Showing posts with label Weather Stations. Show all posts

Orchard Outlook Newsletter Vol. 22, No 16

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Today's newsletter reviews disease pressure and continues with preharvest recommendations. Note that heat accumulated so far is still above average and may contribute to earlier harvest periods. Learn tips about getting a valley-wide view of the weather. Review apple scab and fire blight disease pressure from the season and be reminded of fungicide preharvest intervals. Finally, take a look at leaf pruning.

Weather

2022 Degree Day Accumulations

Jeff Franklin observes that, "Daily temperatures have been average to above average for most of the growing season. Temperatures for the month of June were near normal but late July and all of August have been well above average." In terms of degree days, it is therefore not surprising that the cumulative degree days are above the 10-year average for base 10°C heat units (Figure 1). The heat accumulated so far may contribute to earlier harvest periods but check your records from similar years such as 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021 for guidance. My apologies that no degree day figure is provided this week but one will be included in the next update.

Using the Cape Breton Mesonet Website for Weather Comparisons

The Cape Breton Mesonet has recently undergone some excellent changes that help us get a big picture of weather events throughout the Valley. The website offers a map of the province with approved Davis weather stations. It is an interactive map where you can change what appears on the map by clicking the icons on the left side of the screen.

'Layers' allow you to choose important data like temperature and wind, humidity, wind streamlines, and daily rain. Storm rain is especially interesting because it is the rain total of a rain event that begins with two tips of the rain spoon and ends when there have been 24 hours without rain (Figure 1).
Within layers and under the heading 'Extremes' you can load daily high or low temperatures or wind gusts across the Valley (Figure 2).
Below the layers icon is a calendar icon for 'History' that lets you choose a date in history to explore using the layers mentioned above.
The next icon is the 'Extra Functions'. Here you can access regional summaries such as the 10 NSFGA stations.

Figure 1: Using Layers and History on the Cape Breton Mesonet website to show the quantity of storm rain received throughout the Valley on August 14, 2022.

Figure 2: Using Layers on the Cape Breton Mesonet website to show today's extreme high wind gusts throughout the Valley as of late morning.

2022 Review of Disease Pressure

Review of Apple Scab

The infection periods for the 2022 season are summarized in Table 1. Above-average temperatures in early spring led to early maturing ascospores and wetting periods produced infection events that occurred roughly every week.

All scab infection events are reason for protection but, in particular, the event on May 15/16 was a notable risk period because up to 40% of total spore load could have matured since the last infection and new tissue had developed in the meantime. Other infection events in May also had significant spore load. This season a total of 9 primary infection events were recorded, which is slightly less than has been typical in recent years.

Secondary scab infection events were also ongoing and can occur up until harvest time, therefore any orchards with scab should continue regular fungicide sprays until preharvest intervals no longer allow their application. August fungicide applications are also used to prevent summer fruit rot diseases from showing up at harvest.

Table 1: Summary of apple scab primary infection events recorded in Kentville in 2022, based on the Modified Mills Table and assuming a green tip date of April 17.

Review of Fire Blight

The first blossoms in the Valley opened around May 14 with early regions in full bloom around May 23. A heat wave created a high risk of fire blight blossom infection during a critical period of bloom throughout the Valley.

According to the Maryblyt model, EIP values approached the threshold on May 16-17 in a few regions.
High EIP values were recorded on May 22 for most regions. Bacterial populations built rapidly in a single day during high forecast temperatures. Even new blossoms that opened on May 22 and that were colonized by bacteria were susceptible to infection. Only blossoms open at the time of an antibiotic spray are protected from infection.
High EIP values were recorded on May 29-30 for most regions. Antibiotic application was a juggle with winds, changing temperatures, and changing rain risk.
The EIP was again high during periods in mid- and late-June when young plantings were in bloom.
Symptoms of early blossom infections began to appear around June 12. Blossom infections developed where protection was not achieved.
Trauma blight was a risk after very isolated hail on June 18.

