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Big storm finally hit here. Thankfully the winds have lessened to about 10-15 MPH. Rain is heavy with huge drops and COLD! The temp dropped from 76 to 66 in 15 minutes. Rain predicted to continue to 2 PM. So far no thunder, hail, or lightning as predicted. Check out the size of these drops. According to my rain gauge, we have .26 inches so far. If the wind won't pick up this will do some good for unirrigated pasture. Temp down to 60. My radar shows Walla Walla getting hammered with some really heavy rain.

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We just got hit by really strong winds. The temperature dropped from 80 to 62. But no rain. Actually not many clouds..... Strange all the symptoms of a thunder storm but no clouds, rain, or thunder and lightning. It is getting to the point where you can't trust weather any more.
 
The total rain from that first storm and a second storm total .43" according to my backyard gauge. Temp is back up to 66 degrees and winds about 10 MPH. That should really help the pasture and range grass and prepare for next week's 90s to over 100.
 
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74 predicted for the high today. Now 60 at 0525 and very still with strange glow and dark clouds that are illuminated on one side. 15% chance of rain they say. The neighborhood owl is extra vocal, so something is brewing. The crows are also extra loud and everywhere making me glad I am not a corn farmer.

It has the making of a thunderstorm but I wouldn't bet my last bale of hay on it. They had the wheelline back on in the alfalfa field yesterday. I was surprised because it is the tallest I have ever seen alfalfa.

The local hay talk is that instead of gambling on a worthwhile 4th cutting, they are going for a maximum yield in the next two cutting. With the shortage of hay, they will get the same price per ton, even though it may be a grade lower. High temperatures and no precipitation predicted for next week will be perfect for haying. Current talk is trying to produce as much tonnage as possible, with the least gamble, hoping to help areas that will be glad to get hay, even low quality.
They may be afraid their water is going to be curtailed unless it is their own wells
 
They may be afraid their water is going to be curtailed unless it is their own wells
It all comes from a river fed from a mountain watershed and reservoir. This ditch is the first one off the river and has top rights going back to the 1900s however since most of the land near this field has become housing developments, they have relinquished rights to others.

It is a good point that with the impending drought, water may be short by late August. They usually have all they need through September and the river gets low. The irrigation district has to always make sure the Confederated Tribes owned and managed fish hatchery has a supply during even the driest falls.

I have seen this ditch get down to about a 1/4th full during late August and all those with later claimed rights get cut off. Several have their own ponds that they keep full from the ditch until they are cut off. They pump from their ponds, so the ditch riders can monitor ditch usage. They have strict rules about tailwater and water conservation, so they can water into Sept.

Interesting that the small-time acreages, divisions of former larger places with top rights are allowed to pump directly from the ditch but they have rules about the size of the pump and the length of the suction pipe so when water gets low they are out of luck. Big-time users have massive sumps by the ditch that are gated and controlled by the ditch rider. Some of those sumps are large enough that after they are shut off from the ditch, they can still get in one final watering for a small hay field.

Yesterday's rain was a sigh of relief to the ranchers in this area, mainly because of the poor condition of their unirrigated pastures. In the past one rancher here had just irrigated hay fields and trucked their cattle to a leased range 100 miles south as soon as grass was sufficient. Then trucked them back here for winter. They had a cabin near the range and one of the family always stayed there until winter.
 
A thunderstorm has been brewing all day now that a lot of hay is on the ground. Radar shows it several miles south and moving east before disappearing. Earlier it was due west and a big relief to all with hay down when it moved south before moving east. Triple-digit temperature next 10 days and very high fire alert. Glad to see several out today mowing dry Foxtail along roads. I feared either dry lightning or heavy rains today. Luckily neither happened.
 
Pretty big system west of us. Stretches from Heppner clear south of Burns. It looks like the heaviest rain already passed us to the south and are headed to Boise. But the weather is saying thunder storms this evening.
 
At 9:00 it is still below 70 in the shade but step out into the sun...... On the 10 day forecast the last 7 days are all in the very high 90's or over 100. The forecast is for Baker which is 800 feet higher in elevation. A 98 degree day in Baker is over 100 here. I may have to take up permanent residence in front of the air conditioner.
 
We had a chance for rain tomorrow, but I guess it left. 😪
84 tomorrow, 74 Friday, 79 Saturday, 80 on Sunday. Not too bad, but
95 on Tuesday, 99 on Wednesday and 101 on Thursday and 100 on Friday.
Mr. FH birthday is the 4th of July and I was hoping for a cool day for him, but
it doesn't look like he is going to get it.
More than that, I was hoping for RAIN! Not going to get that either,
Stay cool everyone.
 
It's RAINING!!!!! Simply cannot believe I actually just said that????? I'm up early for work and have been up since 2am. And I'm usually grumpy like sore toothed bear. But I'm smiling and happy and hopeful. It's raining on the desert. What a blessing!!!! ITS RAINING 😁😁😁
I am glad for you H!!!!
 

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