fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending January 30, 2005 Released 4:00 P.M. January 31, 2005 Report Code FL-CW0505 Weather Summary Report A cold front swept over the State early in the week of January 24 through 30. Temperatures at the major stations averaged two to five degrees below normal. Cold weather crossed from the Panhandle and northern Peninsula down to the southern Peninsula with some regions experiencing some frosts and hard freezes. Most nighttime low temperatures for the week were in the 30s, 40s, and 50s with nearly all localities in the Panhandle, northern Peninsula and some central Peninsula areas recording at least one low in the 20s. Some areas in the northern Peninsula received low temperatures in the teens on at least one night. Daytime highs were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Some southern Peninsula localities are at potential risk due to very low humidity which increases the risk of the wild fire hazard. Rainfall ranged from none in most areas to nearly an inch at Live Oak. Field Crops Report Producers in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula are preparing for spring crop planting. Sugarcane harvesting remains active around Lake Okeechobee. Despite recent dry weather, soil moisture supplies over the northern and central Peninsula and the Panhandle are short to mostly adequate. Soil moisture supplies over the southern Peninsula are mostly short to adequate with the danger for wild fire high in some localities. Okeechobee and Union counties reported some areas of surplus soil moisture while supplies are very short in some southeastern coastal localities and in parts of Madison County. Hernando County reported soil moisture supplies ranging from very short to surplus. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 1 2 2 1 0 2 Short 34 37 29 24 29 31 Adequate 64 60 68 74 67 66 Surplus 1 1 1 1 4 1 Vegetable Report Some vegetable producers either covered plants with freeze cloths or ran overhead sprinklers for cold protection. Vegetables marketed included snap beans, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, Romaine lettuce, miscellaneous herbs, peppers, radishes, squash, sweet corn, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes. Livestock Report In the Panhandle, the condition of pasture is mostly good. Winter forage is being heavily grazed. Hay feeding is active in the Panhandle and northern counties. In the northern area, small grain winter forage is poor to good with most in fair condition. Drought and cold weather have limited forage growthto the extent that in some locations its still not tall enough to graze. The demand on hay for feed is high. In the central area, most range is in poor condition while in the southwest, the condition is fair to good. Statewide, cattle condition is poor to good with most cattle being in fair condition. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 5 5 0 0 Poor 45 25 15 10 Fair 25 45 50 55 Good 25 25 35 35 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report Citrus: Cooler weather came on Tuesday with lows in the 30s in all citrus producing areas. The rest of the week was mild and warm. Rainfall recorded for the week was between zero and less than one tenth of an inch. Caretakers are continuing to mow, hedge and top, apply herbicides and remove hurricane damaged trees. Continued irrigation is taking place in areas where there has been lack of rain. Late oranges are coloring at normal consistency in all areas; picking of early and mid oranges is continuing with the large majority going to processing. Sunburst tangerine harvest is nearly complete and tangelos are being picked for processing. Fresh fruit packing houses are still running early oranges (Navels and Hamlins), white and colored grapefruit, declining amounts of tangelos, and increasing amounts of Temples, and Honey tangerines. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 16 Jan 23 Jan 30 In thousands of 1-3/5 bushel boxes Early & Mid oranges 5,705 4,545 5,498 Navel oranges 76 5858 66 Late Oranges 0 0 7 Grapefruit 588 448 608 Tangelos 104 88 110 Sunburst tangerines 19 12 11 Honey tangerines 142 93 94 Temples 29 26 24 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.