Georgia weather and crops, 2004 March 7

State Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date March 7, 2004
Issue GA-CW1004
Agricultural Summary WARMER TEMPERATURES
Unseasonably warm temperatures were felt around the State, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Warmer, dry weather allowed producers to top-dress small grains and winter grazing. Fescue pastures began to grow, reducing supplemental feeding on livestock operations. Warm temperatures helped small grains and rye grass. County Extension Agents reported an average of 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
Apple producers set out insect traps. Producers applied pesticides and fertilizer to pastures and fields and finished up pruning orchards. Sweet corn and tobacco looked good. Operators continued to prepare soil and equipment for spring planting. Routine care of livestock and poultry continued.

Crop Progress Table March 7, 2004
Data for this table will resume in April 2004.

Crop Condition Table

March 7, 2004

Crop

Very Poor

Vegetables

1

Wheat

0

Pasture

3

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

5

37

50

5

39

50

13

42

39

Excellent
7 6 3

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

March 7, 2004

Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

11

19

42

28

0

Dist 2(NC)

0

5

32

62

1

Dist 3(NE)

0

18

45

28

9

Dist 4(WC)

1

11

59

29

0

Dist 5(C)

8

18

34

39

1

Dist 6(EC)

5

8

43

41

3

Dist 7(SW)

1

15

35

45

4

Dist 8(SC)

3

12

45

37

3

Dist 9(SE)

8

1

56

35

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 7, 2004

Prev Year

5 Year Avg

Very Short Short Adequate Surplus

--Percentages--

0

NA

NA

3

NA

NA

71

NA

NA

26

NA

NA

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

March 7, 2004

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

0

5

55

Dist 2(NC)

0

0

75

Dist 3(NE)

0

1

73

Dist 4(WC)

0

0

83

Dist 5(C)

0

1

80

Dist 6(EC)

0

5

66

Dist 7(SW)

0

8

64

Dist 8(SC)

0

0

62

Dist 9(SE)

0

7

80

Surplus
40 25 26 17 19 29 28 38 13

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

MARCH 7, 2004 1/

2004

Air Temperature

Precipitation Totals

Extreme Weekly Rain

30

60

Soil

Location

Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day

Day Season Temp

ALMA

82 47 66 0.01 1 3.57

7.46 7.51 60

ALPHARETTA

77 43 62 0.56 2 3.15

8.02 8.47 55

ARLINGTON

80 47 65 0.08 1 4.02

7.22 7.59 61

ATTAPULGUS

79 50 65 0.04 1 3.94

8.38 8.50 62

BLAIRSVILLE

71 36 58 1.05 5 2.19

6.43 7.06 51

BRUNSWICK

83 51 66 0.00 0 4.20

7.01 7.01 61

BYRON

79 49 65 0.01 1 3.41

8.30 8.49 59

CAIRO

79 49 65 0.16 1 4.49

8.53 8.76 59

CALHOUN

76 39 62 1.20 3 3.29

7.69 8.35 56

CORDELE

80 48 66 0.06 1 2.53

4.76 4.79 59

COVINGTON

79 45 64 0.17 1 3.23

8.49 8.69 57

DAHLONEGA

71 45 59 1.76 3 3.79

9.02 9.52 52

DALLAS

76 46 63 0.70 2 3.68

9.16 9.60 55

DAWSON

80 48 65 0.07 1 3.62

7.31 7.34 62

DEARING

82 51 66 0.03 1 4.73

7.23 7.33 53

DEMPSEY

77 46 64 0.21 1 3.30

7.63 8.02 58

DIXIE

81 50 66 0.04 2 4.54

8.53 8.66 63

DUBLIN

81 47 65 0.00 0 3.59

7.10 7.25 60

DULUTH

78 42 62 0.52 2 3.24

7.99 8.46 55

DUNWOODY

76 45 63 0.58 2 3.16

8.40 8.84 55

EATONTON

79 42 63 0.09 1 3.40

7.53 7.73 56

ELLIJAY

73 38 59 1.20 2 2.90

7.97 8.75 53

FORT VALLEY

79 46 65 0.02 1 2.72

6.40 6.50 59

GAINESVILLE

74 41 60 0.62 3 2.31

7.28 7.77 56

GEORGETOWN

79 48 65 0.03 1 3.89

7.43 7.49 60

GRIFFIN

77 46 64 0.22 1 3.25

7.41 7.72 56

HOMERVILLE

82 47 65 0.01 1 4.08

7.95 8.00 61

JACKSONVILLE 80 47 65 0.11 1 4.20

9.24 9.37 56

JONESBORO

79 43 64 0.25 1 3.26

7.72 8.38 56

LAFAYETTE

77 39 61 2.29 4 3.73

9.27 10.19 54

MIDVILLE

80 50 66 0.04 1 5.92 11.02 11.20 62

NAHUNTA

83 46 66 0.00 0 4.34

7.70 7.70 62

NEWTON

80 49 66 0.05 1 3.99

9.81 10.03 62

PINE MOUNTAIN 79 44 64 0.18 1 3.68

7.63 8.11 57

PLAINS

79 49 65 0.05 1 4.79

8.63 8.70 60

ROME

76 42 62 2.03 2 4.49 10.52 11.08 55

ROOPVILLE

78 42 62 0.49 1 4.00

8.77 9.43 57

SAVANNAH

82 44 65 0.00 0 3.58

6.42 6.42 59

SNEADS

76 53 66 0.06 1 4.36

9.49 9.57 59

STATESBORO

82 48 66 0.02 1 3.99

7.39 7.46 61

TIFTON

78 55 67 0.03 1 4.50 11.08 11.31 59

VALDOSTA

82 54 68 0.02 1 3.72

7.28 7.30 65

VIDALIA

81 50 66 0.00 0 3.85

7.84 8.01 59

WATKINSVILLE 78 46 63 0.13 1 3.53

7.91 8.29 57

WILLIAMSON

77 45 64 0.15 1 2.38

6.18 6.50 58

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 7, 2004
DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available.
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Apple producers are setting out pheromone insect traps this week. Many are using a scout to monitor and maintain the traps. The scout is working closely with the county and the Extension office.
Unseasonably warm weather allowed for many farmers and producers to begin spraying pastures for weed control, fertilizing fescue pastures and hayfields, and finishing up peach and apple pruning.
Rain again this week. Fields and pastures are very wet. Routine care of livestock and poultry are major activities.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No change in conditions observed.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Fescue pastures beginning to come on relieving cattleman of some hay feeding; liming, fertilizing & routine care of livestock & poultry.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Warm spring-like, well above average, temperatures all week. Many farmers and cattlemen top-dressing small grains and winter grazing. Some farmers are beginning to prepare land for spring planting where soil conditions are dry enough.
We've had excellent weather over the past week. The temperatures have warmed up significantly.
Warm weather this week has resulted in good growth of small grains and ryegrass. These crops have greened up and begun to grow out of previous cold weather injury. Some farmers fertilizing small grains and winter grazing fields with nitrogen if they can get across them without bogging

down. Some pastures and hay fields are being sprayed for winter weed control. Unseasonable weather helped to get small grains in better condition. Fertilizer application continued throughout the week. Winter forages improved as well. Fields drying out. Winds and no rain helped with this. Warmer weather has brought on a flush of winter grazing.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Soil moisture continues to increase to very high levels. Winter wheat is making excellent progress. Wind's been blowing pretty hard causing some top soil erosion.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Most sweet corn growers are planting. Earliest was planted approximately two weeks ago.
DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Rain expected over weekend. Tobacco plants in greenhouses look good. Some field preparation going on. Warm weather has farmers getting excited about planting.
DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.
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