Georgia weather and crops, 2004 March 28

State Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date March 28, 2004
Issue GA-CW1304
Agricultural Summary FROST
The State experienced widely scattered frost damage early in the week, according the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Fruits, vegetables and orchards were hardest hit by the frost. Dry conditions persisted around the State. Planting slowed and irrigation increased. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork.
Persistent dry conditions prevailed. Small grains were in need of rain. Corn, field and sweet, snap beans and other vegetables were being planted. Producers were irrigating vegetables and small grains. Lime, fertilizer and herbicides continued to be applied to fields and pastures. Livestock producers increased supplemental feeding as dry conditions slowed pasture growth. Routine care of livestock and poultry continued.

Crop Progress Table March 28, 2004
Data for this table will resume in April 2004.

Crop Condition Table

March 28, 2004

Crop

Very Poor

Vegetables

5

Wheat

1

Pasture

5

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

5

34

50

8

41

45

15

50

29

Excellent
6 5 1

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

March 28, 2004

Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

0

5

38

57

0

Dist 2(NC)

0

13

55

30

2

Dist 3(NE)

0

9

69

21

1

Dist 4(WC)

9

21

51

19

0

Dist 5(C)

12

12

38

37

1

Dist 6(EC)

6

13

42

39

0

Dist 7(SW)

6

29

46

17

2

Dist 8(SC)

0

16

59

23

2

Dist 9(SE)

0

4

62

34

0

*A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia

Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at

http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf.

Soil Moisture Table Mar 28, 2004

Prev Year

5 Year Avg

Very Short Short Adequate Surplus

--Percentages--

21

NA

NA

54

NA

NA

25

NA

NA

0

NA

NA

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

March 28, 2004

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

3

57

40

Dist 2(NC)

14

50

34

Dist 3(NE)

6

58

36

Dist 4(WC)

24

51

25

Dist 5(C)

27

57

16

Dist 6(EC)

8

64

28

Dist 7(SW)

39

49

12

Dist 8(SC)

30

47

23

Dist 9(SE)

