Georgia weather and crops, 2005 May 8

Georgia Crop Weather
Week Ending Date May 8, 2005
COOL NIGHT TEMPERATURES CONTINUED Unseasonably cool night temperatures coupled with wet soils continued to delay fieldwork activities, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. As a result, planting and crop maturity continued to be behind normal. Rainfall was isolated across the State. Soil moisture levels were rated 10 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus.
Producers continued to plant cotton and peanuts where weather permitted. Cool temperatures and windy conditions damaged newly transplanted cotton, tobacco, and vegetables. Overall, crops remain in mostly good to fair condition. Bermuda grass growth has slowed during the green-up phase. Livestock producers continued limited hay feeding. Peaches appeared in good condition.
County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Other activities producers: side dressing tobacco with fertilizer, applying fungicide, cutting hay, and the routine care of livestock and poultry.

Crop Progress Table
Corn, Planted Corn, Emerged Cotton, Planted Peanuts, Planted Sorghum, Planted Soybeans, Planted Soybeans, Emerged Wheat, Heading Wheat, Harvested for Grain Onions, Harvested Watermelons, Planted Peaches, Harvested

May 8, 2005 94 87 19 9 25 9 2 94 0 25 93 0

Prev Week
88 78
9 3 21 3 0 87 0 14 86 0

Prev Year
99 95 31 19 22 20
9 97
1 49 95
3

5 Year Avg 97 94 37 20 26 14 7 96 1 44 95 2

Crop Condition Table

May 8, 2005

Crop

Very Poor

Corn

3

Cotton

4

Hay

0

Sorghum

0

Tobacco

0

Wheat

1

Onions

6

Watermelons

3

Apples

0

Peaches

0

Pasture

0

Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

6

35

51

13

54

28

4

30

59

0

60

38

2

44

51

3

26

60

7

23

31

8

56

31

6

6

79

1

22

73

3

29

59

Excellent
5 1 7 2 3 10 33 2 9 4 9

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level

May 8, 2005

Very Poor Poor Fair Good

--Percentage--

Dist 1(NW)

0

11

32

48

Dist 2(NC)

0

0

12

62

Dist 3(NE)

0

0

32

56

Dist 4(WC)

0

3

24

61

Dist 5(C)

0

5

32

56

Excellent
9 26 12 12
7

Dist 6(EC)

0

2

45

53

0

Dist 7(SW)

1

4

28

59

8

Dist 8(SC)

0

1

39

56

4

Dist 9(SE)

0

0

9

83

8

*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

May 8, 2005 Prev Year

--Percentages--

Very Short

0

7

Short

10

41

Adequate

76

50

Surplus

14

2

5 Year Avg
15 36 42
7

Soil Moisture Table - District Level

May 8, 2005

Very Short Short Adequate

--Percentages--

Dist 1(NW)

0

18

77

Dist 2(NC)

0

9

86

Dist 3(NE)

0

0

74

Dist 4(WC)

0

13

71

Dist 5(C)

0

9

85

Dist 6(EC)

0

32

58

Dist 7(SW)

0

6

75

Dist 8(SC)

0

4

71

Dist 9(SE)

0

7

81

Surplus
5 5 26 16 6 10 19 25 12

Weather Information Table

GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY

MAY 8, 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 50 65 0.67 1 2.84 10.95 15.97 69

