World Ag Expo organizers are prepared for rain during three-day event

TULARE, Calif. (KFSN) -- You can call this the calm before two storms - one with the tens of thousands expected to attend and the other that will bring heavy rain to the Central Valley late this week.

This year's World Ag Expo in Tulare is a three-day event that opens on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and runs through Thursday, rain or shine.

"The show goes on. In fact, rain tends to be the friend of the inside exhibitors. Because they get a lot more traffic in the pavilion if it is raining," said Carla Khal, Showcase Chairman for this year's World Ag Expo.

There are 1,466 exhibitors - 750 are outdoors.

Khal said since the beginning of the World Ag Expo, organizers picked the second week of February for the event specifically for the rain.

"...because it is the rainiest time of year and farmers can't be in the field. So they are more likely to come and do some shopping and look at all the new technology," said Khal.

Puddles and mud created from weekend storms were visible throughout the grounds Monday morning.

Despite the sunshine, vendors were thinking about the possibility of rain.

Many were setting up tarps and tents for potential customers to take cover.

"We always have a tent here but this year with the forecast the way it is, we are definitely rearranging the booth a little bit to plan for it," said Ryan Harbon, a vendor.

"We are starting to get prepared. We are bringing in a canopy to cover some of our products and we will see how it goes."