ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 3, 2008 Issue GA-CW0107 Agricultural Summary March 3, 2008 PASTURE CONDITIONS IMPROVE A cold front blew through the state on Wednesday dropping temperatures significantly, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures dropped from the upper 60's to the lower 40's on Wednesday before climbing back up to the low 70's by Sunday. Average lows ranged from the mid-20's to the lower 40's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 3% very short, 8% short, 62% adequate, and 27% surplus. Although much more rain is needed to reach adequate subsoil moisture levels, the frequent showers, the state has been receiving, have made some immediate positive impact on our crops and pastures. Pastures in northwest Georgia were finally showing some improvement with the recent rains. In some areas, however, wet soil conditions hampered applications of nitrogen on wheat and other small grains. In general, wheat looked good, especially where farmers were able to apply fertilizer. The crop was beginning to elongate. Low temperatures have hurt some early rabbiteye blueberries. Other activities included getting equipment ready for planting corn, clipping tobacco plants in greenhouses, and the routine care of poultry and livestock. County Extension Agents reported an average of 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/02/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Data collection for crop progress will resume for the week ending 03/09/08. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/02/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 1 3 27 50 19 Range and Pasture : 12 21 44 21 2 Vegetables : 0 4 46 48 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/02/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 3 3 NA Short : 8 10 NA Adequate : 62 59 NA Surplus : 27 28 NA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/02/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 10 28 60 2 District 2 (NC) : 3 20 66 11 District 3 (NE) : 5 14 81 0 District 4 (WC) : 3 10 80 7 District 5 (C) : 7 5 61 27 District 6 (EC) : 0 8 59 33 District 7 (SW) : 0 2 49 49 District 8 (SC) : 0 0 59 41 District 9 (SE) : 0 1 54 45 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 03/02/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 23 29 42 6 0 District 2 (NC) : 5 10 51 32 2 District 3 (NE) : 17 38 41 4 0 District 4 (WC) : 12 36 36 15 1 District 5 (C) : 25 18 29 28 0 District 6 (EC) : 2 17 61 20 0 District 7 (SW) : 0 11 53 31 5 District 8 (SC) : 6 15 44 29 6 District 9 (SE) : 10 9 49 31 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 03/02/08, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albany : 75 26 51 0.21 1 4.90 9.86 9.86 56 Alma : 74 27 51 0.41 1 5.51 8.96 8.96 55 Alpharetta : 71 22 44 0.53 3 5.01 8.91 8.91 45 Arlington : 76 25 50 0.03 1 4.88 9.16 9.16 55 Attapulgus : 76 26 51 0.78 2 10.03 13.98 13.98 59 Blairsville : 68 19 40 1.05 4 4.52 9.19 9.19 46 Williamson : 72 22 48 0.78 1 3.25 8.02 8.02 50 Bowen : 71 26 50 0.17 1 5.43 8.02 8.02 56 Brunswick : 74 29 53 0.19 1 3.92 6.78 6.78 60 Byromville : 74 25 50 0.52 1 3.30 8.64 8.64 54 Byron : 74 24 50 0.88 1 4.49 10.08 10.08 54 Cairo : 75 27 52 1.04 1 10.07 14.30 14.30 59 Calhoun : 71 16 43 0.94 2 3.18 6.12 6.12 47 Pine Mountain : 75 20 48 0.64 2 3.56 9.22 9.22 51 Camilla : 74 26 51 0.11 1 8.02 13.66 13.66 56 Clarks Hill : 72 26 47 0.38 1 3.24 7.45 7.45 50 Cordele : 74 29 50 0.32 1 3.59 8.24 8.24 54 Covington : 71 22 47 0.37 1 2.19 6.12 6.12 49 Dahlonega : 65 22 42 0.64 3 4.75 9.52 9.52 44 Dallas : 72 21 46 0.50 2 4.09 7.04 7.04 47 Dawson : 74 24 50 0.21 1 3.21 8.57 8.57 55 Dearing : 72 23 49 0.44 1 4.24 8.89 8.89 52 Dempsey : 72 20 48 0.59 1 2.29 5.99 5.99 49 Dixie : 74 29 52 0.76 1 9.56 13.20 13.20 58 Dublin : 74 26 50 0.65 1 5.00 9.42 9.42 54 Duluth : 71 21 45 0.61 3 4.09 7.55 7.55 48 Dunwoody : 71 22 45 0.56 2 4.18 7.60 7.60 46 Eatonton : 72 21 46 0.38 1 3.21 8.84 8.84 49 Elberton : 70 21 47 0.38 1 2.94 6.94 6.94 49 Ellijay : 66 17 40 0.69 2 3.26 5.70 5.70 44 Rome : 73 19 45 0.75 2 3.38 6.33 6.33 47 Fort Valley : 73 23 50 0.66 1 3.91 8.91 8.91 52 Gainesville : 66 25 44 0.47 2 4.42 8.47 8.47 48 Georgetown : 72 22 48 0.58 1 6.85 13.05 13.05 53 Jonesboro : 73 22 47 0.50 1 3.21 7.00 7.00 49 Jeffersonville : 73 24 49 1.07 1 4.82 10.27 10.27 53 Lafayette : 71 17 44 0.86 3 4.71 8.52 8.52 46 McRae : 72 24 48 0.42 1 7.25 10.53 10.53 55 Midville : 72 27 49 0.76 1 4.94 8.77 8.77 53 Newton : 76 25 51 0.23 1 5.97 10.52 10.53 57 Plains : 72 24 49 0.51 1 4.05 9.30 9.30 52 Sasser : 32 32 32 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 32 Savannah : 75 26 51 0.13 1 3.49 6.11 6.11 58 Skidaway : 73 27 50 0.41 1 3.92 7.99 7.99 53 Sneads : 75 37 54 0.19 1 10.17 15.13 15.13 57 Statesboro : 73 27 50 0.59 1 6.04 8.72 8.72 54 Tiger : 63 17 40 0.64 2 4.20 9.28 9.28 43 Valdosta : 76 29 54 0.73 1 9.03 12.38 12.38 59 Vidalia : 73 27 51 0.68 1 6.82 9.75 9.75 55 Roopville : 75 21 46 0.47 2 4.16 7.87 7.87 50 Watkinsville : 70 23 47 0.58 1 2.97 6.55 6.55 48 Woodbine : 76 27 52 0.98 1 4.57 7.67 7.67 61 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 March 2, 2008 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST We had a bitterly cold day on Wednesday. Good weather rest of the week. Fescue is starting to pick up in some pasture situations. We have been receiving up to 1/2 inch rain per week. Even though we are so far behind, this little bit has made some immediate positive impact. But we need a whole lot more. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL No comments available. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST About 0.38" of rain early last week. Weekly rains have been beneficial. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Still wet. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We have gotten our share of rainfall recently, but it's been offset by the cold weather that has come in. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Received 0.65" of rainfall. Heavy soils and low areas extremely wet from winter cold front rains. Wheat crop looks much better this week. beginning to elongate. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Getting much needed rainfall. Low temperatures hurt some early rabbiteyes blueberries. Getting equipment ready for planting corn. Clipping tobacco plants in greenhouse. Wheat looks great after nitrogen application. Wet soil conditions are hampering applications of topdress nitrogen on wheat and other small grains. Received 6 to 8 inches of rain in the past 10 days. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.