Georgia weather and crops, 2005 April 24

Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date April 24, 2005

SPRING PLANTING GAINS MOMENTUM Spring preparation and planting advanced across the State, despite scattered showers and thunderstorms, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. These rains brought a cold front which dropped temperatures below normal. Temperatures reached the lower 30's in the middle part of the State. Soil moisture levels were rated 1 percent very short, 12 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus.
Tobacco transplanting and corn planting were active in many parts of the state. Producers continued to cut and bale hay in areas where rains have stimulated growth. Soil, in central Georgia, was too dry and hard to plow. Some counties reported slowed crop progress due to the recent cool temperatures at night. Producers applied herbicides to kill cover crops in preparation for cotton planting.
County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Producers irrigated small grains, watermelons, and Vidalia onions. Watermelons were replanted due to poor stands. Other activities included the routine overseeing of livestock and poultry.

Crop Progress Table
Corn, Planted Corn, Emerged Cotton, Planted Peanuts, Planted Sorghum, Planted Soybeans, Planted Tobacco, Transplanted Wheat, Boot Wheat, Heading Onions, Harvested Watermelons, Planted Apples, Blooming

Apr 24, 2005 77 63 4 1 13 1 59 91 73 2 78 70

Prev Week
62 48
2 0 11 0 26 75 52 0 58 52

Prev Year
93 81
8 3 9 6 88 94 83 19 87 78

5 Year Avg 90 80 10 3 11 4 85 92 83 14 84 81

Crop Condition Table

April 24, 2005

Crop

Very Poor

Corn

5

Hay

0

Sorghum

0

Tobacco

1

Wheat

0

Onions

6

Watermelons

2

Apples

0

Peaches

0

Pasture

1

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

11

35

46

3

31

60

5

70

23

3

40

55

3

27

59

6

22

29

11

51

35

0

8

80

0

32

64

4

31

58

Excellent
3 6 2 1 11 37 1 12 4 6

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

April 24, 2005

Very Poor Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

7

11

38

39

Dist 2(NC)

0

3

22

62

Excellent
5 13

Dist 3(NE)

0

1

23

67

9

Dist 4(WC)

0

0

32

66

2

Dist 5(C)

1

2

31

58

8

Dist 6(EC)

0

5

39

56

0

Dist 7(SW)

0

5

31

59

5

Dist 8(SC)

1

5

43

49

2

Dist 9(SE)

0

8

11

76

5

*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

Apr 24, 2005 Prev Year

--Percentages--

Very Short

1

32

Short

12

51

Adequate

76

17

Surplus

11

0

5 Year Avg
11 32 50
7

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

April 24, 2005

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

0

9

88

Dist 2(NC)

0

5

88

Dist 3(NE)

0

0

86

Dist 4(WC)

0

13

81

Dist 5(C)

2

15

64

Dist 6(EC)

0

25

70

Dist 7(SW)

1

16

76

Dist 8(SC)

0

13

68

Dist 9(SE)