5

63

32

Surplus
0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

MARCH 28, 2004 1/

2004

Air Temperature

Precipitation Totals

Extreme Weekly Rain

30

60

Soil

Location

Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day

Day Season Temp

ALMA

83 34 59 0.00 0 0.01 5.40 7.51 60

ALPHARETTA

83 24 54 0.06 3 0.85 5.86 8.76 54

ARLINGTON

86 32 60 0.00 0 0.14 5.97 7.65 66

BLAIRSVILLE

78 18 50 0.00 0 2.13 5.92 8.14 51

BRUNSWICK

82 38 59 0.00 0 1.57 7.62 8.58 64

BYRON

85 30 57 0.00 0 0.08 4.47 8.56 60

CAIRO

84 36 61 0.00 0 0.27 6.41 8.87 62

CALHOUN

83 21 55 0.00 0 1.69 5.95 8.83 53

CAMILLA

85 35 61 0.00 0 0.27 5.42 8.50 66

CORDELE

85 29 59 0.00 0 0.13 3.44 4.86 63

COVINGTON

84 31 57 0.00 0 0.39 6.00 8.91 59

DAHLONEGA

79 22 53 0.00 0 2.27 7.10 10.03 52

DALLAS

81 25 56 0.00 0 1.06 6.48 9.96 56

DAWSON

85 34 60 0.00 0 0.13 5.65 7.40 69

DEARING

84 31 58 0.00 0 0.52 6.16 7.82 57

DEMPSEY

83 30 57 0.00 0 0.30 5.05 8.11 60

DIXIE

84 33 61 0.00 0 0.11 6.46 8.73 69

DUBLIN

84 29 57 0.00 0 0.09 4.95 7.34 61

DULUTH

83 25 54 0.00 0 0.72 5.43 8.66 56

DUNWOODY

81 28 56 0.00 0 0.74 5.83 9.00 56

EATONTON

85 27 55 0.00 0 0.27 5.19 7.91 59

ELLIJAY

80 21 53 0.00 0 1.67 6.50 9.21 52

FORT VALLEY

84 32 58 0.00 0 0.06 3.68 6.54 62

GAINESVILLE

82 29 54 0.00 0 0.87 5.31 8.02 59

GEORGETOWN

84 28 59 0.00 0 0.12 4.97 7.58 64

GRIFFIN

82 31 57 0.00 0 0.30 4.94 7.80 59

HOMERVILLE

83 30 58 0.00 0 0.12 5.75 8.11 63

JACKSONVILLE 85 32 57 0.00 0 0.18 5.52 9.44 60

JONESBORO

83 29 56 0.00 0 0.38 5.18 8.43 58

LAFAYETTE

81 22 55 0.00 0 2.80 6.80 10.70 53

MIDVILLE

85 32 57 0.00 0 0.18 8.00 11.34 64

NAHUNTA

84 30 57 0.00 0 0.72 6.95 8.42 65

NEWTON

84 33 60 0.00 0 0.39 6.72 10.37 64

PINE MOUNTAIN 83 32 58 0.00 0 0.54 5.59 8.47 58

PLAINS

85 32 58 0.00 0 0.17 5.92 8.82 63

ROME

83 25 55 0.00 0 2.50 7.24 11.54 55

ROOPVILLE

83 25 54 0.00 0 0.62 6.48 9.55 59

SAVANNAH

86 30 57 0.00 0 0.09 4.83 6.51 61

SNEADS

84 45 63 0.00 0 0.20 6.12 9.71 65

STATESBORO

84 32 58 0.00 0 0.21 5.03 7.65 64

TIFTON

83 36 60 0.00 0 0.18 7.65 11.46 62

VALDOSTA

84 35 62 0.00 0 0.12 5.15 7.40 69

VIDALIA

84 36 59 0.00 0 0.11 5.30 8.12 61

WATKINSVILLE 84 27 56 0.00 0 0.35 5.57 8.50 58

WILLIAMSON

83 26 56 0.00 0 0.28 4.05 6.63 59

1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmential Monitoring

Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of

Georgia. For detailed Georgia weather data visit the AEMN homepage,

www.georgiaweather.net. NA - not available.

District Highlights These comments are written by the Georgia County Extension Agents, and have been complied and edited by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service.
DISTRICT COMMENTS March 28, 2004
DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Cold start, dry week.
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Pine tree seedlings planted in winter need rain.
Freezing temperatures early in the week caused some damage in peaches and apples (up to 50% in some peaches). Soils are very dry.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST We really could use some rain.
Very dry.
We need rain! Pasture land and livestock need the rain for grass production.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Very dry!
Producers are starting to put in some snap beans and tomatoes. Wheat does not look good and some producers are starting to water the wheat. Producers are putting in corn and starting to put out cotton burn down. Most of the peaches are in shuck split.
Dry!
Dry conditions are delaying normal spring planting.
Liming & fertilizing pastures & hayfields. Cattleman still feeding hay as fescue pastures slowly turn on. It's dry, a good rainfall is needed.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Needing rain really bad! Have not had any rain in a couple of weeks. Small grains and winter grazing needing rain. Pastures and hayfields beginning to green up a little bit. Farmers continue to prepare land for spring planting

but need moisture. Corn planting beginning but most are waiting until we get some rain. Spraying pastures and hayfields for weed control.
We need rain. If we don't get any significant rain any time soon we could be in dire straits.
Rain is needed. Corn planting continues. Small grains are looking good.
The week started out windy, which helped dry out the soil even more. We are starting to get dry, rain is needed.
Dry.
We need rain!
It has been over a month since the county has had a rain. It is getting very dry!
Drought conditions are hurting all of the fall/winter crops. Farmers have been irrigating crops where they could. Cattle producers have been feeding more hay than normal due to the dry weather.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Irrigating planted corn and spraying fungicide on wheat.
Moisture is short, need a rain.
Soil is still dry. Having to water corn to plant and to grow. Wheat still looks good. Oats and rye need rain. Pastures are at a stand still. Pine pollen everywhere.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Corn and vegetable planting proceeding due to irrigation, would be too dry otherwise.
Snapbean and corn (field and sweet) plantings. Field preparation for planting.
Very dry.
Dry.
DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Planting corn but need rain. Spraying herbicides on pastures and burning pastures. Putting in Telone Nematicide on fields to be planted in tobacco.
Dry.
Need rain to continue planting.
Dry topsoil. Much corn planting halted. Crops being watered up in many cases. Ready for rain.
Pastures and hayfields were set back by frost Monday night. Temperatures were in the upper 20's. Tobacco land is being prepared for transplanting. Corn is being planted. Fields are extremely dry where field work is being done. This is due to no measurable rainfall in over three weeks.
Frost hit some of the watermelons and cantaloupes that were transplanted last week. This will probably set these plants back considerably.
Dry weather is making it hard to farm!

DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Some frost damage to blueberries and vegetables on Tuesday. Rain needed to continue planting.
Contact Information David S. Abbe, State Statistician Phone: 706-546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga