The changing weather we have had recently is such nuisance. One day it is warm. The next day a chill is in the air. We don’t even know how to dress anymore!
But to grape growers in our area, the weather has the potential to be much more than a nuisance. The vines are greening up and budding. Should a freeze, like the one predicted, come now, it could be devastating to this year’s crop.
It appears that most vines made it through the Winter Storm Uri fairly well. Of course, budding had not yet started when that was going on. But now is the most dangerous time for a freeze to hit the area for vineyards.
Andy Timmons, of Lost Draw Vineyards stated, “We have a couple of helicopters along with the wind machines. I think everyone will be just fine. I am just a worrier. I want all I can have here, just in case they miss it by a couple of degrees.”
Freeze damaged vines
The Wind machines are tall, fixed-in-place, engine-driven fans that pull warm air down from at least 15 m above ground during strong temperature inversions, blowing it down and out, pushing away and replacing cold air near target crops. This raises air temperatures around cold-sensitive perennial crops such as grapes. Wind machines are not the same as wind turbines, designed to create electricity from wind energy.
The helicopters do the exact same thing.
Nick Seaton of Farmhouse stated, “We always concerned about the weather. Our wind machines are on auto to trigger at 34 degrees. Right now, the forecast doesn’t look too bad. It is showing 32 for about an hour and wind in the forecast, so I think we should be good, but not out of the woods yet. Everything has budded out so it is all susceptible.”
Ty Wilmeth of Diamonte Doble Dos told TownTalk Media,”It is supposed to be really windy and about 3 a.m. on Wednesday, it could get down to 29-32 depending on the weather source you have.”
So prayers for our vineyards tonight as they face what has the potential to ruin a crop, one more time. And when you hear those wind machines kick on, don’t be annoyed by the sound. Be grateful that there is a way for these folks to battle the cold weather.
