Georgia weather and crops, 2005 April 3

Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date April 3, 2005
MORE SPRING RAINS Additional rainfall made routine land preparation and planting challenging for producers, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. There were reports of erosion in some areas of the State. Wet conditions delayed spraying applications on crops. Soil moisture levels were rated 24 percent adequate and 76 percent surplus.
Corn planting was running behind normal and producers are anxious to get back into their fields. There were concern that the flooding conditions, in low land areas, could lead to future disease problems. Peaches and apples remained in good shape. Tobacco transplanting lagged behind normal for this time of year.
County Extension Agents reported an average of 1.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Some producers were having problems feeding hay as muddy conditions made travel in pastures difficult. Other activities included aerial application of fungicides on small grain, applying burn-down chemicals, and the routine care of livestock and poultry.

Crop Progress Table
Corn, Planted Corn, Emerged Sorghum, Planted Tobacco, Transplanted Wheat, Jointing Wheat, Boot Wheat, Heading Onions, Harvested Watermelons, Planted Apples, Blooming Peaches, Blooming

Apr 3, 2005 42 33 1 4 80 27 6 0 28 5 76

Prev Week
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Prev Year
57 40
1 13 78 47 19
2 32 13 58

5 Year Avg 54 38 2 19 81 51 18 1 33 10 81

Crop Condition Table

April 3, 2005

Crop

Very Poor

Corn

7

Hay

1

Tobacco

0

Wheat

0

Onions

8

Watermelons 11

Apples

0

Peaches

0

Pasture

2

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

11

36

44

12

40

46

13

69

18

4

27

60

8

20

42

20

41

28

0

0 100

0

21

79

8

39

49

Excellent
2 1 0 9 22 0 0 0 2

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

April 3, 2005

Very Poor Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

13

13

36

38

Dist 2(NC)

0

5

22

71

Dist 3(NE)

0

9

36

45

Dist 4(WC)

7

9

39

45

Dist 5(C)

1

4

41

54

Dist 6(EC)

0

19

36

44

Excellent
0 2 10 0 0 1

Dist 7(SW)

1

4

44

47

4

Dist 8(SC)

1

6

48

44

1

Dist 9(SE)

0

9

26

62

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

Apr 3, 2005 Prev Year

--Percentages--

Very Short

0

24

Short

0

46

Adequate

24

29

Surplus

76

1

5 Year Avg
7 19 58 16

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

April 3, 2005

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

0

0

39

Dist 2(NC)

0

0

45

Dist 3(NE)

0

0

56

Dist 4(WC)

0

0

24

Dist 5(C)

0

0

15

Dist 6(EC)

0

0

29

Dist 7(SW)

0

0

15

Dist 8(SC)

0

0

14

Dist 9(SE)

