FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending November 16, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. November 17, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Cold fronts passing over the State brought storms to most localities during the week of November 9 through 15. Official stations reported most rainfall amounts for the week totaled from about an inch to almost three inches with West Palm Beach reporting about a half inch. However, the Palmetto-Ruskin area reported that from five to ten inches fell. Other unofficial reports put rain totals at five to eight inches in western Sarasota and northern Highlands counties during the morning of November 14. Some rivers in the west central area surpassed flood stage due to the heavy rainfall. Strong winds and tornadoes accompanying the storms caused some property losses. The East Coast region escaped most of the bad weather. Overcast skies kept most temperatures one to three degrees below normal during the week. Virtually all stations reported at least one low in the 40s or 50s with low temperature averages for the week mostly in the 50s and 60s. High temperatures averaged mostly in the 60s and 70s with virtually all stations recording at least one high in the 80s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Central and southern Peninsula moisture is short to ade-quate with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Wet weather slowed the cotton harvest. Soybean harvest is virtually complete. Sugarcane planting and harvest is active. Farmers are planting winter wheat for grain. Moisture Rating Topsoil Subsoil Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 12 28 13 7 Adequate 72 46 74 72 Surplus 16 26 13 21 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The general quality of pastures deteriorated the past week. Permanent pasture was almost dormant in the north and Panhandle early in the week due to the lack of soil moisture and because of the cool temperatures. Winter pastures were still being planted, but many ranchers have finished. Pasture in the Big Bend and north central areas received up to 24 hours of rainfall at mid-week. Freezing temperatures Monday morning in the Panhandle hurt pasture quality. In the west central area, pastures have not yet turned but growth has slowed. Winter pasture is planted. In the southwest, the condition of the pastures was declining seasonally. Condition Range Cattle Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 10 0 5 Fair 30 50 25 40 Good 55 25 65 45 Excellent 10 15 10 10 CITRUS: There was plenty of rain in all areas of Florida's citrus belt this week followed by very cool temperatures. General tree condition in groves receiving normal care are very good to excellent. New growth has slowed as the earlier than normal cool temperatures have generally slowed new foliage formation. The on-tree fruit coloring of the early types of fruit are excellent at this time. Most of the processors are open and taking grove-run oranges and packing house eliminations of most other fresh types. Virtually all of the fresh fruit packing houses are running full force. Caretakers are cutting cover crops prior to harvest operations. There is limited spraying in some fresh fruit groves. Most other groves operations have slowed. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 2 Nov 9 Nov 16 Navel oranges 224,000 217,000 315,000 Early & Mid oranges 1,670,000 2,860,000 4,720,000 All grapefruit 733,000 669,000 766,000 Tangerines 204,000 219,000 245,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 5,000 3,000 2,000 Tangelos 68,000 71,000 85,000 VEGETABLES: Wet fields delayed the harvesting of most vegetables in northern and west central areas. Vegetables marketed during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, radishes, squash, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, and watermelons. The volume being shipped is nearing the fall peak with growers trying to meet the Thanksgiving holiday demand. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Planting is active. Picking of good quality and yield continues with good supplies available. North--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. East Coast--Crop condition remains good. Harvesting by machine and hand continues with good quality and color available. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting and harvesting continue at a steady pace. Quality and yield are good. West Central--The crop is in poor to fair condition. Some growers disced some acreage. Other growers are hoping plants recover from damages caused by the recent adverse weather. Picking is active with poor to fair quality of medium and small sizes available. CABBAGE: Dade--Plants growing and starting to head in the cooler weather. West Central--Planting steady. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development normal. Central, Hastings--Planting active. Crop condition normal. Growth and development normal. Harvest of early plantings active in central area. Quality mostly good. Light damage from recent rains. Evergaldes--Harvest is getting underway late next week. CARROTS: Zellwood--The crop is in good condition. Digging is expected to begin in early December. FLORIDA VEGETABLES Page 2 November 17, 1997 SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking of a light volume continues. Quality is fair with adverse weather earlier in the season causing the quality reduction. However, quality is expected to improve over the next few weeks. Zellwood--Picking is winding down with supplies available until late November. Quality is very good. Yields are good. Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Picking began with good quality and yield available. Planting of a limited acreage continues at a steady pace. East Coast--Plant growth is good with recent plantings off to a good start. Oldest fields are starting to silk. Dade--All fields are up to good stands with plants growing well. Planting continues. North--Picking is virtually finished. CUCUMBERS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality and yield remain good. East Coast--Condition is rated mostly good. Young fields are showing good blooming with runners developing. Harvesting is active with good quality and color available from new blocks. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is fair to good with some quality reduced by the recent adverse weather. Sizes are variable. Color is good. North--Picking remains active. Dade--Pickle harvesting is active with good yield and quality available. Zellwood--Pickle harvest continues with some activity delayed by rain. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. First cuts are providing good quality and color of mostly fancy grade available. Both regular and Italian varieties are being harvested. West Central--Condition remains fair to good. Cutting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good with mostly medium sizes available. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Cutting remains steady. Volume is light. Quality and yield are good. Dade--Crop condition is good. Planting is slowing seasonally. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood--Cutting is active. Quality is good. Everglades--Growers continue to harvest a light volume of good quality. Supplies are expected to increase over the next few days. LETTUCE: Everglades--Boston and Bibb harvesting remains active with supply to increase over the next few days. Picking of a light but increasing volume of Romaine and leaf varieties continues. Romaine quality is rated excellent. Iceberg harvesting is underway with good quality available. Zellwood--Cutting is very active with good quality available. OKRA: Dade--Harvest remains active with a low volume of fair quality and yield available. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting and planting continue at a steady pace. Quality and yield remain good. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking continues to increase with both hot and Bell varieties available. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is good. East Coast--Condition is good. Cooler temperatures are slowing plant growth but blooming and fruit setting remain good. Fruit sizes are increasing in younger fields. Harvesting of both green and red Bell, jalapeno, Hungarian wax, cubanelle, and other hot varieties continues with good quality available. Transplanting and irrigating of recent sets are active. North--Picking continues. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop is in good condition. Planting steady. Growth and development good. Southeast--Potato plant-ing is on schedule with most growers planting now. Weather good for planting. West Central--Planting is starting. Growth and development normal. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging is gaining momentum with some activity delayed due to recent rainfall. Quality is good. SQUASH: West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Crop condition is rated mostly good. Recent plantings are in good condition. Cutting of fancy and medium sizes is active. Quality and color are mostly good. Dade--The crop is in good to very good condition. Picking of good quality is active with supplies increasing slowly. Planting and irrigating continue. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Condition is rated good. Cooler, drier weather will aid the recovery of plants from the recent rain damage. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Most plants are recovering from the recent heavy rains. Transplanting is complete. Dade--Berries are starting to develop in U-Pic fields. TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Transplanting is steady. Cooler temperatures are aiding fruit setting and sizing. Picking remains steady with a good supply of extra large and large sizes available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Harvesting slowed near the end of the week due to the heavy rainfall. Fruit quality is fair with mostly large and some extra large sizes available. Supplies are below normal. East Coast--Condition is good. Cooler, drier weather is aiding fruit setting and sizing but is slowing plant growth. Growers continue to make the first and some second picks with extra large to large to medium sizes available. Quality from first picks is very good. Quincy--Picking of decreasing supplies is expected to continue over the next few weeks. Dade--Condition is good. Transplanting is on schedule. Yield prospects are good with picking expected to begin by early December. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Picking is mostly steady with some activity delayed by the heavy rains. Quality and sizes are fair to good. Color is good. Supplies are light. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting continues. Picking is underway with good quality and yield available. Supplies are light. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality remains good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Picking continues to increase with fair to good quality available. Sizes are good. Supplies are light. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Picking remains active with some growers finished. Quality is fair to good with mostly number 2 sizes and some number 1 available. Color is good. Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good.