CLEVELAND — Monday night, News 5 anchor Damon Maloney spoke at the Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting and dinner after receiving an invitation from member Tom Caskey.
The grassroots organization celebrated its accomplishments from the past year and set some of the agenda for the year ahead.
At the gathering, one member, DL Meckes, wanted to know about El Niño and what it will mean for farmers and growers in Northeast Ohio.
Maloney told her he wasn’t a scientist but would take her question to the Power of 5 Weather team, and meteorologist Katie McGraw was able to break it down for Meckes and other viewers.
During News 5 at 5 Tuesday evening, McGraw said the unusually warm Pacific waters off the west coast of South America are driving a potentially record-breaking El Niño, making this an unprecedented weather event.
“For Northeast Ohio, El Niño typically will bring warmer than normal temperatures and below average precipitation,” McGraw said. “So, if you're thinking for winter, that might be a good thing, but that is not always the case. The biggest issue when it comes to farming will be drought.”
She added, “For the time being none of Northeast Ohio is in a drought, but that is not the case for much of the United States. And it could change for NEO quickly. When we look at the last 30 days, the West Region is starting to see some precipitation deficiencies. This is certainly an area we want to watch. Keep in mind, that's not true for every single region. Farther to the east, we've had a surplus of rain over the last 30 days.”
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @DMaloneyTV, on Facebook DamonMaloneyTV or email him at Damon.Maloney@wews.com.
