ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date April 5, 2009 Issue GA-CW1409 Agricultural Summary April 6, 2009 RAIN DELAYS FIELDWORK Georgia experienced cloudy and wet weather last week, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the upper 60's during the week, and in the 70's by weekend. Average lows ranged from the lower 40's to the upper 50's most of the week. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 0% very short, 1% short, 31% adequate, and 68% surplus. Rain continued to improve soil moisture, but delayed producers from preparing land for crops. In some areas, ponds were over flowing and pastures were under water from heavy rains. Rains caused erosion in some areas. Some crops washed away and will have to be replanted. High winds caused some damage to the pepper crop. Disease has been observed in early planted crops, especially snap beans. Other activities included preparing fields and equipment for planting, applying poultry litter, planting corn and vegetables, clipping and spraying tobacco plants in greenhouses, applying lime and fertilizer to pastures and hayfields, hay feeding for livestock, and the routine care of poultry and livestock. County Extension Agents reported an average of 1.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 04/05/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 57 48 51 58 Corn Emerged : 39 27 25 37 Sorghum Planted : 2 0 5 2 Winter Wheat Jointing : 88 78 86 85 Winter Wheat Boot : 52 35 44 45 Winter Wheat Headed : 15 4 11 16 Apples Blooming : 7 3 7 17 Tobacco Transplanted : 11 5 10 11 Watermelons Planted : 51 35 46 41 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 04/05/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 7 20 33 40 0 Winter Wheat : 1 5 36 52 6 Range and Pasture : 3 10 40 43 4 Hay : 5 8 53 31 3 Onions : 0 1 30 69 0 Peaches : 0 9 24 67 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 04/05/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 0 1 0 Short : 1 12 0 Adequate : 31 57 0 Surplus : 68 30 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 04/05/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 0 7 59 34 District 2 (NC) : 0 3 55 42 District 3 (NE) : 0 8 62 30 District 4 (WC) : 0 1 33 66 District 5 (C) : 0 0 12 88 District 6 (EC) : 0 0 45 55 District 7 (SW) : 0 0 17 83 District 8 (SC) : 0 0 8 92 District 9 (SE) : 0 0 35 65 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Estimates/index.asp. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 04/05/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 7 12 38 43 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 2 18 72 8 District 3 (NE) : 0 5 42 49 4 District 4 (WC) : 0 11 39 45 5 District 5 (C) : 5 16 27 43 9 District 6 (EC) : 0 14 29 51 6 District 7 (SW) : 5 5 52 31 7 District 8 (SC) : 4 12 57 27 0 District 9 (SE) : 0 5 56 39 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Estimates/index.asp. Weather Summary for Week Ending 04/05/09, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alapaha : 72 53 62 7.05 4 13.72 16.95 18.10 64 Albany : 72 54 63 7.33 4 14.41 16.20 17.39 66 Alma : 73 54 63 7.46 4 13.07 15.05 16.78 63 Alpharetta : 67 45 56 0.88 5 6.48 11.00 15.98 56 Arabi : 70 53 61 6.47 5 11.23 13.03 14.42 63 Arlington : 69 50 59 5.16 4 12.87 17.06 18.97 63 Atlanta : 67 50 58 0.98 3 5.32 8.54 10.86 NA Attapulgus : 74 52 63 7.48 4 13.25 18.30 19.71 67 Baxley : 71 52 61 6.74 4 11.64 13.94 15.27 65 Blairsville : 66 40 53 0.91 4 4.89 7.22 11.66 53 Blue Ridge : 66 41 53 1.16 3 6.08 9.00 15.83 54 Brunswick : 73 55 64 5.20 5 6.87 9.53 12.04 66 Byromville : 70 51 60 2.65 4 5.94 7.51 9.39 62 Byron : 69 51 60 4.35 4 10.64 14.06 15.55 61 Cairo : 73 53 63 6.89 4 13.17 16.72 18.43 63 Calhoun : 67 41 54 1.16 4 6.51 9.42 15.88 56 Camilla : 72 53 62 6.63 4 13.45 17.29 17.79 64 Cordele : 70 52 61 6.47 4 10.31 12.06 12.74 62 Covington : 66 45 56 3.14 4 10.24 16.07 18.70 58 Dahlonega : 66 45 56 1.48 5 6.97 10.92 16.87 54 Dallas : 66 45 56 0.96 4 5.32 9.54 13.41 57 Danielsville : 68 47 57 1.41 3 6.52 11.88 15.40 59 Dawson : 70 51 61 6.17 4 11.90 13.13 15.10 63 Dearing : 70 48 59 2.81 4 7.13 11.86 13.77 61 Dixie : 75 53 64 8.21 3 10.53 13.31 14.91 66 Douglas : 70 51 61 9.28 4 14.84 17.01 18.01 63 Dublin : 71 51 61 4.75 5 8.72 10.62 12.02 62 Dunwoody : 65 46 55 0.89 5 6.34 10.58 14.48 56 Eatonton : 68 46 57 3.26 5 9.47 15.56 18.37 59 Elberton : 69 46 58 1.12 3 6.10 11.28 13.54 60 Ellijay : 66 41 53 1.09 4 5.30 8.24 13.44 54 Gainesville : 66 47 57 1.11 4 6.63 11.48 14.56 57 Georgetown : 68 48 58 3.82 4 11.28 12.23 15.58 62 Griffin : 66 48 57 1.97 4 9.21 15.31 19.14 59 Hatley : 69 52 61 5.67 5 8.88 11.11 12.39 62 Homerville : 75 51 63 7.23 5 8.15 14.46 16.50 67 Jeffersonville : 68 49 59 3.84 5 7.24 10.39 