Weekend's frigid lows could put apple harvest on hold

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Apple growers likely will suspend picking operations today and perhaps through the weekend as arctic air pushes into Central Washington, dropping temperatures to record lows.

The low temperatures, likely to reach 26 degrees this morning and as low as 18 degrees Sunday morning, will cause cells inside maturing apples to rupture.

Handling the fruit immediately after such low temperatures will only worsen damage, according to researchers, extension officials and marketers.

"If we do attain the lows they are predicting, we won't be able to pick the fruit until the pulp has warmed above freezing," said Loren Queen, marketing and communications manager for Domex Superfresh Growers of Yakima. "We do have some warm weather predicted (during the day). I suspect a lot of growers will not be picking."

The 2010 harvest is about 70 percent complete, but some high-value varieties still are to be harvested.

Those varieties include Fuji and Cripps Pink. The latter variety also is known by the trademarked Pink Lady. Some harvesting of Red Delicious and Granny Smith is still continuing.

Industry projections indicate the overall crop will not be as large as the 107 million boxes predicted in August, said Keith Mathews, executive director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.

Mathews said experience from the harvest to date suggests production may dip below 100 million boxes.

Yakima County Tree Fruit Extension Agent Mike Bush said handling fruit that has suffered freeze damage will cause bruising at the very least.

"What I'm thinking is the harvest is going to stop while we wait for the fruit on the trees to thaw out if it is a serious frost," Bush said.

Even if growers temporarily hold off on picking, the freeze could force some apples still to be harvested to be marketed earlier in the marketing season than growers had planned.

Bush advised home gardeners to finish harvesting their tomato crops before the cold weather hits.

Homeowners also should consider covering ornamental plants or bring them inside if possible.

Both the National Weather Service and Accuweather, a private forecasting service, predict low temperatures this morning in the upper 20s, tying the 1924 record of 26 degrees.

But Sunday morning, temperatures will drop to the low 20s, according to forecaster Mary Johnson with the weather service in Pendleton, Ore.

Accuweather meteorologist Andy Mussoline said Sunday's low could reach 18 degrees, which would set a new record low. The current record low is 24 degrees logged in 1990.

The cold weather is the result of two arctic cold fronts moving down from Canada Friday and today.

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.