Georgia weather and crops, 2005 March 13

Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date March 13, 2005
COOL AND WINDY WEATHER Cool, windy weather prevailed across most of the State, according the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Scattered showers occurred in some areas. High winds throughout the week depleted soil moisture levels. These conditions were a welcome sight for those producers waiting for fields to dry out so they could resume field preparation and planting. Soil moisture levels were rated 7 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus.
Pasture, vegetable, and wheat conditions were all rated fair to mostly good. Top-dressing of small grains and winter grazing continued. There were concerns about the high cost of fertilizer and diesel fuel. In north central Georgia, high winds and rains caused some minor damage to apple, peach, and pecan trees.
County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Other activities included transplanting tomatoes and tobacco, general maintenance of farm equipment, and the routine care of livestock and poultry.

Crop Progress Table March 13, 2005 Data for the table will resume in April 2005.

Crop Condition Table

March 13, 2005

Crop

Very Poor

Vegetables

0

Wheat

0

Pasture

2

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

3

39

53

1

28

66

8

41

47

Excellent
5 5 2

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

March 13, 2005

Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

0

0

52

48

0

Dist 2(NC)

0

2

34

63

1

Dist 3(NE)

0

12

33

49

6

Dist 4(WC)

1

2

53

44

0

Dist 5(C)

6

7

25

61

1

Dist 6(EC)

0

10

40

50

0

Dist 7(SW)

1

17

44

35

3

Dist 8(SC)

5

9

55

30

1

Dist 9(SE)

0

1

42

54

3

*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 13, 2005 Prev Year

--Percentages--

Very Short

0

NA

Short

7

NA

Adequate

77

NA

Surplus

16

NA

5 Year Avg
NA NA NA NA

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

March 13, 2005

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

0

0

87

Dist 2(NC)

0

1

72

Dist 3(NE)

0

0

78

Dist 4(WC)

0

1

83

Dist 5(C)

0

7

68

Dist 6(EC)

0

3

90

Dist 7(SW)

1

28

70

Dist 8(SC)

0

6

79

Dist 9(SE)

0

6

79

Surplus
13 27 22 16 25
7 1 15 15

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

MARCH 13, 2005 1/

2005

Air Temperature

Precipitation Totals

Extreme Weekly Rain

30

60

Soil

Location

Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day

Day Season Temp

ALMA

80 34 55 0.46 2 2.60

5.02 5.02 54

ALPHARETTA

78 27 48 1.50 4 7.03 10.90 11.26 47

ARLINGTON

81 32 58 0.22 1 2.17

4.09 4.09 58

ATTAPULGUS

81 32 55 0.96 1 3.51

6.02 6.04 58

BLAIRSVILLE

72 25 44 1.00 4 6.10

8.94 9.42 45

BOWEN

81 32 55 0.54 2 2.74

5.50 5.50 57

BRUNSWICK

82 39 57 0.91 2 5.56

8.00 8.00 57

BYRON

80 30 53 0.60 2 3.09

6.76 6.82 54

CAIRO

81 33 55 0.74 1 3.20

5.33 5.33 59

CALHOUN

77 27 46 1.20 4 5.86

8.06 8.42 48

CAMILLA

80 32 55 0.74 2 2.45

5.00 5.00 57

CLARKS HILL

81 29 52 0.73 2 4.56

8.90 8.97 52

CORDELE

80 34 55 0.32 2 1.40

5.46 5.48 55

COVINGTON

72 31 48 0.55 2 2.78

6.43 6.56 49

DAHLONEGA

73 29 46 0.92 3 6.47

9.30 9.95 45

DALLAS

77 28 48 1.82 3 5.46

8.48 8.85 48

DAWSON

81 30 53 0.15 2 0.99

4.64 4.65 56

DEARING

81 32 53 0.62 2 3.23

7.20 7.34 52

DEMPSEY

77 30 51 0.66 2 2.99

7.27 7.48 50

DIXIE

82 33 55 1.67 2 4.41

6.71 6.71 56

DUBLIN

80 31 54 0.17 2 1.61

4.62 4.62 55

DULUTH

78 29 49 1.00 5 5.82

9.08 9.32 49

DUNWOODY

77 30 48 1.16 4 6.91 10.26 10.62 48

EATONTON

79 28 51 0.69 2 2.81

7.60 7.76 50

ELLIJAY

72 24 43 1.20 4 5.96

8.24 8.76 45

GAINESVILLE

73 33 48 0.74 3 5.78

8.91 9.19 51

GEORGETOWN

81 28 53 0.11 2 1.35

7.01 7.07 57

GRIFFIN

77 32 51 0.61 2 3.04

7.95 8.19 51

HOMERVILLE

81 33 55 1.42 2 3.72

5.68 5.68 57

JACKSONVILLE 80 28 52 0.44 2 2.18

6.52 6.54 53

JONESBORO

77 30 51 0.97 2 4.70

9.99 10.24 49

LAFAYETTE

75 25 49 0.46 3 4.33

6.03 6.76 47

MCRAE

80 29 53 0.40 2 1.99

4.31 4.32 55

MIDVILLE

81 30 54 0.26 1 3.61

7.63 7.63 54

NAHUNTA

82 31 55 1.18 2 4.81

7.17 7.18 57

NEWTON

81 31 54 0.74 2 2.32

5.62 5.63 57

PINE MOUNTAIN 78 29 51 0.69 4 4.29

7.93 8.20 51

PLAINS

81 32 53 0.12 2 1.48

6.24 6.29 53

ROME

76 28 47 0.82 5 3.59

5.48 5.92 48

SASSER

81 31 54 0.20 2 1.62

6.47 6.53 56

SAVANNAH

82 32 54 0.30 1 2.45

4.59 4.63 57

SHELLMAN

82 30 53 0.22 2 1.37

5.41 5.44 57

SKIDAWAY

82 37 55 0.28 2 2.78

4.47 4.48 54

STATESBORO

81 32 54 0.28 2 2.11

5.22 5.22 55

TIFTON

79 34 55 0.57 2 2.10

5.17 5.17 54

TIGER

75 27 45 0.53 3 5.08

7.63 8.25 45

VALDOSTA

81 35 56 1.97 2 4.58

6.72 6.72 57

VIDALIA

81 34 54 0.22 2 1.12

3.36 3.38 56

WATKINSVILLE 77 29 50 0.90 3 4.42 10.22 10.42 49

WILLIAMSON

77 30 51 0.70 2 3.26

7.92 8.17 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 March 13, 2005
DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available.
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Heavy rains this week.
Due to some high winds associated with recent storms, minor damage was sustained to some peach, apple, and pecan trees.
Routine care of livestock and poultry.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL High winds stripping soil off of plowed fields. Some corn being planted.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Another cold and windy week! Some light showers midweek. Topdressing of small grains and winter grazing continues. Farmers servicing equipment getting ready for spring planting and some preparation of land for spring planting.
We have been very wet recently. Heavy rains have left us with cooler than normal temperatures.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Hope to catch some showers this week.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Excellent weather conditions have allowed field preperation activities to proceed ahead of schedule. Planting corn, sweet corn, and transplanting tomatoes.
We received 0.32" of rainfall.
Some corn being planted.

DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Some preparing land for tobacco. Others ripping and bedding for upcoming crops. Applying fertilizer and poultry litter to fields. Farmers concerned about high fertilizer cost and diesel fuel costs. Low prices for commodities.
Cool mornings with some scattered frost in low lying areas, has slowed up pastures and hayfield greenup. Received good rainfall during the week, about one inch. Cloudy plus cool days have kept bees from working blueberries. This is hurting pollination.
DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.
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