11.69 61 Johns Creek : 67 44 55 1.00 4 6.86 11.72 15.37 57 Jonesboro : 66 47 57 2.77 4 8.77 14.06 17.50 59 Lake Seminole : 72 57 65 7.45 6 13.03 15.09 11.73 63 Midville : 71 51 61 4.44 5 7.02 8.84 9.90 63 Moultrie : 72 54 63 7.77 4 14.31 19.25 20.43 64 Nahunta : 75 52 63 9.05 5 10.41 13.59 15.93 65 Newton : 72 54 63 6.69 4 15.50 19.85 21.71 64 Odum : 72 52 62 6.34 5 11.91 14.13 15.79 65 Pine Mountain : 67 47 57 4.20 4 12.12 16.26 20.10 59 Plains : 68 50 59 5.13 4 10.28 13.74 16.06 62 Roopville : 67 46 57 1.12 4 7.58 13.09 15.47 59 Rome : 68 44 56 1.67 4 7.43 11.99 19.82 57 Sasser : 70 52 61 6.11 5 11.12 12.64 13.92 61 Savannah : 73 52 63 4.59 5 6.99 9.55 10.87 65 Shellman : 69 52 61 4.06 4 8.85 9.90 11.89 63 Sparta : 69 47 58 3.79 5 9.47 14.56 12.39 61 Statesboro : 71 51 61 4.18 5 6.43 8.28 9.18 64 Tennille : 69 49 59 4.24 5 9.43 12.87 14.31 61 Tifton : 71 55 63 7.31 5 14.16 16.39 18.03 63 Tiger : 66 40 53 1.12 4 7.88 11.37 16.33 54 Unadilla : 69 49 59 4.15 5 8.48 11.24 12.66 61 Valdosta : 75 55 65 7.45 3 9.14 13.24 14.60 66 Vienna : 70 52 61 6.94 4 11.31 15.89 17.73 61 Vidalia : 71 53 62 6.09 4 9.37 12.44 13.85 63 Wat-UGA : 66 48 57 2.48 5 8.50 14.52 17.51 58 Williamson : 66 48 57 2.54 5 10.43 15.00 18.35 58 Woodbine : 76 53 64 6.83 5 8.06 10.87 13.21 68 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 April 5, 2009 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST We have had another 2" of rain this week, the ground is saturated. Soils are saturated. No field work. Received 1.4 inches of rain last week on top of over two inches the week before. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Rain this week continued to improve soil moisture, major activities include routine care of livestock and poultry. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL It is wet. It has been too wet for any field activity. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We have gotten a tremendous amount of rainfall over the past 7 days. We have gotten 4.79 inches of rainfall over the 7 day period. We have received over 8 inches of rain in 4 days and are expecting a frost tomorrow night. Lots of disease and damage have been observed in early planted crops, especially snapbeans. Over 7 inches of rain throughout the county occurred this week. Most ponds and many pastures are under water from heavy rains. We are floating away! DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Excessive wet and cool temperatures have hindered corn planting and slowed emergence in planted fields. No detectable wheat disease but conditions are conducive...forecast is for a lot of wind and cold for next couple of days so it will not be possible to fly on fungicide. Everyone is set to go but the rains have been spaced out just right to keep us out of the fields. Torrential rains continue to delay planting for corn. Wet cool soils will slow germination. Winter wheat continues to be deluged, with disease pressure expected to increase. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Heavy rains the past week limited field operations. Heavy rains have disrupted all field activities and caused major damage to crops planted and field structure. Pecan spraying is at least one week late and in a critical stage for protection. The county has received much surplus rain and is expecting more. Remaining 5% corn to be planted may develop if able to get into fields within next 10 days. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Rain, rain, rain. We have gotten 8" last weekend and this week 5" more. Lots of soil erosion in fields and some corn reported as sunk into the subsoil furrow and will have to be replanted. Corn and tobacco planting and field work will definitely be delayed for a while. Rivers and creeks will be peaking this weekend and schools have been closed for 2 days. Once roads are passable we can assess damage and make a better crop report next week. County has received over 20 inches of rain in the last week. Many pond dams have broken. Fields are flooded. We received 8.5-11 inches of rain over the last 10 days. Field work will be stopped for 5 to 7 days. Tobacco transplants ready to set but fields are too wet. We have received 4-10 inches of rain this week, high winds cause some damage to the pepper crop! We have a high concern with possibility flooding in the county this reporting period. Rainfall amounts totaling 12-15+ inches over the last 7 days did heavy damage to cropland and caused major delays in planting. Received 12-15" rain over 7 day period has damaged corn crop and possibly watermelon crop. Freeze early next week will cause damage to wheat and possibly corn. Warm dry weather needed. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST We are drowning.