t ....... v Q.A A~i4'00.C7 =============================== GEORGIA WEATHER & CROPS Jfl!/14 ========================== 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 We want to get our releases to you more quickly! To do this, we will begin E-mail or Fax delivery to as many subscribers as possible. Please let us know your E-mail or Fax number and we will begin faster delivery of the releases you have requested. 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. . .:", ...... \ fii. ~. ...,,..-:- ot"'l<, ~ ,i.~~ ..~. ~t . 't , ~..... l tt-lt ~ . ...... " w ~~ ~ ~-,\,~l .. ~ ~ ~l 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