Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date February 20, 2005 MODERATE TEMPERATURES SPARK PASTURE GROWTH Temperatures were fairly moderate throughout the State this past week, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Low temperatures got to the low 20's in north Georgia and the mid 30's for south Georgia. High temperatures reached the high 70's in south Georgia and the low 60's for north Georgia. Soil moisture levels were rated 10 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus. Precipitation levels varied throughout the state. Almost 2 inches of rain came to much of the northern part of the State, while the southern areas received as little as .05 inches. While north Georgia has received a lot of rain, some areas in central Georgia have a deficit amount of moisture. In the areas that received rain, some pastures were dying from excess moisture. Highbush blueberries were beginning to bloom. The bushes will need to be protected from freezing weather. Pasture, vegetable, and wheat conditions were all rated in mostly good or fair condition. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Other activities included soil testing, lime and fertilizer application, planting sweet corn, laying plastic for spring tomatoes, field preparations for corn and peanuts, and routine care of livestock and poultry. Crop Progress Table February 20, 2005 Data for the table will resume in April 2005. Crop Condition Table February 20, 2005 Crop Very Poor Vegetables 0 Wheat 0 Pasture 4 Poor Fair Good --Percentage-- 5 42 47 2 32 62 12 47 35 Excellent 6 4 2 Pasture Condition Table - District* Level February 20, 2005 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent --Percentage-- Dist 1(NW) 8 15 57 20 0 Dist 2(NC) 0 1 60 37 2 Dist 3(NE) 0 31 36 28 5 Dist 4(WC) 2 3 41 45 9 Dist 5(C) 10 12 41 37 0 Dist 6(EC) 2 10 44 44 0 Dist 7(SW) 4 12 45 38 1 Dist 8(SC) 7 15 53 24 1 Dist 9(SE) 0 9 40 51 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 Feb 20, 2005 Prev Year --Percentages-- Very Short 0 NA Short 10 NA Adequate 76 NA 5 Year Avg NA NA NA Surplus 14 NA NA Soil Moisture Table - District Level February 20, 2005 Very Short Short Adequate --Percentages-- Dist 1(NW) 0 8 82 Dist 2(NC) 0 2 60 Dist 3(NE) 0 1 57 Dist 4(WC) 0 16 64 Dist 5(C) 0 1 94 Dist 6(EC) 0 1 89 Dist 7(SW) 0 7 84 Dist 8(SC) 0 17 76 Dist 9(SE) 0 22 75 Surplus 10 38 42 20 5 10 9 7 3 Weather Information Table GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2005 1/ 2005 Air Temperature Precipitation Totals Extreme Weekly Rain 30 60 Soil Location Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day Day Season Temp ALMA 76 30 55 0.07 2 1.71 2.49 2.49 55 ALPHARETTA 68 27 47 1.36 3 4.02 5.60 5.60 47 ARLINGTON 74 32 56 0.08 3 1.95 3.87 3.87 57 ATTAPULGUS 78 31 57 0.51 2 1.85 3.04 3.04 58 BLAIRSVILLE 63 21 43 1.41 5 2.60 4.87 4.87 45 BOWEN 72 30 54 0.08 2 2.19 2.84 2.84 57 BRUNSWICK 77 34 56 0.09 1 1.67 2.53 2.53 57 BYRON 70 31 53 0.14 2 2.86 3.87 3.87 53 CALHOUN 69 24 46 1.96 4 3.39 4.61 4.61 48 CAMILLA 75 29 56 0.05 1 1.69 2.60 2.60 58 CLARKS HILL 70 27 52 0.23 2 3.33 4.64 4.64 52 CORDELE 73 32 55 0.06 2 2.54 4.14 4.14 55 COVINGTON 70 28 50 0.48 3 3.02 4.26 4.26 50 DAHLONEGA 69 26 45 1.64 4 3.69 5.19 5.19 45 DALLAS 69 29 48 1.10 3 2.90 4.49 4.49 48 DAWSON 72 29 55 0.05 2 2.31 3.71 3.71 56 DEARING 68 32 52 0.17 2 2.95 4.28 4.28 52 DEMPSEY 69 29 50 0.41 2 3.38 4.90 4.90 49 DIXIE 78 33 57 0.29 2 1.44 2.59 2.59 58 DUBLIN 70 28 53 0.09 2 2.12 3.10 3.10 54 DULUTH 70 27 47 0.95 2 3.26 4.46 4.46 49 DUNWOODY 68 28 47 1.20 2 3.43 4.91 4.91 48 EATONTON 70 25 49 0.15 3 3.44 5.10 5.10 49 ELLIJAY 63 24 44 1.86 4 3.20 4.73 4.73 45 GAINESVILLE 67 32 47 1.31 3 3.50 4.73 4.73 50 GEORGETOWN 72 27 54 0.26 2 3.34 5.98 5.98 57 GRIFFIN 68 31 50 0.42 3 3.91 5.57 5.57 51 HOMERVILLE 78 28 54 0.12 2 1.13 2.08 2.08 57 JACKSONVILLE 69 28 52 0.15 2 2.96 4.51 4.51 52 JONESBORO 70 29 50 0.61 3 4.31 6.15 6.15 49 LAFAYETTE 64 25 46 1.58 4 2.75 4.13 4.13 48 MCRAE 71 26 52 0.09 3 1.73 2.42 2.42 54 MIDVILLE 66 29 52 0.15 2 2.91 4.17 4.17 53 NAHUNTA 78 26 54 0.19 2 1.74 2.56 2.56 58 NEWTON 75 29 55 0.08 2 1.64 3.39 3.39 58 PINE MOUNTAIN 73 28 51 0.27 4 2.48 4.18 4.18 51 PLAINS 72 31 54 0.16 2 3.06 4.97 4.97 54 ROME 68 26 47 1.27 3 2.54 3.65 3.65 49 SASSER 72 31 55 0.05 2 3.13 4.96 4.96 56 SAVANNAH 69 25 49 0.08 2 1.35 2.26 2.26 56 SHELLMAN 73 30 55 0.11 2 2.39 4.18 4.18 58 SKIDAWAY 76 32 53 0.10 2 1.18 1.80 1.80 54 STATESBORO 68 30 53 0.15 2 2.39 3.26 3.26 55 TIFTON 72 33 55 0.06 2 2.06 3.13 3.13 54 TIGER 65 23 43 1.12 4 3.10 4.49 4.49 44 VALDOSTA 78 34 58 0.20 1 1.20 2.34 2.34 57 VIDALIA 71 30 54 0.07 2 1.39 2.33 2.33 56 WATKINSVILLE 70 31 49 0.79 2 4.55 6.79 6.79 49 WILLIAMSON 71 29 50 0.44 3 3.40 5.35 5.35 50 1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental 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 February 20, 2005 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Some pastures are staying too wet and getting dying grass from this situation. Routine care of livestock and poultry. Lots of rain, but winter grazing well established and just waiting for some warm weather to jump. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Started raining Saturday night. Received as much as 2 inches in some areas of the county. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL No comments available. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We have seen temperatures rise over the past few days. We've also seen our rainfall patterns continue to develop some consistency. Hopefully, we'll continue to see the cooler temperatures impact insect problems. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Top dressing wheat. Top moisture is ok but subsoil still short. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Started planting sweet corn this week. Eighty-five% of plastic laid for spring tomatoes. Spread lime, fertilizer, and prepared land for corn and peanut. We received 01" of rainfall. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Highbush blueberries are beginning to bloom. Will have to start freeze protecting at freezing and below temperatures. Last three fronts passing through county have not brought much rainfall. We are 5-6 inches short of rain for 2005. Farmers are getting field work done with the open weather we are having. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Onions continue to improve as weather conditions improve. Contact Information David S. Abbe, Director Georgia Agricultural Statistics Phone: 706-546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga