fl-crop-weather Week ending July 4, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. July 6, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: It was warm during the week with high temperatures ranging from the high 80s to low 90s. Low temperatures were mostly in the low 70s. Scattered afternoon thunderstorms with heavy amounts of rain were common in some areas. Most of the severe storms during the period were in the Tampa and south Florida areas. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is adequate to surplus and throughout the Peninsula is mostly adequate with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Cotton is in good condition. Early cotton is starting to bloom. Daily rains have hampered application of post emergence herbicides in some peanut fields. Green peanut growers are digging the crop. Tobacco harvest is active. Hay fields are responding well to rainfall. Hay is being harvested between showers. Sugarcane growth is normal. Peanut condition: fair 14%, good 77%, and excellent 9%. Peanuts pegged is reported at 62 percent. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 6 Short 12 2 20 12 Adequate 67 65 66 57 Surplus 21 33 14 25 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures and ranges continue to improve following the return to seasonal rains. Almost daily rains have delayed hay baling, in the Panhandle and northern counties, though livestock ponds were still low. In the central counties, pastures were progressing well following scattered rains. In the west central area, pasture grass was growing. Statewide, cattle and calves were mostly in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 0 Fair 20 25 30 10 Good 75 60 70 80 Excellent 5 15 0 10 CITRUS: The tropical climate this week provided rains and thunderstorms in all areas on several days. Surface moisture in some groves is bordering on surplus. However, most of the growers and caretakers are happy to see the canals and ponds refilling following the dry winter and spring. There is an abundance of new growth in all well-cared-for groves. New crop fruit continues to size well with the help of summer rains. Valencia harvest is nearly over for this season as harvesters are currently moving a few smaller crops to fresh squeeze processors. Grapefruit movement is down to the last few thousand boxes and they are also going to fresh juice processors. All of this State's big processors are closed for the season. Caretakers have been very active cutting cover crops that have grown out of control with the help of the recent rains. Second and third sprayings for insect control along with herbicid ing continue in all areas of the citrus belt. Dead tree removal and replanting have been reported in some of the larger grove operations. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jun 20 Jun 27 Jul 4 Valencia oranges 543,050 53,000 NA All grapefruit 12,200 11,000 NA VEGETABLES: Most growers shipped the last tomatoes, sweet corn, and watermelons during the week with harvesting virtually finished. Producers continue to pick a small summer crop for local markets. VEGETABLES--1998-99 SEASON Scattered showers during July 1998 lessened the threat of wild fires while temperatures soared to record-high levels. Many stations recorded temperatures at 100 degrees or higher during July with the heat indices much higher. Quincy tomato planting got underway about mid-July as watermelon growers finished harvest of the spring crop. The threat of bad weather from Tropical Storm Alex disappeared in late July as the storm weakened and veered away from the State. July temperatures at the major stations mostly averaged one to two degrees above normal while rainfall ranged from about five and a half inches at Miami to about sixteen and a half inches at Tallahassee. Strong winds and tornadoes during August storms caused varying amounts of property damage with no significant damage to the vegetable crops. By early August, Quincy tomato produc ers finished planting and land preparation for fall crop planting gained momentum over the Peninsula . Dry soils in a few areas, especially around Immokalee and in western Manatee County, hindered the preparation of land for fall crop planting during early August. Pepper, eggplant, watermelon, and tomato planting started in most southern Peninsula vegetable areas by mid- August. Dade County producers began to plant a limited acreage of squash during the last half of August and some okra growers cut plants to delay harvesting and make a second crop. Snap bean planting began in Dade County during the last week of August. August rainfall ranged from slightly over three inches at Talla hassee to almost twelve inches at Miami. August temperatures averaged normal to two degrees above with most daytime highs in the 90s. Rainfall dropped off in late August and early September as Hurricanes Bonnie and Danielle passed parallel to the eastern coast and drew moisture from the atmosphere. Hurricane Earl made landfall in the Big Bend area during early September with tomatoes in the Quincy area escaping significant wind and heavy rain damage. The Quincy area reported that about six to seven inches of rain fell as Earl moved inland. Hot temperatures during early September affected plant growth with growers resetting weaker tomato and pepper plants. Tomato planting in Sumter County, cucumber planting in the Palmetto-Ruskin area, pickle and eggplant planting in Dade County, and squash and water melon planting around Immokalee became active by early September. Hurricane Frances kept skies mostly dry by drawing moisture from the atmosphere as it made landfall about mid- September with southern Peninsula producers irrigating young plants to maintain proper moisture levels. However, feeder bands from Frances dropped some rain over western Peninsula locali ties, including the Palmetto-Ruskin and Immokalee areas with minor flooding reported in Dade County and some plant beds washed out in the East Coast region. Most fieldwork halted during late September as Hurricane Georges passed by and made landfall over Biloxi, Mississippi. Some bloom loss occurred in a few localities due to strong winds with most crops suffering no significant damage from this storm. The Quincy area received five or more inches of rain as Georges became a tropical depres sion and passed directly over the region. However, the Gadsden County tomato crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. The extreme western Panhandle received from seven to twenty inches of rain from Georges. Cloudy skies during the last half of September slowed maturation of the Quincy tomato crop with some scheduled harvesting delayed by one to two weeks or more. Rain for September totaled from about five and a third inches at Orlando to almost twenty inches at Pensacola. Overcast skies kept most daytime highs during September in the 80s. Hot temperatures persisted during October, November, and most of December. Mostly dry weather during October helped crops recover from the winds and rains of late September and increased the need for irrigation. Harvesting of fall crops gained momentum during late October. Gusty winds in late October caused some bloom loss and scarred some young fruit in East Coast localities. Rainfall for October ranged from a tenth inch for Pensacola to almost six inches at Miami while most temperatures averaged two to three degrees above normal. In early November, strong winds from Tropical Storm Mitch twisted foliage, and wind borne sand and heavy rain lowered the quality of crops nearing maturity in the East Coast, Immokalee and Everglades regions. Water accumulating in fields caused some harvesting delays. Flooding reduced the quality of leaf and root crops in the Everglades region with some losses reported. Mostly dry weather followed the storm and continued through most of December which helped crops recover. November rainfall totaled from a third inch at Tampa to almost eight inches at West Palm Beach. November temperatures averaged from one degree at West Palm Beach to five degrees above normal at several central and northern localities. The need for irrigation increased in early December although morning fog provided some moisture to developing plants. A cool snap after mid-December delayed some fruit maturation with some harvesting delayed a couple of days. However, balmy temperatures soon followed the cooler weather in late December along with an increase in showers. A cold front passing over the State at the end of December again cooled temperatures which slowed development of some crops. Most temperatures for December averaged four to six degrees above normal. Rainfall during December ranged from traces at High Springs to about four inches or more at West Palm Beach, Pensacola, De Funiak Springs, and Crestview. Storm systems from the Bahamas helped to bring five and a third inches of rain to West Palm Beach as the new year arrived. Freezing temperatures dipped into central and some southern Peninsula localities in early January. Cold temperatures damaged some squash and cucumbers around Immokalee with tomatoes suffering only minor leaf burn. Strawberry growers in the Plant City and Dover area iced plants to protect immature fruit and the plants from this cold with mature strawberries suffering damage. Drier, warmer weather in mid-to-late January helped crops recover from this cold. The passage of cold fronts over the Peninsula brought welcome rain to many localities during the last week of the month. Most temperatures for the month of January averaged three to five degrees above normal with many averaging five to fourteen degrees above normal during the last two weeks of January. The warm weather boosted plant growth and blooming of most crops but slowed development of strawberries and tomatoes. Sweet corn harvesting started in the East Coast region during the last week of the month. January rainfall totaled from two to about four inches in most localities with West Palm Beach, St. Augustine, and Hastings recording from five to almost six inches for the month. Warm weather continued into February with temperatures averaging four to eleven degrees above normal during the first two weeks of the month. The passage of a cold front during the last half of February caused temperatures to plunge to freezing levels in many northern and most central Peninsula areas with frosts burning some tender foliage and winds tossing vines and plants. Mostly dry conditions during late February increased the need for irrigation. Temperatures during February averaged one to five degrees above normal and rainfall ranged from traces in mostly southern and central areas to two and a half inches. Chilly weather continued into the first half of March with heavy frosts occurring in some northern and north central localities. The cooler nights aided development of tomatoes but slowed cucumber growth. Northern growers were planting watermelons, snap beans, and sweet corn after mid-March as temperatures warmed a little. Immokalee producers started watermelon harvesting at the end of the month. Temperatures for March mostly averaged from one to five degrees below normal. Dry weather persisted throughout March with rainfall ranging mostly from none to almost three inches. However, Crestview and De Funiak Springs reported six to almost eight inches of rain falling during March. Dry and mostly warmer weather during April lowered the quality of some crops and increased the threat of wildfires. Tomato growers stopped making the third pick of some acreage due to a low market in April. Daytime high temperatures started reaching into the 90s by mid-month. Most precipitation totals ranged from one to three inches during April while temperatures mostly averaged two to four degrees above normal. Scattered showers helped ease dry conditions throughout May with monthly precipitation ranging from a half inch to almost four inches at the major stations. Hail accompanying storms at mid-month damaged a limited amount of snap beans around Immokalee and some tomatoes in the Palmetto-Ruskin region. Hot temperatures throughout the month brought most vegetable harvesting to an end by late May. Temperatures during May at the major stations hovered near normal. Watermelon harvesting gained momentum in north central areas during early June as tomato picking increased around Quincy. Almost daily rains during June eased drought conditions in many localities but delayed some tomato picking around Quincy late in the month. Okra harvesting in Dade County gained momentum by mid-month with frequent rain boosting crop development at the end of the month. Precipitation at the major stations totaled from one to nine inches during most of June while temperatures averaged within one to three degrees of normal. Watermelon harvesting became very active in the northern Peninsula and western Panhandle by late June. However, a truck shortage during late June hindered the movement of watermelons. Zellwood and northern producers continued sweet corn picking into early July. To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to nass-state-releases@news.usda.gov with the following message: subscribe fl-crop-weather. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.