ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date February 4, 2008 Issue GA-CW0508 Agricultural Summary February 4, 2008 DROUGHT CONDITIONS PERSIST BUT RAIN HELPS The state experienced warmer weather this week, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily high temperatures averaged from the mid-50's to upper 60's. Average lows were in the upper 20's to the mid-30's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 4% very short, 14% short, 62% adequate, and 20% surplus. Scattered rains were welcomed again this week in many areas of the state. Although the state continued to operate under drought conditions, recent precipitation has improved the situation, at least temporarily. Ponds that had previously gone dry were beginning to fill back up. Small grains were showing the benefits of the rains. In middle Georgia, however, the frequent abundant rains received there have slowed winter wheat growth and made fieldwork difficult for farmers and livestock producers. The effects of the extreme cold weather experienced in January were beginning to show up in pastures and other crops. Winter grain mites were reported in several ryegrass and wheat fields. Farmers were making preparations for spring planting. Other activities included applying nitrogen to fields, spraying for weeds, feeding hay to livestock, 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 02/03/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 02/03/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 1 4 30 51 14 Range and Pasture : 20 26 34 18 2 Vegetables : 1 5 50 43 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 02/03/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 4 4 NA Short : 14 14 NA Adequate : 62 66 NA Surplus : 20 16 NA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 02/03/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 11 32 56 1 District 2 (NC) : 2 13 70 15 District 3 (NE) : 10 43 47 0 District 4 (WC) : 2 17 69 12 District 5 (C) : 2 15 64 19 District 6 (EC) : 9 10 61 20 District 7 (SW) : 0 8 47 45 District 8 (SC) : 1 5 67 27 District 9 (SE) : 0 6 76 18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 02/03/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 3 24 65 8 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 2 96 2 0 District 3 (NE) : 0 18 66 16 0 District 4 (WC) : 0 6 46 44 4 District 5 (C) : 3 5 25 62 5 District 6 (EC) : 0 5 35 48 12 District 7 (SW) : 0 2 24 59 15 District 8 (SC) : 1 1 28 43 27 District 9 (SE) : 0 20 50 25 5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 02/03/08, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albany : 74 29 49 1.56 3 4.96 4.96 4.96 50 Alma : 70 33 51 0.34 2 3.45 3.45 3.45 52 Alpharetta : 65 24 41 2.00 5 3.94 3.94 3.94 39 Attapulgus : 74 29 50 0.76 2 3.95 3.95 3.95 54 Blairsville : 66 19 39 2.54 5 4.95 4.95 4.95 43 Williamson : 68 24 45 1.91 4 4.77 4.77 4.77 45 Bowen : 73 31 49 0.41 2 2.88 2.88 2.88 52 Brunswick : 73 35 53 0.21 3 2.86 2.86 2.86 57 Byromville : 71 28 47 1.83 3 5.34 5.34 5.34 48 Byron : 70 28 47 1.59 4 5.59 5.59 5.59 49 Cairo : 73 31 51 0.80 2 4.23 4.23 4.23 55 Calhoun : 66 19 40 1.28 4 3.12 3.12 3.12 43 Pine Mountain : 70 26 45 1.93 4 5.66 5.66 5.66 47 Camilla : 73 28 49 2.37 3 5.64 5.64 5.64 51 Clarks Hill : 71 24 44 1.51 4 4.21 4.21 4.21 46 Cordele : 72 27 46 1.69 3 4.65 4.65 4.65 49 Covington : 66 24 45 1.51 4 3.93 3.93 3.93 45 Dahlonega : 63 24 41 2.26 5 4.83 4.83 4.83 40 Dallas : 66 25 42 1.39 5 3.01 3.01 3.01 43 Dawson : 72 28 47 1.92 3 5.36 5.36 5.36 51 Dearing : 69 28 47 1.37 4 4.65 4.65 4.65 48 Dempsey : 69 25 45 1.44 4 3.70 3.70 3.70 44 Dixie : 74 29 51 0.54 2 3.64 3.64 3.64 54 Dublin : 72 27 47 0.61 2 4.42 4.42 4.42 49 Duluth : 66 24 42 1.49 5 3.49 3.49 3.49 44 Dunwoody : 65 26 42 1.70 5 3.47 3.47 3.47 43 Eatonton : 69 21 44 2.11 4 5.63 5.63 5.63 44 Elberton : 68 25 44 1.52 4 4.00 4.00 4.00 45 Ellijay : 61 21 40 0.98 5 2.63 2.63 2.63 40 Fort Valley : 70 28 47 1.30 4 5.00 5.00 5.00 48 Gainesville : 63 28 42 1.89 5 4.11 4.11 4.11 44 Georgetown : 70 26 46 3.35 4 7.40 7.40 7.40 49 Homerville : 71 27 50 0.25 2 3.91 3.91 3.91 55 Jonesboro : 67 25 44 1.44 5 3.80 3.80 3.80 44 Jeffersonville : 70 27 47 1.53 3 5.45 5.45 5.45 48 Lafayette : 63 21 40 1.36 4 4.19 4.19 4.19 42 McRae : 74 26 47 0.82 3 3.86 3.86 3.86 50 Midville : 71 28 48 0.31 3 3.83 3.83 3.83 49 Newton : 74 28 48 1.56 3 4.55 4.56 4.56 52 Plains : 69 28 46 2.16 4 5.25 5.25 5.25 47 Sasser : 32 32 32 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 32 Savannah : 73 28 50 0.09 2 2.62 2.62 2.62 53 Skidaway : 71 33 50 0.18 2 4.07 4.07 4.07 49 Sneads : 71 36 52 1.64 3 4.96 4.96 4.96 52 Statesboro : 73 30 50 0.18 2 2.68 2.68 2.68 50 Tiger : 63 20 39 2.50 5 5.16 5.16 5.16 39 Valdosta : 74 32 54 0.36 2 3.35 3.35 3.35 55 Vidalia : 73 33 50 0.27 2 2.93 2.93 2.93 51 Roopville : 66 24 43 1.61 4 3.71 3.71 3.71 45 Watkinsville : 65 24 44 1.56 4 3.58 3.58 3.58 44 Woodbine : 74 33 52 0.28 3 3.10 3.10 3.10 57 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 February 3, 2008 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Good rain this week. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Much needed rain fell this week. Major activities include routine care of livestock and poultry. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL The extreme cold days we have encountered over the past few weeks are beginning to show up in both annual and perennial pastures. Routine care of livestock. Good rain with runoff last week filled some ponds. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Welcome rain! Most areas of the county got 1-1 1/2 inches. Small grain conditions improving due to the rain. Heavy hay feeding continues for livestock and some farmers hay supplies are getting low. Pond and stream levels improving slightly due to the rain. We've gotten quite a bit of precipitation recently. We are still at somewhat of a deficit. Producers beginning to apply nitrogen. Spraying for weeds. Fields wet in some areas creating trouble for some that are applying herbicides and nitrogen. Farm ponds levels looking better! Rains have been rather frequent since the latter part of December causing muddy conditions for livestock producers. Weather has been too cold to allow much forage production from the rains. We received very little moisture this week. We also have winter grain mites that have infested several ryegrass and wheat fields. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Continued freezing temperatures at night has wheat growth stalled and tillering is slow due to abundant rain which has leached starter nitrogen and made fields too wet to apply topdress nitrogen. Many fields showing slight P deficiency due to cold weather. Hay supplies are OK for now but could be slim by March. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Wheat growth rate slow. Rainfall - 2.86." DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Farmers are continuing to make preparations for spring planting and for winter wheat sidedressing. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.