Fire blight pressure was certainly felt this year. Depending on the situation, infections seemed to arise where protection was not applied (usually less susceptible varieties), near festering infections from last year, coverage on only every second row, and poor coverage during full bloom.

Reminders about Fungicide Preharvest Intervals (PHI)

Table 1: Fungicide products for control of summer diseases listed from longest preharvest interval to shortest preharvest interval. Includes notes about diseases controlled and re-entry intervals (REIs).

Preharvest Recommendations

Refer to the August 9th Orchard Outlook for more information regarding late season diseases and harvest fruit quality including topics on diseases, disorders, and Retain/Harvista.

Leaf Pruning

Some folks have chosen to remove leaves by hand on blocks that have struggled to get enough red colour. The practice is time consuming so it seems doable on early varieties but less likely on later varieties when harvest is well underway. If you are considering hand pruning leaves, here are some tips from local experience:

Take a handful of leaves near the fruit and cut them off with trimmers. Trimmers as opposed to pulling leaves avoids shaking off fruit or removing next year's buds.
Save time by focusing on the lower canopy that is within reach and already exposed to less sun.
Estimate the time commitment by timing how long it takes to do 10 trees and then average it by tree.
Prune leaves within the 2 weeks before harvest.
Try to do the leaf pruning when there are 2 days of overcast weather in the forecast to prevent sunburn.
It is not yet known if leaf pruning influences winter hardiness. Limited leaf removal is not expected to have a big influence.

Figure 3: Leaf pruning by hand using trimmers shown on the early variety Minneiska as an example.

For more reading, here is research on the topic by Cornell University, "Using pneumatic defoliation to improve fruit color and quality in apple: A follow up from the International Tree Fruit Association Annual Conference." Their research suggests that hand pruning leaves or pneumatic defoliation result in about 90% of apples with more than 33% red colour compared to only 53% of apples on untreated trees.

Pest Management Guides 2022

All changes new to 2022 are made in red text directly on the guides. The information on all changes was summarized in a blog post on April 8th.

Download the 2022 Pome Fruit Management Guide
Download the 2022 Organic Apple Management Guide
Download the 2022 Stone Fruit Management Guide
Download the 2022 Thinners and Growth Regulators Guide
Download the 2022 Tree Fruit Weed Management Guide

Events and Notices

For upcoming events, visit the ‘Events’ tab on the NS Tree Fruit Blog. Specific events will be described here when available.

Nova Scotia Programs

Soil and Water Sustainability Program - Helps farmers mitigate on-farm environmental risk for soil and water as identified in their individual Environmental Farm Plans that accelerate environmental farm stewardship in Nova Scotia. The deadline for applications is September 15th, 2022. Visit https://novascotia.ca/programs/.

Limestone Trucking Assistance Program – Aims to help Nova Scotia farms defray the cost of trucking limestone to give equal opportunity in neutralizing the acidity of the soil on agricultural land and improve production efficiencies. The deadline for application is September 1, 2022 (this Thursday). Visit https://novascotia.ca/programs/.

Innovation Rebate Program - Nova Scotia Business Inc. program supports companies as they innovate. drive productivity, increase production capacity, and adopt cleaner and more sustainable approaches to growth across Nova Scotia. Visit https://www.novascotiabusiness.com/export/programs-services/innovation-rebate-program.

Farm Transition Seminar Series from Farm Credit Canada

Join Farm Credit Canada for a 9-part virtual event series on farm transition. Hosted by FCC Business Advisors and transition experts, each month will feature a new topic, highlighting a different step in the process.  Registration at their website.

Can’t attend a live event? No problem – check back to watch the recordings at your convenience!

