IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!

Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see the latest around all growing regions.

THE WEST TO WARM UP THIS WEEKEND

A ridge of high pressure will bring above average temperatures to California growing regions this weekend.

Starting tomorrow, temperatures will rise by 15 to 20°—above where temperatures were most of this week. Oxnard, California, will have a high temperature of 80° tomorrow, 82° on Sunday, and 77° on Monday. Salinas will see maximum temperatures this weekend of 71°, 75°, and 75°. Santa Maria will have highs of 80°, 78°, and 80°.

Look for a possible uptick in the supply of strawberries this weekend and early next week. Lettuces from this region are on the way out.

Desert regions of Coachella will also see warmer temperatures. Coachella will see maximum temperatures of 90° Saturday through Monday. Possibly look for supplies of bell peppers to increase over the weekend into early next week.

Beware as the warmer temperatures will peter out by Tuesday as a storm front comes through California, bringing cooler temperatures and a chance of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday through the state. High temperatures along the coast will drop back into the 60°s and minimum temperatures will go back into the low to mid-40°s. The desert region's maximum temperatures will drop from the 90°s down to the mid-70°s for the remainder of the week.

SOUTHERN GEORGIA SAW FREEZING TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK

The freezing temperatures we had anticipated for the southern Georgia and the panhandle of Florida materialized as expected. The coldest temperatures were in the region of southwestern Georgia and the panhandle of Florida, where the minimum temperature on Tuesday dipped into the 20°s and was in the mid-30°s on Wednesday. Look for serious damage to any remaining fall crops from these regions.

As we get closer to the coast in southeastern Georgia and the eastern coast of Florida, the temperatures were not as harsh, with minimum temperatures staying mostly in the low 40°s with an occasional 39° in isolated areas.

Further south, into the Orlando and Lakeland area, which is a major region for winter strawberries, there were no issues of cold temperatures. This region is just scratching the plants, but volume should begin to pickup in the next couple of weeks.

TEXAS GRAPEFRUIT RECEIVED A BLAST OF COLD AIR THIS WEEK

The same cold front that blasted the eastern half of the country even made its way as far south as the Rio Grande Valley of McAllen, Texas, this week. This region of Texas is a big shipper of red grapefruit this time of year. This is some of the best grapefruit in the country.

Temperatures literally dropped 40° overnight from a high of 87° on Monday to a high of only 44° on Tuesday. The minimum temperatures also dropped from 55° on Monday to 36° on Tuesday. The cold temperatures remained Wednesday and yesterday, but by today, the maximum temperature will be 64° and 74° on Sunday with minimum temperatures back into the mid-50°s.

Don’t expect this cold weather to have any negative effects on the grapefruit.

HURRICANE CENTRAL

A very late season tropical depression has formed in the Pacific off the southern tip of Baja California. The storm is heading in a northernly direction and is forecast to make its way to the Cabo San Lucas region of Baja California sometime Sunday. This storm has sustained winds of 35 mph. It is not known at this time how much rain the storm will bring.

There is no activity in the Atlantic Ocean currently.

Thank you as always for your support. We will be back next week with another report.

Weathermelon