fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending December 7, 2003 Released 4:00 P.M. December 8, 2003 Report Code FL-CW4403 Weather Summary Report Cold, dry weather during the week of November 30 through December 6 increased the danger of wild fires in most localities except for the western Panhandle. Temperatures averaged two to seven degrees below normal in the major cities. Daytime highs were in the 60s and 70s with most central and southern Peninsula localities recording at least one high in the 80s. Nighttime lows averaged from the 30s in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula areas, to the 60s in Miami and other southern Peninsula localities. Several Panhandle and northern Penninsula areas reported at least one low in the 20s. Rainfall ranged from none in several localities to a little over a half inch in Jay, Pensacola and West Palm Beach. Most cities received traces or less. Field Crops Report Pecan harvesting is active in Jefferson County with fair yields and good quality being produced by commercial groves. Sugarcane harvesting remains active in the Everglades area. Picking of most cotton acreage is finished in the Panhandle. Dry conditions over the Peninsula and eastern Panhandle lowered soil moisture supplies. Western Panhandle soil moisture remains mostly adequate. Elsewhere, supplies are short to adequate with very short supplies reported for scattered localities over the Peninsula. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 10 1 2 8 1 3 Short 20 24 36 17 14 28 Adequate 69 74 61 74 84 69 Surplus 1 1 1 1 1 0 Vegetable Report Celery harvesting is getting underway in southern Peninsula localities. The harvesting of cabbage, squash and leafy vegetables is active in the Hastings area. Okra harvesting is slowing seasonally. Other vegetables available include snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, peppers, radishes and tomatoes. Livestock Report Cattle and pasture condition remains fair to mostly good. Cattle condition is deteriorating due to dry grazing in some southern Peninsula areas. Small grain and clover pastures in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula are in mostly good condition with most acreage growing well. Frosts and hard freezes over the Panhandle and northern Peninsulastopped the growth of warm season grasses and some winter grazing in low lying areas. The cool, dry weather slowed the growth of central Peninsula pastures with most southern Peninsula grazing escaping significantly cold temperatures. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 2 0 0 0 Poor 8 5 5 0 Fair 35 35 30 25 Good 50 55 60 70 Excellent 5 5 5 5 Fruit Report Citrus: The only rainfall this week occurred in the lower interior and east coast producing areas in conjunction with a cold front that moved through the state late in the week. Only trace amounts occurred in other areas. Temperatures reached the mid and high 30s as far south as Immokalee for the second week. Most growers continue to irrigate to maintain surface moisture levels. Cover crop control ahead of harvest and dead tree removal and replacement continues. Fruit growth is reported good and the majority of trees are in excellent condition as they enter a semi- dormant condition from the cold weather of the last two weeks. Growers and packers report good natural color and excellent external appearance on early tangerines, early oranges, and grapefruit. Most fresh fruit packing houses are open. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navels and Hamlins), white and colored grapefruit, Sunburst tangerines, and Orlando tangelos. All processing plants are reported open and receiving eliminations and field run fruit. As more harvesting crews arrive, volume for processing is increasing. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 23 Nov 30 Dec 7 Navel oranges 274,000 224,000 483,000 Early and Mid oranges 6,022,000 5,917,000 7,527,000 Grapefruit 897,000 709,000 758,000 Tangerines 284,000 157,000 291,000 Tangelos 43,000 49,000 124,000 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, log onto http://www.usda.gov/nass/sso-rpts.htm Then click on “Subscribe” (upper right part of screen), then select “Florida Crop-Weather”, enter your name and your e-mail address, then click on “Subscribe”. The report will be sent automatically to your e-mail address each week.