Drought conditions remain minimal across the Southeast. The only dry areas are located along the west coast of Florida and in northern Alabama, according to the most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The only part of Florida that is experiencing dry conditions is located along the west coast in the southern part of the state. It starts as high …
North Alabama Rains Prompt Growers to Apply Fungicides
By Clint Thompson Recent rain events in North Alabama have prompted specialty crop producers to increase their fungicide applications. Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, said rainfall in the region has been sporadic in some areas and non-existent in others. But the increased moisture in certain areas has forced growers to apply fungicide sprays to control potential diseases. …
Hurricane Development a Concern with Current Hot Ocean Waters
By Clint Thompson Hot ocean waters in the Gulf of Mexico are concerning for the Southeast. Parts of the Gulf have temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They could spark hurricane development very quickly, and unfortunately, there is not much preparation time for specialty crop growers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist, says people …
Perfect Storm: Weather Events Impacted Georgia’s Watermelon Season
By Clint Thompson Intense heat in recent weeks quickly led to the conclusion of this year’s watermelon harvests in most of South Georgia fields. The two-week deluge of rainfall in June also contributed to the crop’s shortened harvest window this year. “The extreme weather events really beat the vines up and it also introduced disease. That coupled with, once they …
Algorithm to Help FAWN Be Even More Reliable
A new algorithm is set to further bolster the credibility of the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a system that farmers count on for such data as temperature, humidity, wind and rain. Among other improvements, the technology will send an email to FAWN technicians, letting them know when readings are out of a normal range, said Rick Lusher, director of …
U.S. Drought Monitor: Dry Conditions in North Alabama, Georgia
Rainfall in early-to-mid June has helped alleviate much of the dry conditions experienced across the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Only a small portion of the west coast of Florida is abnormally dry. Those counties include Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and a small part of Collier in southern Florida. Alabama’s northern counties are in need of …
Bret’s Impact on Southeast Could Mean Additional Rain
By Clint Thompson What potentially could have been the development of a rare June hurricane is no longer in the forecast with Tropical Storm Bret. But it could still impact the Southeast by bringing added rain to a region already saturated by storms the past two weeks. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist, discusses the impact specialty crop …
Abnormally Dry Conditions Observed in Some Areas Across Southeast
The most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows abnormally dry conditions in Georgia and Alabama and some moderate and severe drought conditions in Florida. The driest conditions in Georgia remain concentrated to the southwest part of the state, in Crisp, Wilcox, Ben Hill, Turner, Irwin, Tift, Worth, Lee and parts of Dougherty, Colquitt, Cook and Berrien counties. Other …
Drought Monitor: Minimal Drought Conditions Observed in Southeast
Drought-like conditions that were widespread across the Southeast have dissipated in recent weeks, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The only remaining dry conditions in Florida are located along the west coast. Severe dry conditions start as far north as Levy County and stretch southward to Manatee, Sarasota and De Soto counties. Abnormally dry conditions are also observed as far …
Early Start to Hurricane Season?
By Clint Thompson An early start to the hurricane season is not out of the question for the Southeast. In fact, it could be expected for the region considering how warm the ocean waters are currently in the Gulf of Mexico. Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist, highlights what fruit and vegetable producers should expect from this year’s …