Weather

Space Weather Disturbances and Farm GPS Interruptions: Understanding Last Week’s Solar Flares

Over the past week, one of the most frequent questions and concerns brought to the Paulding County Extension Office was about GPS malfunctions affecting farm operations. Many farmers reported having to manually steer combines, manure tankers, fertilizer applicators, and grain carts due to disrupted GPS signals. So, what caused these issues, and how can farmers prepare for similar disruptions in the future?

Introduction

Last week, a series of intense solar flares, part of ongoing solar activity, caused disruptions to satellite-based systems around the globe. Farmers using GPS technology for precision agriculture were particularly impacted, as these tools are essential for tasks like planting, soil mapping, and irrigation management. This article will explore how space weather, specifically solar flares, affects farm operations dependent on GPS, the science behind solar flares, and what to expect as we head toward the solar maximum. Continue reading Space Weather Disturbances and Farm GPS Interruptions: Understanding Last Week’s Solar Flares →

Soil Health Specialist Says Dry Conditions Have Complicated Cover Cropping

From Brownfield Ag News:

Click here to listen to the 5-minute interview with Dr. Anna Cates, University of Minnesota Extension Soil Health Specialist and Brownfield Ag News.

Some farmers new to cover crops might be having second thoughts after another dry growing season.

University of Minnesota Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates says cover crops generally take up a lot of water in the spring and fall.

“At a time when we have a lot of water. It rains a lot (and) the soil is holding a lot of water (so) it’s great to have something growing and reducing that a little bit. But the last couple years that reduction has kind of left us short for cash crop water supply, and that’s been a real hardship (and) we’ve seen poor stands because of it.”

She tells Brownfield farmers who have been using cover crops for several years or more don’t seem too concerned.

“For people who have seen the benefits over time, they say it’s 100 percent worth it. But if this is your first year and you barely saw any stand and then you had trouble terminating it in the spring, and then you saw a cash crop yield drag, that was not a great experience.”

Cates says early termination of the cover crop and lower seeding rates can help mitigate the challenges dry weather presents.

Ag Outlook – Great Lineup for Speakers on Tuesday, February 14

Join Defiance and Paulding County OSU Extension in Jewel, Ohio for the next Ag Outlook meeting on Tuesday, February 14 from 5:30 – 9:00 PM at the Jewell Community Center, 7900 Independence Rd., Defiance, OH 43512.

Agenda:

  • Welcome & Dinner—5:30 p.m. – Country-style dinner.
  • Commodity Grain Market Outlook, Seugnki Lee, PhD., Ohio State University, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics
  • Long-Term Care: Is the Farm at Risk? — Robert Moore, JD., OSU Extension, Attorney, OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program
  • 2023 Weather Outlook – Aaron Wilson, PhD., OSU Extension, Assistant Professor and Field Specialist, Ag Weather, and Climate

Registration is preferred online @ https://go.osu.edu/23DefianceOutlook or call the Defiance County Extension office at 419-782-4771
RSVP by February 13. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS.
CCA Credits Applied For and the Cost: $10.00/person

Check out the Official Flyer Here

When the Rain Won’t Let Up

By:  Bridget Britton, Behavioral Field Specialist, OSU Extension

Each morning when waking up recently it feels as though we look out the window and it is either raining or has rained overnight. Farmers are natural meteorologists and are in tune with what is going on with the weather at any given hour of the day.

According to Aaron Wilson, Ohio State University Extension climatologist, there has been measurable rainfall on all but 3 days so far in the month of April. Wet weather and planting delays are sources of additional stress. Though we can’t know for sure when the fields will dry up enough to plant, there are things you can do to keep some of the stress from overwhelming you.

  • Get moving: This is normally when the physical activity starts ramping up. You might not be out busy in the fields yet but start prepping your body and mind now by doing whatever exercise you enjoy to get in the right mindset. This “exercise” might include working on equipment, cleaning your shop, or catching up on things you’ve been putting off.
  • Make time for laughs: Have you ever heard laughter is the best medicine? Well, it might not be the best, but it can help. Make sure you find time to spend with your funny family member or employee. You know who they are. Continue reading When the Rain Won’t Let Up →

Tri-County Soil Health Workshop to be Held March 18

Join Fulton and Williams Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Hillsdale Conservation District for a Tri-County Soil Health Workshop on Friday, March 18 at the Kissell Community Building, 509 N. Main Street, West Unity, OH. Presenters will include Rick Clark, a 5th generation farmer and 2022 National No-Till Conference presenter, and Dr. Aaron Wilson, Atmospheric Research Scientist with the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and Climate Specialist with OSU Extension. The workshop will also feature a local farmer panel moderated by Rick Clark.

