The California Avocado Commission is improving how it communicates emergencies and weather advisories to growers in the U.S. state.

The commission sent out its first heat advisory through the system last week, accompanied with an e-mail notice and a banner across the organization's homepage warning: "The forecast is calling for triple-digit temperatures throughout much of the Southern California growing region."

Research program director Jonathan Dixon explained that the new system works closely with the National Weather Service to give growers advanced notice.

"We plan to issue weather advisories when necessary, whether that be heat or freezes. It’s a way for growers to have a heads up that adverse weather is on the way, with suggestions on what crop management things they need to do to deal with it," he said.

"In the past we would have issued an e-mail warning and we have done them on our old website. But with the redesign of the new website, it’s a banner on the top of the page. It’s a lot more obvious as to what’s there."

Dixon added that although seasoned growers will already have plans ready for adverse weather conditions, younger growers are those that can benefit from an improved notice system.

"Most of the experienced growers who have been growing for a long time would know what to do but there are many growers that have not been growing for a long time and that is where the appreciation was, to let them know if something bad might happen and what they can do about it," Dixon said.

In terms of adverse conditions to come, Dixon said heat is normal but growers will need to be more prepared for drought. Lack of winter rain means producers need to take extra care with irrigation management.

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