Even
with a number of late winter rain storms (mostly in March), this past winter
was the fourth driest in the last twenty one years with only four rainstorms
through February and ten total for the entire winter/spring rainy period.The first storm occurred on 16 Nov ’17;
depositing only 0.02 inches of rain in the rain gauge at the Reserve’s
maintenance yard weather station.This
amount is well below the rainfall amount, 0.5 to 0.6 inches, the researchers
believe is required to have adequate soil moisture to trigger any poppy seed
germination.This winter’s only
significant early season rain storm occurred on 8 to 9 January ’18 during which
the maintenance yard weather station recorded 1.69 inches of rainfall.A modest number of young poppy seedlings were
found following this storm; more on this below.The third rain storm occurred on 12 to 13 Feb ’18 when the maintenance
yard weather station received 0.16 inches of rainfall and the fourth storm on
26 February with 0.28 inches recorded by the maintenance yard weather station.March itself had five additional rain storms
starting on 1to 3 March and ending on 20 to 22 March.Starting with the first March storm the
recorded rainfalls were 0.39, 0.11, 0.21, 0.22 and 1.33 inches.The last rainstorm of the season occurred on
16 April with a recorded rainfall of 0.05 inches at the maintenance yard.Figure 1 provides a plot of these storms.
To read Mike's entire June 2018 report please download the pdf below!
