2010 one of the coolest year on record for Washington?
Quick post to show you the last 41 years of cumulative GDD data (Yakima Valley) that I got today:
| Year | Cum GDD (ºF) |
| 1984 | 2,232 |
| 1971 | 2,240 |
| 1975 | 2,240 |
| 1999 | 2,244 |
| 1980 | 2,247 |
| 1983 | 2,271 |
| 1976 | 2,272 |
| 1970 | 2,324 |
| 1974 | 2,326 |
| 1978 | 2,352 |
| 1981 | 2,354 |
| 1993 | 2,367 |
| 1996 | 2,368 |
| 1982 | 2,370 |
| 1973 | 2,406 |
| 2008 | 2,418 |
| 1972 | 2,442 |
| 1995 | 2,475 |
| 2007 | 2,488 |
| 2000 | 2,492 |
| 2002 | 2,526 |
| 1977 | 2,551 |
| 1989 | 2,560 |
| 1997 | 2,568 |
| 2001 | 2,619 |
| 1986 | 2,632 |
| 1991 | 2,645 |
| 1985 | 2,653 |
| 2005 | 2,653 |
| 2006 | 2,660 |
| 2009 | 2,663 |
| 1979 | 2,739 |
| 1988 | 2,751 |
| 2004 | 2,778 |
| 1994 | 2,806 |
| 1998 | 2,877 |
| 1990 | 2,884 |
| 1992 | 2,900 |
| 2003 | 2,910 |
| 1987 | 2,979 |
Exciting table, no? The warmest years were 1987, 2003, 1992, 1990 and 1998. The coolest were 1984, 1971, 1975, 1999 and 1980. Right now we are trailing slightly behind 1999 so we could have the coldest year on record. What does that mean for quality? Well, it will really depends of night time temperature I believe. If we can hang our fruit without a night time frost for another 5 to 6 weeks, we will have a great vintage like 1999. If not, we will have a repeat of 1984 which, I have heard, was a disaster.
