Northeast Drought Atlas is a new climate-smart web tool you can use.
Weather risk concerns have never been greater, as evidenced by Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.
Cornell’s Climate Smart Farming program has added a fifth online tool to help farmers adapt to ever-changing climate.
While the national monitor is updated weekly, the Northeast atlas maps are updated monthly, with an online newsletter for users.
“In 2016, a large portion of the Northeast saw drought conditions for the entire growing season.
Farmers sustained losses on all kinds of crops.
Now, we finally have more tools to help them reduce their risks.” What is in the toolbox The application joins Climate Smart Farming’s toolbox: Apple Stage/Freeze Damage Probability, the Grape Hardiness and Freeze Risk, the Water Deficit Calculator and the Growing Degree Day Calculator.
The atlas includes a free, quarterly newsletter.
March’s newsletter predicted drought conditions would end this summer.
The apple freeze, grape hardiness and growing degree day applications are being used by Extension specialists and farmers.