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APRIL NEWS Slightly Cool Spring Expected Oregon professor says climate change may alter long-term weather patterns A shland, Ore.—Greg Jones, professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at Southern Oregon University, has become known for his regular weather reports, which many in the industry deem quite accurate. Curious as to how he develops these forecasts, Wines & winesandvines.com Vines queried Jones Learn more: Search keywords about his methods. "Cool spring." Jones follows information from the four main meteorological agencies around the Pacific: from Chile to Australia, Japan and the United States. He then takes the short-term trends in the tropical Pacific and North Pacific and compares them to past conditions. Greg Jones of Southern Oregon University said climate change could cause the fog belt to become denser near the coast. According to Jones' most recent report, "Both short- and long-term weather/climate drivers for the western U.S. remain as they were in January. The North Pacific has remained in a cold phase similar to the past few years (cold Pacific Decadal Oscillation, or PDO), while the tropical Pacific has held its neutral state (some in the media call this La Nada [nothing] in analogy to El Niño and La Niña conditions)." Temperatures will likely be near normal to slightly below normal this spring, Jones reported. Jones has been involved in the discussion of climate change, and some have suggested his data show leading California wine regions may become too warm to produce top-quality fruit. He said it's indisputable that temperatures are rising and will continue to do so. The effects of that warming, however, are still open to debate. One result may be that warm inland regions pull in more cold air to coastal valleys. And while some areas will simply get hotter, coastal areas may see another phenomenon: "The fog belt may be denser near the coast, but not extend as far inland." For those who'd like to sample his forecasts, Jones provides regular updates monthly, or when the forecast shifts away from those given above. Email gjones@ sou.edu to join the list. —Paul Franson © 2012 StaVin Inc. Twenty years ago, we opened our doors for business. And while some years have been better than others, we can't complain. Our innovations have far exceeded our original hopes and changed for good the way winemakers approach their craft. But that's not what we're most proud of. It's the people who work with us. They've bought their own homes, sent their kids to college and genuinely love coming to work. Which, in our book is what you'd call a dream come true. ® StaVın Inc, P.O.Box 1693, Sausalito,CA 94966 (415) 331-7849 f (415) 331-0516 stavin.com Win es & Vi n es A PRI L 20 13 23