fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending January 20, 2002 Released 4:00 P.M. January 22, 2002 Report Code FL-WE4603 Weather Summary Widespread, soaking rains fell in nearly all areas except for a few southern Peninsula localities during the first part of the week of January 13 through 19. A cold front crossing the State at the end of the week brought more showers mainly to some western Panhandle and northern Peninsula areas. Homestead and Miami recorded no rainfall; Alachua recorded almost three inches. Dover received about a third inch; Immokalee, about one and a third inches; and Ft. Pierce, nearly an inch. Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach recorded only traces of rain for the week. Temperatures at the major stations averaged from one degree below normal at Tallahassee to five degrees above at Miami. Most lows were in the 40s, 50s and 60s with Tallahassee daily lows averaging in the 30s. Tallahassee recorded at least one low in the 20s. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s. Field Crops Report The soaking rains early in the week eased dry soil conditions in most areas except for a few southern Peninsula localities. Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions are rated short to mostly adequate. Sugarcane harvesting in the Everglades is active. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 0 3 0 Short 47 24 54 34 Adequate 49 76 43 66 Surplus 0 0 0 0 Livestock Report The pasture and range condition improved slightly throughout the State. In the Panhandle and northern counties, light rain and warmer temperatures improved growing conditions of small grain winter forage. Permanent pasture grass (Bahia) in most locations was killed by recent frost. In the southwest, range and cattle conditions improved from the previous week. Statewide, the cattle condition is fair to good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 30 30 10 0 Fair 65 40 60 50 Good 5 30 30 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: Daylong rains and a few thunderstorms covered most of the citrus belt Monday thru early Tuesday. Some southern counties received more rain the first two weeks of the new year than they did for many months. This additional moisture has greatly helped the trees get ready for the upcoming bloom season. New growth is starting to show in some of the younger tree groves. Early and midseason orange harvest is very active in all areas with most of this fruit going to the processors. Fresh fruit packers and shippers are also busy moving all types of early and mid oranges, grapefruit, tanger ines, Temples and tangelos. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops for fire protection. Some pre-bloom sprays are being applied in the warmer locations. Dead trees are being pushed out and burned. A few resets are being planted in the southern counties. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 6 Jan 13 Jan 20 Navel oranges 109,000 130,000 112,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 8,138,000 8,361,000 7,314,000 All grapefruit 875,000 1,005,000 1,126,000 Early Tangerines 208,000 140,000 90,000 Honey Tangerines 26,000 73,000 145,000 Temples 10,000 38,000 79,000 Tangelos 90,000 148,000 160,000 Vegetable Report Soggy fields delayed the picking of some crops around Immokalee early in the week. Potatoes and cabbage around Hastings suffered no significant damage from the recent cold weather. Vegetables available include tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, celery, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn and strawberries. Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov with the following message: subscribe usda-fl-crop- weather your.name An example: subscribe usda-fl-crop-weather John Smith. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.