0

8

80

Surplus
3 7 14 6 19 5 7 19 12

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

APRIL 24, 2005 1/

2005

Air Temperature

Precipitation Totals

Extreme Weekly Rain

30

60

Soil

Location

Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day

Day Season Temp

ALMA

84 39 64 0.80 2 6.11 11.49 14.02 67

ALPHARETTA

82 37 60 0.90 3 6.51 12.40 19.73 62

ARLINGTON

84 41 64 0.57 3 8.98 14.20 18.07 70

ATTAPULGUS

84 38 64 0.73 1 11.46 19.71 22.75 70

BLAIRSVILLE

79 31 56 0.81 2 4.96 9.24 16.56 61

BOWEN

84 41 64 1.17 2 9.42 17.68 20.52 71

BRUNSWICK

82 44 64 0.88 2 7.76 15.35 17.94 70

BYRON

84 40 63 0.58 2 6.81 11.22 15.57 67

CAIRO

83 40 64 0.57 2 9.33 17.95 20.39 66

CALHOUN

81 36 60 0.92 2 6.26 10.80 17.20 64

CAMILLA

85 39 64 0.86 2 9.45 16.62 19.22 71

CLARKS HILL

86 35 61 0.61 2 5.86 9.64 16.03 67

CORDELE

85 40 64 1.68 2 12.75 16.36 20.50 68

COVINGTON

81 37 62 0.70 2 4.80 8.15 13.15 65

DAHLONEGA

78 34 60 0.66 2 6.47 11.20 18.92 59

DALLAS

81 39 61 0.43 2 6.35 12.22 17.70 63

DAWSON

84 38 63 1.70 2 9.41 11.88 15.59 68

DEARING

85 39 65 0.28 2 6.25 10.07 15.10 64

DEMPSEY

80 36 61 1.32 2 7.73 11.65 17.02 67

DIXIE

83 39 64 0.58 2 8.77 17.08 19.67 70

DUBLIN

85 38 64 0.74 2 10.06 13.82 17.05 69

DULUTH

81 37 61 0.72 2 6.46 11.26 17.41 64

DUNWOODY

80 39 61 0.71 1 6.04 11.35 18.53 65

EATONTON

82 33 61 0.79 1 6.07 9.32 15.27 68

ELLIJAY

80 35 57 1.18 2 6.42 10.75 17.39 60

GAINESVILLE

79 40 62 0.41 1 5.54 10.33 17.10 67

GEORGETOWN

83 34 62 2.37 2 17.63 20.71 26.69 71

GRIFFIN

80 39 62 1.13 1 7.52 11.56 17.67 64

HOMERVILLE

85 39 63 0.23 2 5.68 13.09 15.17 69

JACKSONVILLE 84 39 63 0.46 1 7.77 11.32 16.20 67

JONESBORO

81 38 62 0.91 1 6.52 11.89 18.89 63

LAFAYETTE

80 37 61 0.38 3 2.86 5.27 10.93 62

MCRAE

83 35 62 1.46 2 9.35 13.89 16.34 68

MIDVILLE

84 40 64 0.49 2 7.06 10.19 16.30 70

NAHUNTA

85 34 62 0.93 2 5.75 13.17 15.73 69

NEWTON

84 39 64 0.69 3 11.22 18.00 21.39 69

PINE MOUNTAIN 81 37 60 0.14 2 9.48 13.88 19.47 64

PLAINS

83 40 64 0.77 2 11.51 13.93 18.92 68

ROME

82 39 60 0.40 2 3.57 6.17 10.71 64

SASSER

83 43 64 2.01 1 11.28 15.17 20.13 67

SAVANNAH

85 37 63 0.48 2 7.00 11.84 14.10 67

SHELLMAN

81 40 61 2.42 3 9.61 11.83 14.95 65

SKIDAWAY

82 42 63 0.67 3 7.84 13.55 15.35 63

STATESBORO

84 38 64 0.00 0 7.46 13.21 16.53 70

TIFTON

81 44 65 1.01 2 6.07 11.72 14.85 66

TIGER

80 31 58 1.43 2 7.78 11.96 18.27 62

VALDOSTA

83 42 66 0.64 4 7.59 17.03 19.37 65

WATKINSVILLE 81 37 63 0.46 2 8.60 12.69 20.95 65

WILLIAMSON

80 36 61 0.59 2 7.80 12.14 18.14 64

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 compiled and edited by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service.
DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available.
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL First cutting of hay being put on the ground.
Heavy scattered thunderstorms this week, some including high wind and hail.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Rained about 2 inches in some areas. It is wet again. Producers planned to start planting cotton.
Fields are drying quickly and some are even moisture deficient now.
Frost this morning.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Corn planting continues. Soil conditions beginning to dry out quite a bit. Area could use some showers. Pastures and hayfields continue greening up nicely but also could use some rain. Hay feeding continues for livestock but thankfully in smaller amounts.

We have been hoping to see extended dry periods so that we get our planting done.
Some folks were able to get their first cutting of hay this year before the hail and hard rain came through on Thursday night and again on Friday. It's been rather wet in the fields up until then to get out and do much.
Received around inch to inch and a half on Friday. Land prep and planting continues. Pastures being treated for weeds and fertilized.
This was the first full week when the soil moisture level has been dry enough to cut hay and till in preparation for planting. A lot of hay cutting, baling and plowing of ground has taken place this week.
Temperatures in the low to mid 80's coupled with wind have dried fields out. Many farmers irrigated watermelons, Vidalia onions and small grain crops this week. Insecticide and fungicide spraying was common this week.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Dry conditions are causing the soil to harden, making chisling and planting difficult in various locations. Some are having to replant corn while others need rain to help it emerge.
Preparing land, finishing corn planting, fertilizing and spraying corn herbicides, cotton pre-emergy herbicide incorporated.
Conditions improving. Getting dry in some places.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Peanut seeds picked up by farmers. Field prep for planting. Corn plantings completed.
DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL We are two weeks behind on planting tobacco and finally finishing up corn planting. Some corn fields that were battered by heavy rainfall are being replanted due to poor germination/plant stand and washing and drowning. Tobacco land is having to be irrigated in order to plant. Tobacco and pepper were hit by wind damage to stem. Preparing land for peanuts and cotton. Applying burn down to cover crops.
Watermelon transplanting winding down, crop will be delayed due to delays in transplanting and land prep.
Cotton planting is beginning. Farmers are burning down cover crops. Cool nights have slowed crop progress. Growers will start planting cotton as soon as night time temperatures warm. Tobacco transplanting is progressing even though it is late transplanting. Early blueberry harvest has been pushed back one week due to cold nights. Cold nights and warm days tend to crust soil surface making crop emergence from soil hard.
DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Cool night slowing growth of crops.
Onion harvest expected to begin in full swing this week, as the shipping date of April 28th is quickly approaching.
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