Weekly weather update for professional turf managers from Frank Rossi:
Temp & GDD
A cooler than normal week with most areas 4-6 degrees below normal. This has really put a halt on growing conditions with base 50 GDD generally <20 across the region. Still ahead of last year’s very cold spring by about a week and now have lost ground on the 15 yr. avg.(normal) with most areas right around normal. Soils are in the upper 40’s still up north to upper 50’s to the south.
Moisture
Adequate rainfall fell across most of the region with 1-2” recorded in most locations. Exceptions include 3”+ to the far south in the DC area and drier to the east on LI and New England around 0.5” as well as the far west in Buffalo at <0.5″. ET was about 0.5” region wide.
Forecast
Following a cool wet weekend, expect the showery period to continue through the week with temps slightly above normal. Driest and warmest days to start the week with peak showers expected in the Wed./Thurs. time-frame. Rainfall totals in the 0.5-1” range for this week. The 8-14 day outlook continues to call for slightly warmer and moist conditions.
For more turf-related weather info and decision-making tools, visit the ForeCast website.
