fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending January 4, 2004 Released 4:00 P.M. January 5, 2004 Report Code FL-CW0104 Weather Summary Report Dry and mostly warm weather during the week of December 28 through January 3 kept field work on schedule. Most localities received no rain during the week. Pensacola and Quincy recorded about half an inch and Marianna, about a quarter inch. The danger for wild fires is increasing in most Big Bend, northern Peninsula and southeastern Peninsula counties due to the recent dry weather. Temperatures for the week averaged two to six degrees above normal in the major cities. Daytime highs were in the 60s and 70s with several reporting at least one daily high in the 80s.Nighttime lows were in the 40s, 50s and 60s with several recording at least one low in the 30s. Tallahassee and MacClenney reported at least one low in the 20s. Field Crops Report Sugarcane harvesting is active in the Everglades area. The dry weather is hindering the growth of dryland hay in Lake County. The lack of recent significant rainfall is lowering soil moisture supplies with all regions except for most of the Panhandle reporting short to adequate topsoil and subsoil supplies. The Panhandle reported adequate soil moisture. St. John's, Highlands and Broward counties reported some localities have very short moisture supplies. Dade County subsoil moisture is affected by water canal levels which are currently unseasonably high. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 2 1 1 2 5 1 Short 38 19 4 33 15 4 Adequate 60 79 51 65 79 53 Surplus 0 1 44 0 1 42 Vegetable Report The warm, dry weather allowed planting and harvesting to proceed at a normal pace with most growers taking a break to welcome in the New Year near the end of the week. Vegetables and noncitrus fruit available include snap beans, cabbage, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, peppers, radishes, squash, strawberries and tomatoes. Livestock Report In the Panhandle, the winter forage condition is mostly good with the clover forage in good condition. Drought reduced the condition to poor and fair in many locations in the Panhandle and north. In the central andsouthwest, the condition of pastures and range is mostly fair due to dry soil conditions. Hay supplies are dwindling at some locations. Statewide, cattle are mostly in good condition. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 0 5 0 0 Poor 15 10 5 5 Fair 70 50 35 30 Good 14 35 59 60 Excellent 1 0 1 5 Fruit Report Citrus: Unseasonably warm and dry weather prevailed all week. No rainfall was reported by citrus area stations and morning lows reached only into the 50s with some daytime highs into the low 80s. Some growers returned to irrigation to maintain tree condition and encourage continued fruit growth. With the previous weeks' colder weather, trees are hardy and should withstand any later cold weather. Growers and packers report good natural color and excellent external appearance on tangerines, early oranges, and grapefruit. Most fresh fruit packing houses reduced shipments during the holidays to avoid over supplies of fruit in the marketplace. Varieties being packed include early and midseason oranges (Navels, Hamlins, and Pineapple), white and colored grapefruit, Sunburst and Honey tangerines, tangelos, and Temples. Most processing plants remained open to receive fruit over the New Year's holiday. With the exception of the previous two weeks, volume for processing is reaching peak levels. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 21 Dec 28 Jan 4 Navel oranges 189,000 61,000 57,000 Early and Mid oranges 8,280,000 5,111,000 8,854,000 Grapefruit 781,000 567,000 721,000 Early tangerines 276,000 137,000 95,000 Honey tangerines 17,000 26,000 78,000 Tangelos 66,000 22,000 26,000 Temples 6,000 4,000 21,000 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.