CCA credits include 3 Soil & Water Management CEUs and 1 Crop Management CEU. MAEAP Phase 1 and MI RUP Credits are also available. The workshop cost is $20, which includes lunch and refreshments. Registration is required by March 11 at either www.hillsdalecd.org or by submitting a completed registration form and payment to Williams SWCD, 11246 State Route 15, Montpelier, OH 43543.

Decent Harvest Weather Likely to Continue into October

By Aaron Wilson, OSU Extension

Weather Summary

Ohio’s weather has been dominated by the high pressure of late, bringing with it a pattern of warm, sunny days and cool nights for the last couple of weeks. During this time, little to no rain has fallen across the state. As daylight hours are growing shorter, evaporation is not as strong as it is during the summer. Therefore, drought conditions are not rapidly expanding across Ohio. However, persistent dryness is evident across areas of northwest, southwest, and far northeast Ohio, where soils remain dry. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor indicates about 18% of Ohio is still experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions (Fig. 1). For more information on recent climate conditions and impacts, check out the latest Hydro-Climate Assessment from the State Climate Office of Ohio.

Figure 1: U.S. Drought Monitor for Ohio as reported on Thursday, September 22, 2020.

Continue reading Decent Harvest Weather Likely to Continue into October →

We Now Turn Our Attention to Autumn Harvest Season

Map of Pacific Ocean

Map of Pacific Ocean

Article from CORN 9-1-2020, Jim Noel, National Weather Service

The cooler than normal blob of water in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator tends to push the first autumn freeze later than normal in our region. Therefore, there is no indication of an early freeze in September this year. It appears the first freeze for Ohio will not come until October either on schedule or a bit later than normal.

September looks to have the first half start cooler than normal followed by a return to normal temperatures for the second half of the month.  Precipitation will be normal or slightly above normal for September. Normal rainfall is currently 1-1.5 inches per two weeks dropping to about an inch per two weeks for the second half of September. Even though we expect rainfall at or slightly above normal in September, there is a great deal of uncertainty due to the tropics and where those systems will travel. So you will want to pay attention to later outlooks at https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

Rainfall for the first half of September will average 0.50-2.00 inches. The heaviest rains will likely surround the state of Ohio in most directions.

16 day precipitation forecast

16 day precipitation outlook

October into part of November looks to resume the above-normal temperatures which should create an extended autumn this year. Rainfall remains highly uncertain but it appears near normal is the most likely outcome for October and November as we have some climate models showing above normal and some below normal rainfall.

The early outlook for winter calls for above-normal temperatures the first half and below normal temperatures second half. Precipitation is likely to become above normal with potential influences from the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Climate and Hydrology Pattern to Relax in August

16-day Mean PrecipitationThe overall drier pattern in many but not all places in Ohio this summer appears like it will relax closer to normal in August. The greatest uncertainty with the outlook will center around how the tropical moisture impacts the eastern United States.

The August outlook for temperatures indicates 1-2F above normal but a lot closer to normal than what we have seen this summer with the heat. The last time we have seen this much hot weather was 2015 and 2012. The good news is the worst of the heat for 2020 appears over. What this means is we should see a lot more maximum temperatures in the 80s with some 90s thrown in. Expected minimum temperatures mostly in the 60s to lower 70s. Continue reading Climate and Hydrology Pattern to Relax in August →

Farmers need to gear up for more rain

By Aaron Wilson, Climate Specialist, CFAES

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Weather extremes like those during 2018, much more rain, and heavier downpours are likely to become the norm rather than the exception in Ohio, according to a climate expert with The Ohio State University.

As a result, the state’s farmers will have to deal with more and more water pouring onto and running off of their fields, and that could threaten the quality of water downstream, said Aaron Wilson, climate specialist with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Continue reading Farmers need to gear up for more rain →