ALPHARETTA

86 37 58 0.05 3 2.70 10.00 21.16 62

ARLINGTON

83 47 64 0.47 2 4.19 16.02 21.58 69

ATTAPULGUS

83 49 64 1.20 2 4.15 20.11 26.15 68

BLAIRSVILLE

81 30 54 0.08 1 2.49

8.87 17.98 60

BOWEN

83 51 64 0.89 1 4.42 18.08 23.58 71

BRUNSWICK

85 54 66 1.72 4 3.67 12.40 20.40 70

BYRON

85 46 63 0.00 0 2.50 10.55 17.37 66

CAIRO

82 51 65 1.21 2 3.86 18.31 23.64 68

CALHOUN

84 35 57 0.68 1 4.47 12.47 20.55 61

CLARKS HILL

87 44 61 0.00 0 1.58

7.69 16.66 69

CORDELE

85 49 65 0.04 2 3.44 16.78 22.26 69

COVINGTON

85 43 61 0.00 0 2.32

8.02 14.58 65

DAHLONEGA

85 35 59 0.00 0 2.67 10.73 20.52 59

DALLAS

82 39 57 0.20 1 2.44 11.21 19.36 62

DAWSON

84 46 64 0.08 1 3.66 12.85 17.50 69

DEARING

87 45 64 0.00 0 0.85

8.24 15.58 65

DEMPSEY

83 43 60 0.00 0 3.42 11.64 19.12 65

DIXIE

83 51 66 1.23 2 3.63 16.01 22.72 69

DUBLIN

86 47 64 0.05 2 2.98 14.41 19.03 71

DULUTH

85 38 59 0.00 0 2.01

9.40 18.66 64

DUNWOODY

83 39 59 0.00 0 1.29

8.41 18.97 62

EATONTON

85 41 61 0.00 0 2.84

9.20 16.96 69

ELLIJAY

83 34 55 0.20 1 3.94 11.54 19.99 60

GAINESVILLE

82 42 60 0.00 0 2.10

9.26 18.44 66

GEORGETOWN

83 43 63 0.00 0 4.51 21.73 28.80 72

GRIFFIN

82 45 61 0.00 0 3.15 11.49 19.68 64

HOMERVILLE

84 48 64 1.03 2 2.49 11.43 17.11 70

JACKSONVILLE 85 46 63 0.00 0 2.09 11.17 17.71 67

JONESBORO

85 42 61 0.00 0 3.65 10.80 21.04 63

LAFAYETTE

82 34 55 0.52 2 1.96

5.66 12.41 61

MCRAE

85 44 62 0.01 1 2.97 13.34 17.66 70

MIDVILLE

87 48 64 0.00 0 1.63

9.74 17.37 71

NAHUNTA

84 43 63 2.23 2 4.31 11.69 18.87 70

NEWTON

82 50 64 1.26 2 4.33 19.27 24.90 70

PINE MOUNTAIN 83 40 59 0.00 0 2.30 13.06 21.25 64

PLAINS

84 47 64 0.01 1 2.63 14.49 20.78 70

ROME

84 37 57 0.27 2 2.09

6.63 12.24 63

SASSER

83 50 64 0.11 2 4.45 15.96 22.49 69

SAVANNAH

88 47 64 1.59 2 2.57 11.36 15.99 70

SHELLMAN

86 49 65 0.00 0 4.30 15.17 20.61 73

SKIDAWAY

87 51 64 3.51 3 4.60 14.53 19.00 66

STATESBORO

87 47 63 0.21 2 1.84 12.95 18.17 71

TIFTON

81 52 65 0.43 2 3.82 12.39 17.56 67

TIGER

83 35 56 0.00 0 3.58 11.38 19.61 62

VALDOSTA

83 53 66 1.00 5 3.51 15.34 22.06 68

VIDALIA

86 49 65 0.09 1 2.30

8.87 12.25 69

WATKINSVILLE 84 43 61 0.00 0 2.68 12.06 22.40 65

WILLIAMSON

83 40 59 0.00 0 2.92 12.26 20.43 63

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 Very cool mornings. Slow crop growth.
Another extremely cool week (night temperatures in 30's on mountains).
DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Rain and unseasonably cold temperatures early this week - some primary tillage for corn fields was completed late in the week.
Cool, wet spring has set back bermuda hay fields while extending fescue and ryegrass seasons.
Still to early for planting in north Georgia. We are still having frost.
DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Np comments available.
DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Cotton producers are rotary hoeing cotton that was planted a couple weeks ago. Some peanuts are in the ground. Some corn problems. Peaches look good.
DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Cooler than average temperatures slowing green-up of pastures and hay fields. Light hay feeding continues for most livestock.
We have gotten off to a slow start in terms of planting. Certainly the rainfall is needed, but we need to begin to pick up the planting schedule.

Got a little drying time. Some hay harvesting has begun.
Cool weather is delaying haying.
DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Cold weather, particularly the cool nights, is delaying planting, germination and early seedling growth. Bermuda grass growth is very slow during green-up phase. Corn still yellow as soil temperatures remain in low-mid 60's.
DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST We received 1.32" of rainfall. Crops, overall in good condition. Field preparation for cotton and peanut planting. Soil temperatures Monday-Tuesday has average 71 degree F at the 4" depth. Cautious acres (25-50) has been planted. Cool temperatures remain.
DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Tobacco was hit by high wind damage and cool weather. Rainfall and cool temperatures have delayed cotton and peanut planting. Most cover crops have been burned down for planting. Pepper suffered some wind damage. Side dressing tobacco with fertilizer.
Cool weather inhibiting cotton emergence. Farmers planting cotton. Watermelon farmers beginning fungicide sprays and watermelons delayed due to continued cool weather, and previous injuries (sand blasting, wind damage, hail, frost, seedling disease).
Rain off and on all scattered through the week. Many crops (cotton and tobacco especially) are struggling with cool nights, and cold wet soils. Rain in May. It usually never rains in May in our area, and it is delaying planting in many cases. Next week will be a large planting week if the weather cooperates.
DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Vidalia onion harvest still in full swing.
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