Georgia weather and crops, 1998 September 4

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=============================== GEORGIA WEATHER & CROPS

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USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service

Cooperative Extension Service

Georgia Department of Agriculture

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
Stephens Federal Building
Suite 320 Athens, Georgia 30601 Phone: (706)546-2236

135-98-26 Week Ending September 4, 1998

Publication No. USPS 383-970 Released 4 P.M. Monday, September 8, 1998
BENEFICIAL RAINS

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CROP HIGHLIGHTS
Heavy thunderstorms and high winds at week's end due to remnants of Hurricane Earl brought much needed rain and cooler evening temperatures to the State, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Some areas in the northern part of the State remain dry and are still in desperate need of rain. Rainfall was variable during the week with zero inches in the northern part of the State to more than six inches in some southwestern localities. Fall armyworms and other insect infestations continue damaging most hay crops and pastures. Many farmers are actively assessing the damages caused by the hurricane, while others are determining whether the rain will be beneficial to already heat stressed crops.
Corn harvest continued to make good progress during the week, as condition of fields remaining for harvest are slightly improved. Corn harvest for grain remains nearly a week ahead of last year. The magnitude of the storm's damage to corn fields is yet to be determined. Cotton harvest began during the week with development a few days ahead of the five year average. Defoliating cotton remains active in some areas as weather permits. Several counties in the lower two-thirds of the state reported major damage to defoliated fields caused by the heavy rain and high wind.
Peanut harvest is just underway with some farmers waiting for drier soils to continue digging. Peanut condition ratings improved from a week ago. However, producers in south central localities detected white mold in some fields. Soybean development is near average, with leaf dropping almost a week ahead of the five year average. Many northern fields need rain as soybeans are in the critical pod fill stage. Sorghum harvest is underway, as crop progress is a few days ahead of last year and the five year average.
Tobacco harvest is still progressing, but is still lagging behind last year and the five year average. High winds damaged some tobacco fields causing concern among producers. Pecan condition rating declined from the previous week as some trees were damaged from the storms. Apple conditions
improved from a week ago as 85 percent of the
crop left to be harvested is rated fair or better.
County Extension Officials reported an average of
5.0 days suitable for field work. Other activities
included cutting hay, spraying pastures, harvesting sorghum, and preparing peanuts and cotton for fall harvest.

CROP CONDITION--SEPTEMBER 4, 1998

Very

Excel-

CroQ

Poor Poor Fair Good lent --Percentage--

Corn

40 24 26

9

1

Cotton

12 23 34 26

5

Hay

7 22 42

27

2

Peanuts

8 13 36

35

8

Sorghum

14 20 44

21

1

Soybeans 23 26 31

19

1

Tobacco

4 9 50 36

1

Apples

1 14 40

42

3

Pecans

16 27 31

22

4

Pasture

10 21 39

28

2

CROP PROGRESS
Sept. 6, Sept. 6, 5 Year 1998 1997 Avg.
--Percentage--

Corn, Mature

99

Corn, Harvested

for Grain

70

Cotton, Bolls Open

59

Cotton, Harvested

3

Peanuts, Dug

4

Peanuts, Threshed

1

Rye, Planted

1

Sorghum, Harvested

for Grain

25

Soybeans, Blooming 98

Soybeans, Setting Pods 90

Soybeans,

Dropping Leaves

23

Tobacco, Harvested

83

Apples, Harvested

35

98

99

62

67

22

43

0

1

9

13

4

6

1

0

20

23

99

99

90

91

8

12

99

95

45

35

Very Short Short Adequate Surplus

SOIL MOISTURE

Sept. 4, Sept. 4, 5 Year

1998 1997

Ava.

--Percentage--

5

36

20

18

47

31

44

17

43

33

0

6

Georgia Weather and Crops (ISSN 383-970) is published weekly, mid-March through mid-December, by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service,
Athens, Georgia, 30601-5099. Periodicals postage paid at Athens, GA and additional mailing offices. Subscription fee $12 per year except free to data contributors. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service, Stephens Federal Building, Suite 320, Athens, GA 30601-5099.

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 199811

AVG.

AIR TEMPERATURE

PRECIPITATION

4INCH

LOCATION

EXTREME

MAX

MIN

WEEKLY WEEKLY

AVG

TOTAL

RAIN DAYS

30DAY TOTAL

60DAY TOTAL

SEASON TOTAL

SOIL TEMP.

ALMA ARLINGTON ATTAPULGUS BLAIRSVILLE CALHOUN CAMILLA CORDELE DAWSON DUBLIN DULUTH EATONTON ELLIJAY FORT VALLEY GAINESVILLE GRIFFIN JONESBORO LAFAYETTE MIDVILLE PLAINS ROME ROOPVILLE SAVANNAH STATESBORO TIFTON VALDOSTA WATKINSVILLE WILLIAMSON

97

65

98

64

96

63

92

53

99

55

96

66

97

66

96

63

97

64

96

59

95

60

91

54

97

63

92

64

93

62

94

60

97

56

96

65

98

62

99

60

95

59

99

64

97

64

96

67

93

66

95

64

92

60

78

1.78

2

3.50

16.36

40.92

82

76

5.52

2

9.47

16.24

43.44

81

77

4.01

3

5.82

15.43

38.22

84

71

0.00

0

3.26

5.64

41.30

79

76

0.00

0

1.85

3.13

36.07

81

77

4.67

3

7.11

12.02

33.28

84

78

4.98

2

6.29

12.02

39.93

83

76

6.51

2

10.52

16.24

49.17

85

78

6.42

1

9.46

12.40

39.86

81

76

0.00

0

3.51

6.31

40.83

82

75

2.52

1

7.08

9.22

35.10

79

72

0.01

1

4.58

6.44

40.67

80

77

2.25

2

2.58

4.92

24.38

81

77

0.00

0

4.88

6.23

30.73

85

76

1.32

1

6.26

9.23

41.03

80

76

0.54

2

2.92

5.65

37.45

80

75

0.14

1

3.70

5.89

30.07

82

77

3.66

2

7.86

9.27

39.95

88

75

6.40

3

7.62

10.86

46.49

83

77

0.00

0

2.45

5.26

35.90

81

75

0.00

0

5.88

7.38

43.55

81

77

2.14

2

5.22

12.90

40.48

85

77

3.90

3

7.61

10.28

45.07

83

78

5.03

2

6.97

11.76

36.84

79

78

2.45

4

4.85

9.92

30.90

81

77

2.54

4

4.79

8.84

44.13

80

74

0.92

1

2.45

5.29

31.03

80

1I Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network and the office of the State Climatologist, University of Georgia. NA Not Available.

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SOIL MOISTURE DELINEATION FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1998

CALHOUN 0.00 DULUTH 0.00
JONESBORO 0.54
GRIFFIN 1.32

VERY SHORT TO MOSTLY ADEQUATE

CORDELE 9.98 PLAINS 6.40 DAWSON 6.51
ARLINGTON 5.52 ATTAPULGUS 4.01
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
STEPHENS FEDERAL BLDG. SUITE 320 ATHENS, GEORGIA 30601 PHONE: (706) 546-2236

MOSTLY ADEQUATE
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ATHENS, GA 30601