ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date December 16, 2007 Issue GA-CW5007 Agricultural Summary December 17, 2007 RAIN SHOULD IMPROVE CROP CONDITIONS A couple of cold fronts blew across the State during the week dropping temperatures significantly, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Average high temperatures fell from the upper 70's at the beginning of the week to the upper 50's to end the week. Average lows dropped from the lower 50's to the lower 30's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 36% very short, 33% short, 30% adequate, and 1% surplus. Rain received over the weekend should improve crop conditions. The rain was needed to help wheat stands emerge and spur winter grazing growth. Any winter wheat that had emerged was progressing well. Pastures were generally in poor condition due to the extended drought. Ponds used for livestock continued to dry up. Affected producers were seeking alternative water sources. Other activities included feeding hay, planting wheat, harvesting cotton, and the routine care of livestock and poultry. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 12/16/07 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Data collection for crop progress will resume in March 2008. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 12/16/07 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 6 14 55 24 1 Range and Pasture : 35 36 24 4 1 Vegetables : 1 6 52 39 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 12/16/07 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 36 38 NA Short : 33 43 NA Adequate : 30 18 NA Surplus : 1 1 NA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 12/16/07, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 37 36 26 1 District 2 (NC) : 25 36 39 0 District 3 (NE) : 73 27 0 0 District 4 (WC) : 39 19 37 5 District 5 (C) : 25 36 39 0 District 6 (EC) : 49 18 33 0 District 7 (SW) : 40 36 20 4 District 8 (SC) : 33 42 25 0 District 9 (SE) : 11 60 29 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 12/16/07, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 36 42 22 0 0 District 2 (NC) : 30 21 45 3 1 District 3 (NE) : 59 32 9 0 0 District 4 (WC) : 53 29 13 5 0 District 5 (C) : 28 52 18 2 0 District 6 (EC) : 42 31 24 3 0 District 7 (SW) : 22 33 28 12 5 District 8 (SC) : 9 53 28 10 0 District 9 (SE) : 21 21 53 5 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Weather Summary for Week Ending 12/16/07, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albany : 82 37 63 1.58 2 2.52 4.43 35.73 63 Alma : 81 37 63 1.26 3 2.22 3.41 36.21 63 Alpharetta : 76 30 53 0.90 2 3.08 5.14 26.64 51 Arlington : 82 35 60 1.93 1 2.96 5.09 34.23 61 Attapulgus : 81 36 61 0.68 3 2.76 6.99 28.22 64 Blairsville : 74 24 51 0.01 1 2.14 6.36 33.45 54 Williamson : 79 28 57 1.17 3 2.54 4.31 31.45 57 Bowen : 80 35 62 0.79 3 1.48 3.12 29.67 64 Brunswick : 81 39 65 1.11 3 1.23 3.10 33.06 67 Byromville : 80 33 60 2.68 2 3.44 4.46 33.73 61 Byron : 80 32 59 2.93 2 4.21 5.03 36.90 60 Cairo : 83 35 62 0.87 2 2.98 7.23 35.87 65 Calhoun : 77 28 52 0.64 3 2.96 5.08 23.81 55 Pine Mountain : 79 30 57 1.02 2 3.80 6.06 37.56 58 Camilla : 82 34 61 0.78 1 1.70 4.89 34.99 64 Clarks Hill : 81 34 55 1.96 3 2.85 3.74 26.91 57 Cordele : 81 35 60 2.73 2 3.66 5.42 33.61 61 Covington : 78 30 57 1.19 2 2.09 3.80 28.49 57 Dahlonega : 74 28 54 1.37 3 4.07 6.78 31.62 53 Dallas : 78 28 52 0.00 0 1.90 4.02 27.36 51 Dawson : 80 34 61 3.64 2 5.08 7.09 32.84 62 Dearing : 81 32 60 2.63 3 3.20 3.82 24.03 60 Dempsey : 78 28 58 0.92 3 2.07 3.23 25.18 59 Dixie : 81 37 62 0.82 3 2.07 5.39 39.30 64 Dublin : 81 34 60 3.61 2 3.93 4.36 36.72 61 Duluth : 79 30 53 0.94 