ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date January 7, 2008 Issue GA-CW0108 Agricultural Summary January 7, 2008 RAIN IMPROVED TOPSOIL CONDITIONS The weather turned very cold mid-week before warming back up for the weekend, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Average high temperatures ranged from the mid-30's to the upper 60's. Average lows ranged from the upper 10's to the lower 40's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 9% very short, 25% short, 60% adequate, and 6% surplus. Most of the state received significant and much needed rainfall during the last week of December. The rain improved topsoil moisture conditions tremendously. Small grains looked better as a result of the increased moisture. The extremely cold temperatures this week should help the peach crop and knock out several pests. Unfortunately, the cold weather could have a negative impact on the winter vegetable crop. The increased amount of peanut hay harvested should help supplement grass hay to meet cattle requirements for the year. The pecan harvest neared completion. Other activities included feeding livestock, general poultry house work, and preparing greenhouses for seeding tobacco plants. County Extension Agents reported an average of 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 01/06/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 01/06/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 2 7 34 55 2 Range and Pasture : 23 31 37 8 1 Vegetables : 1 5 55 38 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 01/06/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 9 NA NA Short : 25 NA NA Adequate : 60 NA NA Surplus : 6 NA NA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 01/06/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 26 43 30 1 District 2 (NC) : 9 30 61 0 District 3 (NE) : 29 40 31 0 District 4 (WC) : 9 21 63 7 District 5 (C) : 3 28 63 6 District 6 (EC) : 0 17 71 12 District 7 (SW) : 8 18 59 15 District 8 (SC) : 3 12 74 11 District 9 (SE) : 4 21 75 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 01/06/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 32 40 28 0 0 District 2 (NC) : 20 41 36 2 1 District 3 (NE) : 42 38 18 2 0 District 4 (WC) : 37 33 22 8 0 District 5 (C) : 27 20 39 14 0 District 6 (EC) : 3 39 49 7 2 District 7 (SW) : 9 34 37 14 6 District 8 (SC) : 11 12 63 14 0 District 9 (SE) : 17 22 52 9 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 01/06/08, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather data are not available for the week ending 01/06/08. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 January 6, 2008 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Very cold last week for the majority of the week. We received a little over one inch rain over the Christmas and New Year holidays. It was greatly needed. Hopefully we will receive more during the winter months. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Rain. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST End of year rains helped topsoil moisture tremendously. However, that moisture is being rapidly depleted. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Most of the county received over 6 inches of rainfall in December. This has helped with topsoil moisture. Good rain received over most of county, 2.5-3 inches. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Very cold temperatures mid-week. Hay feeding to livestock increasing. Rains helped improve small grain condition slightly and helped raise stream and pond levels a little bit. We received close to 4 inches in rainfall over the weekend. Yet we're still in a deficit of sorts. The record cold weather has been a significant change of sorts. It will help the peach crop and hopefully knock out several pests. Grains looking good. Bare spots growing in after rain. Fields wet but no one is complaining. Wet and cold for the week. We had 3 days of rain last week totaling 4 inches throughout most of the county. The rain did not impact pond or lake levels. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Lots of rain Dec. 28-29. Wheat looking much better, peanut hay seems to be sufficient to supplement grass hay to meet cattle requirements for year. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Pecan harvest nearing completion Received 3.78" rainfall. Good topsoil moisture. Wheat stands look very good. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL We got much needed rainfall over the holidays. Cold frigid weather past few days. Getting greenhouses ready to seed tobacco plants. Feeding livestock and general poultry house work. Small grains looking better after the rains. Conditions normal for this time of year. Extreme cold temperatures has major negative impact on vegetable crop conditions. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.