There may not be a long growing season this fall. According to World Weather Incorporated Senior Agricultural Meteorologist Drew Lerner, data is causing concern. “There are three weather cycles playing out right now, including El Nino and the lunar cycle. El Nino is wimpy and it might dissipate in the next few weeks.” Lerner says the lunar cycle is the number one reason for the wet weather and cool bias coming back in regular intervals.
The third factor is the solar minimum. “There is a tendency for solar minimum years to help continue cool outbreaks. If the lunar cycle is already promoting a cooler tendency in the atmosphere, the solar cycle will come along and reinforce that,” says Lerner. “We are concerned a shorter growing season is more likely than a longer one.”