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