Southern California endured a tumultuous weekend as a powerful storm, accompanied by an atmospheric river, unleashed historic rainfall on the Golden state. The National Weather Service sounded alarms of hurricane-force winds reaching up to 92 mph in the San Francisco area, while also cautioning about a heightened risk of flash flooding in Los Angeles due to relentless rainfall. Meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer ominously warned of the potential for "Biblical flooding" across the state during this atmospheric river event.

Experts are attributing the intensified rainfall and destructive potential of the storm to two key factors: the ongoing climate crisis and the presence of El Niño. The convergence of adverse weather conditions and heightened demand in anticipation of Valentine's Day are nudging strawberry prices up over the previous week. Week 6 saw pricing at $4.96 per kg, 6% higher than week 5. Despite the jump in pricing, strawberry markets are still at a ten-year low.

The outlook for growers remains uncertain, with forecasts predicting further rainfall in California and Florida throughout the week. This inclement weather may lead to harvesting delays and, at worst, inflict damage on unharvested fruit. As the dust settles and the weather subsides, it will be a few days before the full extent of damage to in-season commodities, including strawberries, becomes clear. For now, growers and markets alike are bracing themselves for the continued challenges posed by adverse weather conditions and fluctuating demand dynamics.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)