0

0

21

Surplus
61 55 44 76 85 71 85 86 79

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

APRIL 3, 2005 1/

2005

Air Temperature

Precipitation Totals

Extreme Weekly Rain

30

60

Soil

Location

Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day

Day Season Temp

ALMA

83 44 62 1.41 3

7.27 9.95 11.81 62

ALPHARETTA

81 39 56 2.59 5

7.87 14.13 17.62 56

ARLINGTON

80 42 60 3.61 2 10.39 12.39 15.42 65

ATTAPULGUS

81 40 61 3.77 3 14.14 16.74 19.22 64

BLAIRSVILLE

77 35 52 1.91 4

6.08 11.35 14.49 54

BOWEN

80 45 60 2.49 4 12.50 15.66 17.46 64

BRUNSWICK

80 46 64 2.57 4

7.97 12.98 15.06 66

BYRON

80 42 59 2.01 4

7.67 11.60 13.88 60

CAIRO

81 41 61 3.78 3 13.28 15.79 17.87 65

CALHOUN

81 38 56 2.32 4

7.39 12.37 14.60 58

CAMILLA

81 43 61 3.93 2 12.41 14.81 16.67 64

CLARKS HILL

81 43 58 1.35 3

5.92 11.63 14.14 60

CORDELE

80 50 63 8.02 5 10.61 13.27 15.77 63

COVINGTON

81 42 57 1.16 4

5.43 9.21 11.44 58

DAHLONEGA

77 39 54 2.41 4

7.41 13.32 16.44 54

DALLAS

79 41 56 2.71 3

8.97 13.23 16.00 57

DAWSON

80 40 60 1.97 2

8.46 10.45 12.96 62

DEARING

83 43 59 1.13 3

7.06 10.90 13.69 60

DEMPSEY

80 41 57 2.11 4

7.58 11.68 14.40 58

DIXIE

82 42 62 2.94 3 11.84 14.67 16.88 64

DUBLIN

82 45 60 1.69 3 10.33 12.79 14.76 62

DULUTH

81 41 56 2.58 4

7.50 12.96 15.82 57

DUNWOODY

80 42 56 2.70 4

7.47 13.88 16.93 57

EATONTON

81 41 57 1.74 4

6.36 10.49 13.42 58

ELLIJAY

78 36 53 2.67 4

7.63 12.57 15.13 54

GAINESVILLE

79 41 57 1.59 4

6.73 12.43 15.18 58

GEORGETOWN

81 42 60 3.16 3 15.28 17.97 22.24 63

GRIFFIN

79 41 57 2.24 4

7.76 12.15 15.34 59

HOMERVILLE

84 45 63 2.46 4

8.91 11.48 13.17 66

JACKSONVILLE 80 44 58 1.55 4

8.28 11.43 14.38 61

JONESBORO

81 43 57 2.16 4

7.36 13.14 16.63 58

LAFAYETTE

78 37 56 1.23 3

3.62 7.57 9.91 56

MCRAE

82 44 59 1.95 4

9.22 11.70 13.13 62

MIDVILLE

82 45 60 1.25 4

7.08 12.41 14.43 64

NAHUNTA

84 43 62 1.72 4

7.01 11.05 13.01 66

NEWTON

81 41 61 4.10 2 12.13 14.29 17.02 65

PINE MOUNTAIN 79 36 56 4.23 4 10.23 15.31 17.74 58

PLAINS

78 41 59 2.31 2 10.80 13.12 16.97 61

ROME

81 37 57 1.46 4

4.08 7.06 9.18 58

SASSER

79 42 60 2.86 2 10.46 13.38 16.79 62

SAVANNAH

80 43 58 1.15 4

7.81 10.38 12.09 65

SHELLMAN

79 40 60 2.28 2

9.59 11.91 14.81 64

SKIDAWAY

81 48 63 1.76 4

9.11 11.95 13.28 61

STATESBORO

82 47 58 0.98 4 10.39 13.31 15.30 62

TIGER

77 36 52 2.51 4

6.87 11.78 14.53 53

VALDOSTA

83 45 63 2.57 3 12.25 14.94 17.00 64

VIDALIA

82 46 61 0.98 4

5.75 7.14 8.91 62

WATKINSVILLE 79 41 57 2.55 4

7.69 13.22 17.21 57

WILLIAMSON

80 42 57 2.27 4

8.69 12.80 16.16 58

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 April 3, 2005
DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available.
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Saturated soils and wet conditions later in the week slowed almost all field work. Peaches and apples doing fine. Vegetable planting had just begun before the rain set in.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms prevented field work this week - standing water in lowland areas - routine care of livestock is major activity.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST "Too wet to plow" in most parts of the county. We received 3.5 inches of rain Sunday and another 3 to 4 inches of rain on Thursday. More rain predicted for the weekend.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL It is too wet to do anything. Slowly drying out. Still need some corn to be planted.
We received 2-3 inches more rain. Wet!
Over 5 inches rain most parts of county has most fields sloppy. Fescue hayfields trying to come on, grazing is picking up and hay feeding slowing some.

Most of the peaches are already past the bloom stage in our area.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Rain, rain, and more rain! Six to eight inches in most areas of the county already this week and more to come! Some flooding of low lying areas. Land preparation for spring planting halted until soil conditions dry out considerably. Wish we could save some of this rain for June, July, and August. Extremely muddy conditions around livestock operations.
Wet!
The rainfall has created some flooding issues that may be of major concern.
Wet! More rain occurred late in the week.
Rainfall excess has brought preparations to a halt.
Wet soils from heavy rains are preventing planting and land preparation.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Corn planting progressing slowly due to rains.
Very wet. Lots of rain, also strong wind, some erosion.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Rain!
Excess moisture delaying field work.
Rains hindering work.
We received 2.38" of rainfall. No farm activities. Erosion due to excess rainfall.
DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Excessive rains have halted field work and cause considerable erosion. Farmers with wheat are going to spray a fungicide due to wet weather. Normally would be planting corn and getting land ready to plant tobacco. Wet soil conditions are delaying planting.
Continued wet weather restricting watermelon planting.
Seven to nine inches of rain has halted all but aerial application of small grain fungicides and cover crop burndown sprays.
Most fields wet. Some farmers are preparing land that on the high sandy ridges. Tobacco transplants about ready to be planted as soon as land is prepared.
Wet conditions delays transplanting and seeding of spring vegetable crops and also hampered other field work.
DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Wet!
Lots of rain.

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