Central Valley Almond Growers Brace for Storm's Impact

Rainy weather threatens to disrupt crucial pollination period for almond crops

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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As heavy rain continues to fall across California's Central Valley, local almond growers like Paul Betancourt are closely monitoring the potential impact on their crops. With almond trees entering their peak blooming period, the wet weather poses challenges for the critical pollination process carried out by bees.

Why it matters

Almonds are a major agricultural product in the Central Valley, with the region producing over 80% of the world's almonds. Any disruption to the pollination process during bloom can significantly impact yields and growers' livelihoods. Extreme weather events like this storm are becoming more frequent due to climate change, heightening the need for almond growers to adapt their practices.

The details

Betancourt, a veteran almond farmer in Kerman, explained that bees are unable to fly and pollinate the blossoms in rainy or windy conditions. The wet weather also increases the risk of mold and fungal diseases impacting the delicate almond flowers. While the trees can naturally shed some blossoms to protect yields, prolonged poor weather during this critical period could still result in substantial crop losses for growers.

  • The almond trees are currently in full bloom, with the peak pollination period expected to last until around February 25th.
  • The heavy rain has been falling across the Central Valley since February 15th and is forecasted to continue for several more days.

The players

Paul Betancourt

A longtime almond grower in the Kerman area of California's Central Valley.

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What they’re saying

“These won't be open for a couple of days, so hopefully the storm will be passed by then.”

— Paul Betancourt, Almond Grower (yourcentralvalley.com)

“Bees don't fly in the wind. Bees don't fly in the rain. And then on top of that, the almonds are really susceptible to molds and fungi.”

— Paul Betancourt, Almond Grower (yourcentralvalley.com)

What’s next

Betancourt said he is closely monitoring the weather forecasts and hoping for a break in the rain over the next few days to allow the bees to resume pollinating the almond blossoms.

The takeaway

This storm highlights the vulnerability of California's almond industry to extreme weather events driven by climate change. Growers will need to continue adapting their practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of almond production in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.