Sessions:

September 20, 2022 – Value, vision, and goal setting - a farm transition powerhouse
October 11, 2022 - Building a farm transition team – how to find the right fit
November 8, 2022 - Will and estate planning: The key to any successful farm transition
December 13, 2022 - Creating a business plan that fits your farm transition vision
January 10 , 2023- Handing over the keys: Transferring knowledge in farm transition
February 14, 2023 - Unlock your inner CEO: Leading a successful farm transition
March 14, 2023 - Review, revisit, repeat: Keeping your farm transition plan alive

Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc.
Edited by Michelle Cortens, Tree Fruit Specialist

Sharing the NSFGA Orchard Tour Video Series: Day 3

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Once again the NSFGA Annual Summer Tour is virtual! A dedicated group of growers are your guest speakers and Michelle Cortens is your host, and together they explore a wide range of technical topics to share with you.

Over the week of August 9th, a total of four videos will be released.

For the third stop, today's tour is at Spurr Brothers Farm with Lisa Jenereaux. This stop focuses on root pruning, replant management (M26 fumigated vs G935 not fumigated), and weather stations.

After the videos have been released, you can watch them at any time on the 2021 Summer Tour YouTube Playlist.

Sharing the NSFGA Orchard Tour Video Series: Day 1

Monday, August 9, 2021

Over the week of August 9th, a total of four videos will be released each day including information on a finger weeder, 2D canopies, concrete trellis system, weather stations, root pruning, replant disease, hedging, irrigation, sizing Gala, captan restrictions, crop load management, M7 rootstock, and plant in place.

Kicking off the tour today is the first stop with Tim and Andy at Stirling's Mountainside Farms. This stop focuses on the finger weeder, 2D canopies, concrete trellis system, and weather stations.

After the videos have been released, you can watch them at any time on the 2021 Summer Tour YouTube Playlist.

Orchard Outlook Newsletter Vol 21, No 4

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Weather

2021 Degree Day Accumulations

The above-average trend continues. Temperatures have cycled in March and April to sometime give the illusion that it hasn't been very warm. But Jeff Franklin describes that the averages tell the story. The average temperature for March 2021 is 1.35°C compared to the 20 year average of -0.62°C. The average temperature of April 2021 is 7.16°C compared to the 20 year average of 5.59°C.

Please note that due to an IT problem, the degree day accumulations this week are updated to only May 1st, but the issue should be resolved by next week.

Figure 1: Heating degree day accumulations for plant (above 5°C) and insect (above 10°C) development from March 1st to May 1st for the past 17 seasons. Provided by Jeff Franklin (AAFC).

Approximately 61% more plant development heat units compared to the 5-year average, and 55% more compared to the 10-year average.
Approximately 147% more plant development heat units compared to 2020, and 47% more compared with 2019.
Approximately 80% more insect development heat units compared to the 5-year average, and 64% more compared to the 10-year average.

More Weather Stations in the Valley

On track to finish installation this week!

The Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association through federal and provincial funding with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture has embarked on a smart farm demonstration project to install and maintain weather stations.

At the time of this newsletter, eight of the ten weather stations are operational. The Grand Pre location was installed this morning and the Windsor location is being installed this afternoon. Other operational stations include: Atlanta, Aylesford, Grafton, Melvern Square, Mochelle, Morristown, and Woodville. Jon Bent is planning to install the final station in North Medford on Wednesday morning.

This is a reminder that any weather stations on the Davis WeatherLink platform that do not have "NSFGA" in the name are not being maintained under this project.

Resources

Information session on the weather station project and smart tools
Video tutorials on accessing weather information through WeatherLink
Davis WeatherLink for desktop computer (NSFGA or free account required)
Davis WeatherLink application for smartphones (NSFGA or free account required)
NS Tree Fruit Blog weather tab
Cape Breton Mesonet

Historical weather data is a feature of a paid account so NSFGA members and their advisors have access. On April 22nd, Candy sent the login information to members. If you’re not a member, you can access the live/current weather data by creating your own free account on Davis WeatherLink. Search for weather stations and add them to your account.

Bud Development

An early region on Middle Dyke Road in the Kentville area is monitored to guide this newsletter. Over the last week the leaves have started to unfurl into the tight cluster stage. On May 3rd, the Idared buds were at the stage of tight cluster, Honeycrisp was at early tight cluster, and Ambrosia was at half-inch green. Stone fruit are in bloom or approaching bloom. With the extra degree day accumulations this year, bud development is progressing quite early.

