fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending December 30, 2001 Released 4:00 P.M. December 31, 2001 Report Code FL-WE4600 Weather Summary A storm front crossing over the State early during the week of December 23 through 29 brought significant showers to several localities. Pensacola reported almost an inch and two-thirds rain for the week while Miami recorded over two-thirds of an inch. Other amounts ranged from traces to an inch. Temperatures plunged to freezing levels over the Panhandle and northern Peninsula and some central Peninsula areas during the first part of the week. Belle Glade and Dover reported at least one daily low in the upper 30s. Hastings and Pierson recorded at least one low in the 20s. Temperatures aver aged normal to six degrees below at the major stations. Daytime highs were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Nighttime lows were mostly in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola daily lows averaged in the 30s with each recording at least one low in the 20s. Field Crops Report Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies are mostly short to adequate. Cold temperatures in northern and Panhandle areas induced dormancy for deciduous trees such as pecans. Some small grains suffered freeze damage in northern and Panhandle regions with recovery expected. Haying is active in central and southern Peninsula locali ties. Sugarcane harvesting and planting in the Everglades region paused for the holiday observance. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 9 18 11 19 Short 32 31 30 27 Adequate 59 51 59 54 Surplus 0 0 0 0 Livestock Report Winter grazing suf fered some freeze damage in northern and Panhandle areas with livestock producers providing supplemental feed where pastures were harmed. The recent rain helped improve pasture conditions in most areas. However, pastures remain mostly fair to poor across the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Central and southern Peninsula pastures are fair to good. Cattle condition is rated poor to fair in northern Peninsula and Panhandle regions, but is fair to good elsewhere. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 5 0 0 Poor 10 15 5 5 Fair 40 35 40 40 Good 50 45 55 55 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: Cold temperatures the first of the week gave way to mild weather Friday night and Saturday when daytime recordings were in the upper 70s. There was very little rain associated with several cold fronts that passed through the citrus belt the past 10 days. Growers and caretakers are irrigating to keep their trees in good condi tion for freeze protection. A few groves on the high sand hills have had some wilt due to increased winds and the absence of rain. Generally, most of the early and midseason fruit are mature and ready to be harvested. Honey tanger ines are now being picked for the fresh markets. A lot of the grapefruit are now passing maturity due to the warmer than normal temperatures during November and December. The processing plants are now working long hours to move the higher ratio early and midseason oranges that are now being picked. The fresh fruit packing houses are shipping early and mid oranges, grapefruit, tangelos and all types of tangerines. Caretakers are moving, chopping and discing cover crops for fire protection and prior to harvesting. Very few sprays and fertilizers are being applied at this time. Grow ers are removing and burning dead trees following the harvesting operations. Reset trees are currently being ordered for spring planting. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 16 Dec 23 Dec 30 Navel oranges 484,000 309,000 n/a Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 8,617,000 6,366,000 n/a All grapefruit 876,000 982,000 n/a Early Tangerines 413,000 317,000 n/a Honey Tangerines 0 4,000 n/a Tangelos 173,000 141,000 n/a Vegetable Report Temperatures did not stay cold enough for a long enough period to significantly harm vegetables. Some producers harvested mature crops prior to the cold to avoid damage. Harvesting continued to meet the New Year's holiday demand. Sweet corn harvesting began in Dade County with a light volume available. Other vegeta bles available include tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cucum bers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, pickles, radishes, snap beans, squash and strawberries. Northern growers are preparing land for the planting of watermelons. FOLIAGE, FLORICULTURE AND OTHER NURS ERY PRODUCTS: Producers ran heaters and overhead sprinklers to protect plants from freezing temperatures in coldest areas with only some minor damage to nursery stock in northern areas. Temperatures were not cold enough for a long enough time to cause root damage. To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov with the following message: add usda-fl-crop- weather your-email-address your.name (optional) An example: add usda-fl-crop-weather jsmith@qtm.com john smith. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.