Were Cherry Blossoms tough enough to endure this morning's snowstorm?
Photo of cherry blossoms this morning above Dry Hollow Elementary in The Dalles. The Dalles has never had measurable snow beyond April 4, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton. Their records date back to 1893. The Dalles has now experienced two record-setting events in a single year, with this morning’s snowstorm and the 117-degree day last June 26.
Mike Omeg, 47, is the Operations Manager for growing cherries at Orchard View Farms. He is seen here during warmer times. He said the freak snowstorm this morning, April 11, did not hurt cherry blossoms, however it needs to warm up for the bees to do their business of pollination. He said it is a make-or-break week for the whole fruit tree industry in the Pacific Northwest.
By Tom Peterson
Mike Omeg said neither he nor any of his workmates can remember a snow when cherry trees were in blossom in the past 50 years.
The Director of Operations with Orchard View Farms with some 3,600 acres of cherry trees spread throughout Wasco, Hood River and Sherman counties said the epic snow event this morning had an almost uniform temperature of 34 or 35 degrees Fahrenheit - from Parkdale to Wasco, and all the acreage in between.
So did it destroy the blossoms? Will we be cherry-less come June?
“It’s nothing I would be concerned about,” Omeg said this afternoon. “I am very confident looking at buds that we will not have damage from this event.”
“Far as temperatures we had during the snow, the air temp did not get low enough. It’s the air temperature that does the damage to the fruit, not the snow. That is the really important thing as far as killing blossoms.”
Got To Get Those Bees Busy
“The real question is are the bees going to come back out and are they going to pollinate those blooms?” he asked. “I think if we get warm temps, they will work and not mind the snow. We’ll see. There is a lot we don’t know.”
Moisture
On the plus side, Omeg said the snow and its accompanying moisture for trees were much needed and will slowly melt efficiently into the ground so as not to be lost to evaporation and wind. That’s a good thing.
Frost
On the other hand, snow will insulate the ground, which typically radiates heat upward into the orchard helping to keep blooms from freezing during frosty mornings.
“That can be 2 to 4 degrees difference and that could make a big difference as we have been fighting frost for the last 10 days or so,” he said.
Cherry blossoms under blue skies. Courtesy Orchard View Farms
Pivotal Week in Whole PNW
The fragility of blossoms and pollination - it's a make-or-break week.
“This week is pivotal on whole Pacific Northwest as far as how the tree crops come out - that’s cherries, apples and pears,” he said. “This is the start of the whole story, really.”