Figure 2: Bud development in an early region on Middle Dyke Road in Kentville on May 3rd. Shown from left to right: Idared, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia.

Orchard Outlook committee members reported that Honeycrisp in later regions are generally around late half-inch green to early tight cluster. Pear stages are also variable but on average are between bud burst and green cluster stages.

Diseases

Apple – Scab

Table 1: Apple scab infection events at the Kentville Research Station from April 28th to May 4th, based on the Modified Mills Table.

1 For a high inoculum orchard, a significant number of spores can be released during darkness, so begin calculating leaf wetting regardless of the time of day when the wetting event started. An orchard is considered to have a high inoculum load if last season it had 100 or more scabby leaves observed over 600 shoots.

2 Assuming a green tip date of Tuesday, April 14th. Please use this as a guide because microclimates will cause conditions to vary on individual farms.

3 All forecasts are estimates. Observe forecasts daily for more accurate predictions.

Note: The environmental conditions for an infection are listed in the Modified Mills Table.

Forecast and Perspective

A period of rainfall is currently forecast for Wednesday, May 5th. With the forecast temperatures at an average of +11.5°C, it would take around 12 hours of leaf wetness for an apple scab infection event to occur, according to the Modified Mills Table. Note that ascospores are now maturing more rapidly and that 12% of the total spore load has matured since the last infection event.

The heat is also speeding up ascospore maturity. For perspective, at this time last year only 5% of ascospores had matured.

Recommendations:

Apply a protectant fungicide to green tissue prior to an infection event and reapply on a 7-day interval, with a shorter interval after wet weather (cumulative 1-2” rain) or rapid tissue growth.
Vigilant protection of primary scab will prevent the challenges that come with chasing secondary scab. Secondary scab will be increasingly challenging with upcoming product discontinuations.
Always tank mix single site fungicides with a group M for resistance management.
Note that Polyram is being phased-out due to the cancellation of the active ingredient. The last date of use is June 21, 2021.

Special notes on products containing Captan and water soluble packaging:

The product formulations Maestro 80 DF and Supra Captan 80 WDG are being phased-out. The last date of use is May 10, 2021 and it is fast approaching. The PMRA identified issues with the dry flowables in terms of applicator exposure when mixing and loading. Studies show that water soluble packaging (WSP) reduces handler exposure so it’s an acceptable risk mitigation measure. There are new registrations for the formulations Supra Captan 80 WSP and Maestro 80 WSP.
Water soluble packaging has been used in the past but now we are looking at more frequent use. Consider these best practices:

Make sure packets fully dissolve and disperse before adding other products. Packets dissolve faster in warm water than cold water, like dishwasher pods.
Check the filter after the first use and every couple of uses.
Be careful mixing. Do not use WSP in a tank mix with boron and rinse the tank well before and after boron.

If you plan to use oil for European Red Mite control, Captan should be avoided within 7-14 days of an oil application.
Note that the new captan containing product Maestro 80 WSP has re-entry periods that differ depending on the orchard density and activity (anywhere from 2-24 days).

Apple – Powdery Mildew

Typically, conidia are released around the tight cluster stage. Powdery mildew infections can be expected when conditions are warm (10-25°C), humid and dry.

Fungicide resistance management for scab vs powdery mildew:

Scab: The Group M fungicides (mancozeb and captan) provide scab control so tank mixing them with single-site fungicides is a great strategy to slow resistance development in the apple scab population. Most populations of apple scab are resistant to Group 3 fungicides Nova and Fullback so the products are not expected to provide control. A full rate of a protectant fungicide is necessary for scab control.

Powdery mildew: Group Ms do not have activity on powdery mildew so they will not help prevent powdery mildew resistance development. Products in the groups 3, 7 and 11 are registered for control of PM. Resistance to group 11 products was reported in a survey in 2013. Therefore, whenever the remaining groups 3 & 7 are used, careful consideration must be given to rotating the groups to slow resistance development. Avoid more than two consecutive applications of a single group.

