoenix, I'll be enjoying a cool and breezy 115 in Carefree.

[Formerly SK]

Yep - we're in Portland OR and is has rained constantly. Yesterday was the first day this year when I haven't had the heat on. We visited a farm last week and they are just now planting - they said they are over a month behind schedule due to the cold. Everyone I know with a backyard garden is not doing well. Farmers markets probably won't be so good this year.

[Gardening Grandma]

Locally, we are enjoying beautiful (sunny and 70's) weather after a very cool, wet spring. I'm finally able to start planting. We've been working on some hardscape projects in the back yard; terracing a hillside for a vegetable garden and an area to grow cutting flowers, and also a flagstone patio.

But, to the OP, yes, I definitely can see food prices going up because of droughts in other parts of the world.

I don't think our weather (Pacific NW) has changed significantly. We've always had cool, wet springs. It makes for a late start growing tomatoes and a short growing season for the veggies that like hot weather.

[Waffle]

Jun 4, 2011 19:59:24 GMT -5 midjd said:

We had torrential rains here for at least a month... the farmers have only been able to get crops in the ground over the last week or so. I'm not sure how the harvest will be affected (IN is primarily corn/soybeans/tobacco) but it will definitely be a late one.

Since it stopped raining, it has been hellaciously hot. Our flower garden looks great from 6-8 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. but looks half-dead the rest of the day. We also spend a heck of a lot of time watering it. At least water is pretty cheap around these parts... for now.

What she said (I'm also in IN).

I was told that most of our farmers get two crops in during normal years, but because of the rains that couldn't get the crops planted early enough to have two "rounds" of crops. That's going to have to hurt them.

[midjd]

Howdy, neighbor!

This is the first year (in the last 20 or so) ILs didn't grow tobacco... last year they ended up losing money on the crop, so FIL sold all his equipment. It was hard to get rid of it, apparently a lot of farmers around here decided they were done last year too. I'm not pro-tobacco, but it is unfortunate that so many families are losing what (to some) was a pretty big proportion of their annual income.

[jkapp]

Our spring here in WI was very late (we had a rare snowstorm in mid April) and we just recently - probably within the last week and a half - started getting warmer temperatures. But this same type of weather has happened in the past, so I'm not sweating it. Weather patterns fluctuate from year to year and decade to decade - one year we might have drought the next we will have floods...and there's not a damn thing we can do about it.

[dancinmama]

Jun 4, 2011 20:13:00 GMT -5 ❤ mollymouser ❤ said:

It's raining here. In June. Which is very rare.

molly: I live in the So SF Bay Area and I can't remember a June when I did not have to run the sprinklers everyday. I was able to turn them off on the 31st and I probably won't turn them back on until tomorrow. It'll be easy on the water bill. ;D

[tiredturkey]

Paper says we're 13 inches below norm on rainfall and we've broken heat records day after day. The whole neighborhood is talking because our reliable crape myrtle trees aren't blooming this year. The cicadas are already singing like August; I've only seen one bat and very few swallows because there are no mosquitoes for them to eat. Everything from the fruits and veggies from the Valley to the High Plains winter wheat will be affected. From previous years I know that many financially pressed livestock owners will let their cattle and horses starve to death or die of dehydration because the stock tanks and ponds are dry. Those with the inclination and enough money will opt for euthanasia or at least send the horses to slaughter in Mexico. Many can't or won't. SPCA is already getting a lot of rescue calls for distressed animals. With gas prices high and beef and horse prices low because the market was flooded with ranchers dumping animals they couldn't feed, many opt to just forget about what's in the back pasture. I don't mean to do a Debbie Downer but that is a very real part of the financial toll. And it has a dollar cost on the other end when ranchers have to pay a premium to restock their herds.

[jkapp]

Jun 5, 2011 17:00:44 GMT -5 @tiredturkey said:

Paper says we're 13 inches below norm on rainfall and we've broken heat records day after day. The whole neighborhood is talking because our reliable crape myrtle trees aren't blooming this year. The cicadas are already singing like August; I've only seen one bat and very few swallows because there are no mosquitoes for them to eat. Everything from the fruits and veggies from the Valley to the High Plains winter wheat will be affected. From previous years I know that many financially pressed livestock owners will let their cattle and horses starve to death or die of dehydration because the stock tanks and ponds are dry. Those with the inclination and enough money will opt for euthanasia or at least send the horses to slaughter in Mexico. Many can't or won't. SPCA is already getting a lot of rescue calls for distressed animals. With gas prices high and beef and horse prices low because the market was flooded with ranchers dumping animals they couldn't feed, many opt to just forget about what's in the back pasture. I don't mean to do a Debbie Downer but that is a very real part of the financial toll. And it has a dollar cost on the other end when ranchers have to pay a premium to restock their herds.

If only Louisiana and other parts of the midwest could have diverted their flood waters towards you this year...