4 2.93 4.31 30.19 56 Dunwoody : 77 29 55 0.96 3 3.07 4.73 33.56 56 Eatonton : 79 31 56 2.34 2 3.71 5.18 32.43 57 Elberton : 79 32 56 1.96 2 4.40 5.43 28.26 55 Ellijay : 73 26 51 0.45 4 2.17 4.85 24.39 53 Rome : 79 30 53 0.02 1 0.85 3.41 21.58 55 Fort Valley : 80 31 59 2.35 3 4.36 5.54 32.65 60 Gainesville : 76 31 54 0.54 3 1.84 3.49 24.13 57 Georgetown : 79 35 60 2.34 4 5.56 7.98 40.74 62 Homerville : 82 36 61 1.47 3 2.22 3.18 34.80 64 Jonesboro : 79 31 56 0.97 2 2.05 3.65 27.40 56 Jeffersonville : 80 49 62 2.77 2 3.57 4.01 33.34 60 Lafayette : 77 30 54 0.43 3 4.54 8.58 29.72 56 McRae : 82 35 59 1.75 3 2.52 3.98 35.13 62 Midville : 80 35 60 3.11 2 3.62 4.33 31.88 62 Newton : 82 33 62 1.03 2 2.80 6.21 33.02 64 Plains : 78 31 59 2.48 2 4.17 5.63 33.44 59 Sasser : 80 34 61 2.50 2 3.88 7.03 37.47 61 Savannah : 83 38 63 0.67 3 0.83 2.34 40.68 64 Skidaway : 78 38 61 0.97 3 1.03 2.39 51.00 61 Sneads : 88 42 64 0.10 2 1.11 1.63 19.34 65 Statesboro : 80 35 62 0.00 0 0.50 1.69 35.19 63 Tiger : 74 28 50 0.85 4 4.58 8.51 48.47 51 Valdosta : 81 38 65 1.68 2 2.60 4.91 35.97 64 Vidalia : 80 36 63 1.85 3 2.96 4.11 41.43 64 Roopville : 79 30 55 1.29 3 2.47 4.69 31.82 57 Watkinsville : 78 30 56 1.03 2 2.78 5.02 26.20 56 Woodbine : 82 39 64 0.83 1 1.05 3.72 44.08 66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Weather data are supplied by the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of Georgia. For detailed Georgia weather data, visit the AEMN homepage at www.georgiaweather.net. DISTRICT COMMENTS December 16, 2007 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Had a good rain on Saturday, December 15th. Probably coldest day of the fall yesterday. Pastures in bad shape except for any fall drilled grasses. Weather for last few weeks has got that grass to grow some. I still expect many cattle producers to be real short on hay supplies. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL No comments available. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Surface water, particularly ponds, used for livestock watering continue to dry. Many producers are seeking alternative water sources. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL No rain. Rain over the weekend will help out. Need rain. One inch rain event over most of the county on Saturday. Feeding hay, tending herds, welcoming calves continues. Wheat crop progressing well. This rain has helped with pond and stream levels but I fear it'll be short lived. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We need rainfall as soon possible. Welcome rain! Over 3.5 inches received at the weather station on Saturday. Small grains planting winding down. Expect everyone to finish this coming week! Warm and dry weather sets back in slowing winter grazing growth. We received about an inch and 1/2 of rain this week which should help current crops but ponds and lakes are still 6 to 8 feet below normal. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Still very dry, wheat/small grains struggling in many fields. Irrigating for winter pasture and wheat fields. Still picking cotton, even baling cotton "stover" for livestock feed. Peanut hay has very good quality this year. Rain finally arrived on Saturday night, 3 inches was good but no mud holes! DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Wheat plantings continue. Extremely warm conditions, no rainfall in forecast. Wheat stands looking good. Expected rains this weekend will help emerge the remaining stands. Dry! DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Dry, dry, and drier. Need rain to get up wheat and for winter grazing to grow. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.