Recommendations:

Do not apply a product for powdery mildew before a heavy rain is expected. The product will wash off, plus powdery mildew spores will not germinate on a wet leaf surface anyway. As opposed to scab, powdery mildew protection should go on prior to a period of warm and dry weather when infections are expected.
Application of a protectant mildew fungicide at tight cluster prevents infections of leaf clusters. Timely application early in the season will reduce the risk of secondary infections.
Remember to treat young plantings because severe infections can reduce shoot growth, which is most concerning for young, non-bearing orchards.
Pay particular attention to susceptible and high-value varieties such as Honeycrisp and Gala.

Apple – Fire Blight Prevention

Recommendations:

For on-farm nurseries, consider applying a copper product at the lowest labeled rate prior to training trees and follow the labeled REI. Make cuts on only dry and sunny days.
Be cautious when applying post-emergent herbicides to prevent injury to young trees.

Stone Fruit – Brown Rot Blossom Blight

Brown rot infection of the flowers during bloom provides secondary inoculum for fruit infections later on.

Recommendations:

Fungicide protection from brown rot should begin just prior to bloom and be maintained during periods of warm, wet weather.
Rotating classes of brown rot fungicides is key to slow resistance development. There are many options in the management guide.

Insects

European Red Mite

To be most effective, oil application for ERM should be targeted close to egg hatch – around tight cluster and before pink. Conditions have been good for getting oil on so applications should be made soon if not already done. Avoid oil if freezing temperatures will occur within 48 hrs.

Pre-Bloom Insecticides

It is still too early for pre-bloom insecticides but with the lead in degree day accumulations this year the time is approaching. Depending on the heat in the forecast, your region, and monitoring reports, action may be needed in a week or two as we approach the pink stage.

Recommendations:

Be on standby and monitor for the spring caterpillar complex, European apple sawfly, tarnished plant bug, and aphids.
Treatments for spring caterpillars should not be applied too early because product must enter the developing flower clusters where the larvae like to feed to be effective. Treatments should be applied pre-bloom so target the full pink stage. Note that there is a lower tolerance for WM than GPM. Green Pug Moth do not feed directly on developing fruitlets.
If treatments for OBLR are required at pink, the treatments should also have some activity on WM and GPM.
If a pyrethroid is applied for tarnished plant bug at pink, it will also have activity on WM and GPM. Similarly, pyrethroids are expected to have some activity on EAS if being applied for other pests.
As a reminder, pyrethroids are best used at moderate temperatures (20°C or less) and are harsh on beneficial insects and predator mites. They should only be used where potential losses justify their application.
In orchards with a history of damage and high numbers of European apple sawfly catches, an application of Altacor, Assail, Calypso, or Exirel at full pink is recommended to control the adults prior to egg laying.
If history of tarnished plant bug damage indicates that pressure is moderate to high, an application of insecticide at full pink can be beneficial.

Weed Management

Studies have shown maintaining weed free strips from bud break to 30-days after full bloom has the greatest impact on tree growth and yield. Timely herbicide application will ensure you make the most of the weed free window.

Recommendations:

Residual Herbicides

Spring is an ideal time for using residual weed control products and they offer a much longer weed control period than post-emergent products such as Ignite and Glyphosate.
Note the differences in the application directions for the residual herbicides Chateau and Alion.

Chateau can be applied to young trees (note specific label directions). Chateau should not be applied after budbreak unless application equipment is shielded to prevent crop injury.
On the other hand, Alion can be applied only to mature orchards with trees established for 3 growing seasons. Alion can be applied anytime throughout the growing season (note specific label directions).

When mixing residual herbicides, agitation is important to keep the product in solution. If the herbicide settles in the tank then it can be delivered in a high concentration and possibly result in crop injury.
Note that residual herbicides can damage single tree replacements.
If weeds are already present, consider adding a post-emerge to a residual herbicide to achieve control.

Post-emerge Herbicides

Some of the perennials are at a susceptible stage now and this is a good management opportunity if you didn't get to them last fall.
Take time to allow concentrated products like Roundup to mix into the solution before adding other products.
Be careful with tank mixing herbicides. At the Orchard Outlook committee, there was a report that the mixture of Roundup Transorb and 2,4-D Amine herbicide can form a white precipitate. New formulations may behave unexpectedly. If in doubt, consider performing a jar test to test compatibility. The jar test is described in a post by Sprayers 101.

Horticulture

Pruning

If pruning is delayed, plan a strategy to get the most value for your time. Prioritize young blocks and high value varieties and return to low value areas. This strategy is especially important considering the new captan limitations.
Ensure that youngest blocks are pruned first so growth is directed into desirable leader and terminal extension. Prune early to encourage vigour or delay pruning to remove vigour.

Fertilizing

Bud break to bloom is the ideal time for granular fertilizer application to maximize tree growth.

Liming

Be cautious applying lime to orchard blocks now that green tissue is progressed. The force of the lime from the spreader can damage the leaf tissue and buds. The next best opportunity to apply lime again is in the autumn.

Planting Trees

Newly planted trees should be pruned for tree structure and supported as early as possible after planting. Prioritize trees that are known to be brittle at the union, including many of the new Geneva rootstocks (G.11, G.41, G.16 etc).
Remember to document the quality of your nursery trees with pictures and notes. Did trees dry out? Any signs of disease (cankers, crown gall)? How do the roots look (rinse and take a photo)? Notify the appropriate people of issues you notice. Record the date of planting. An issue that shows up after planting is much easier to diagnose or prevent given this information.
If fumigating in the spring, observe the warnings on the label prior to planting to avoid crop injury. Leave the soil undisturbed for 10 to 14 days or longer in wet weather. To verify plant safety, follow the safety germination test described on the label for PicPlus.

Nursery Trees

Check on nursery trees because buds have grown quickly from full dormant to quarter inch green very quickly. Rootstock tops should be cut so the rootstock does not overpower the bud.
Remember the importance of weed control in nurseries. Management practices now will impact the outcome of the final tree. Encourage the growing point to be successful!
If growing your own trees, criticize their quality and don't plan to plant 100% of the trees. Planting small (<4 ft), weak trees will delay production. Trees are typically small for a reason and will continue to be weak trees. Commercial nurseries grade their trees and build in the cost of discarded trees so the same approach is recommended for on-farm nurseries. Tree losses of at least 10% are common.

Mowing

Keeping the orchard floor cover mowed pre-bloom will minimize dandelion flowers that attract bees, which increases the safety of pre-bloom insecticide applications. An early start will help keep the orchard floor under control.

Pest Management Guides 2021

The pest management guides are available online for download. All changes new to 2021 are made in red text.

Download the 2021 Pome Fruit Schedule
Download the 2021 Organic Apple Schedule
Download the 2021 Stone Fruit Schedule
Download the 2021 Thinners and Growth Regulators Schedule
Download the 2021 Tree Fruit Weed Management Guide

Events and Notices

For upcoming events, visit the ‘Events’ tab on the NS Tree Fruit Blog. Specific events will be described here when available.

NSFGA Research Survey

Before time and energy is put into considering research proposals or applying to funding programs, direct input from members is needed to establish research priorities and propose research interests.

The NSFGA Research Committee is asking for your input on this survey to explain what you need or would like to see in terms of research so that we engage in research that is of benefit to growers, packers, and processors. It is important that we get your opinion on what information would benefit you and/or the apple industry. The survey is expected to take less than 5 minutes to complete. Please complete by Tuesday, May 18th.

CanadaGAP Version 9.0 Updates

My colleagues over at the food safety team noted in their most recent newsletter:
CanadaGAP has released Version 9.0 of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Manual and the Greenhouse Product Manual. These new manuals will take effect on April 1, 2021. To download the new manuals, please visit the CanadaGAP website. The audit checklist for version 9.0 is also now available on CanadaGAP’s website. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) have also been updated to reflect version 9.0 of the CanadaGAP manuals and other important changes made to the program this year.

This Orchard Outlook has been published with the input of the Orchard Outlook Committee
Edited by Michelle Cortens, Tree Fruit Specialist

Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc.

Resources: Video tutorials on accessing weather information through WeatherLink

Friday, April 30, 2021

You've heard the announcements that the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association through federal and provincial funding with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture has embarked on a smart farm demonstration project to install and maintain weather stations. For more information on the project and the weather stations, view the presentation from the NSFGA's recorded information session.

The purpose of this post is to walk you through a series of short and concise video tutorials on using the WeatherLink platform. I've been involved as an advisor on the project and now I'd like to help you get up-and-running quickly to access weather information for your farm management decisions!

And what a perfect viewing opportunity on this rainy day today!

Click on any of the following video tutorials to be re-directed to the video player. If interested, there is a transcript feature that you can access on the top right corner of the video player. Use it to follow along, search, or copy to print. Neat!

WeatherLink: Accessing current weather

Video duration: 2:56

Video 1: What's the temperature, rainfall, and wind speed right now? In this video, learn how to select the weather station of interest and use it to access the live and current weather information on the bulletin page. Display the live information in tiles or as a table summary. This information is available on the NSFGA account but it is also publicly accessible on a free account.

WeatherLink: Viewing recent history in monthly summary

Video duration: 3:23

Video 2: Are you interested in how much rain a station recorded over the last 24 or 48 hours? Want a summary for your reports or daily values to input in the Maryblyt model? In this video, learn how to access daily and monthly summaries on the data page. Don't wade through 15-minute data when there is an easy way to view the summarized information.

WeatherLink: Downloading 15-minute data

Video duration: 2:05

Video 3: Want to dig deep into the 15-minute data being reported? In this video, learn more about the data page. Select the date of interest and the time span, then export the data file to an email address to open with a program like Excel.

WeatherLink: Using charts to analyze weather

Video duration: 5:27

Video 4: What if you want to see a charted representation of the temperature over a 24-hour period? Or a 1-week period? Can you see both rainfall and leaf wetness values at the same time? In this video, learn to access the charts page to visually analyze the weather information and interpret with your observations in the field.

WeatherLink: Map view

Video duration: 1:45

Video 5: Can you quickly compare all of the stations on a map view? Yes! In this video, learn to zoom in and drag around the map to explore current and live weather information in the Valley. This information is available on the NSFGA account but it is also publicly accessible on a free account.

So here's your homework, how much did it rain today?

Note: Historical weather data is a feature of a paid account so NSFGA members and their advisors have access. On April 22nd, Candy sent the login information to members. If you’re not a member, you can access the live/current weather data by creating your own free account on Davis WeatherLink. Search for weather stations and add them to your account.

Access the list of five video tutorials to watch from here: Video tutorials on accessing weather information from Davis WeatherLink

Podcast E7 S2: Welcoming Weather Stations

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Guest Jonathan Buffet

Jonathan Buffett is founder and manager of the Cape Breton Mesonet, a network of community owned and operated weather stations in Cape Breton and the eastern mainland. Jonathan also works as a Meteorological Inspector for Environment and Climate Change Canada by day. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, he is extremely passionate about our local climate, focusing mainly on data collection at the mesoscale/micro-climate level.

On this episode, I forecast that you’ll learn a lot about weather stations. Their components. How to site them for reliable results. Installing and maintaining them. I sense a clear conversation with our guest Jonathan Buffet about collecting weather information.

Listen on any podcast streaming service or online at Anchor.

Listen to episode "E7 S2: Welcoming Weather Stations".

Show notes:

Cape Breton Mesonet: www.capebretonweather.ca
In this podcast, Perennia representatives mention the Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather station but it is neither an endorsement of the technology nor a suggestion that similar technologies are ineffective.

Orchard Outlook Newsletter Vol 21, No 3

Tuesday, April 27, 2021