Hot and Dry

For the week ending August 1, 2010, there was little or no relief from the hot and dry conditions, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the lower to upper 90's. Low temperatures were in the low 70's. Scattered showers fell towards the end of the week, the statewide average was an inch of precipitation. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 21% very short, 47% short, 32% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Signs of stress have been seen in some crops due to the high temperatures. Army worms and stink bugs have been reported in some fields.  Over three-quarters of the corn crop are in the dent stage, nearly half is mature, and the first fields have been harvested. Two-thirds of the soybean crop has bloomed and nearly one-third is setting pods.  The first fields of sorghum have been harvested. Virtually all of the cotton is squaring and over three-quarters are setting bolls.  Most of the peanuts are pegging.  Nearly one-third of the tobacco crop has been harvested. Other activities for the week included routine care of livestock, spraying insecticides, weed control and baling hay. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork.

DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST

Received 0.3 inches of rain last week, very scattered.

DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL

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DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST

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DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL

Army worms out in full force.  Have had several reports of damaged hay fields.  Regular rains are maintaining good topsoil moisture.

Army worms have moved into the county very early this year.  We continue to be dry and very hot; occasional pop up showers that are very spotty.

Afternoon showers has caused some hay losses.

DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL

Hot and dry is the only way to describe the conditions in county.  We have gotten traces of rainfall with the late day thunderstorms.  Unfortunately, it's not enough to cool things off or lower the humidity.

DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL

Have had recent showers over most of the county.  No serious insect problems nor disease. Corn harvest approaching as most of the crop has reached maturity and is drying down. Since 85-90% of crop is irrigated, we have a good crop coming and even did fair on dry land.

Lots of growth on soybeans and foliage feeders have not been bad.  Dimilin, boron and some pyrethroids going out.

Stink bugs on cotton is biggest spray activity.

Peanuts looking very good, but we're keeping a close watch on spray schedules knowing that white mold could be a late season problem.

Grazing is adequate.

Have gotten much needed rain within the last week.

Hot and dry.

DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST

Dry in some areas, and good moisture in others.

Heavy drought conditions.

One shower in the county this week (July 26th) dropped from .30 - 1.0 inches of rain in the middle of the county along Hwy 82 East and South from the county line and West about 2 miles. According to some drought scales all of county is considered extremely dry.

We are starting to dry out in some areas and cotton, peanuts, tobacco, etc. are stressing. Some areas received beneficial rains over the weekend, but it needs to keep up to sustain the crops.

DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL

Hot and dry.  We need a rain soon.  Cutting hay and picking tobacco.  Stink bugs in cotton showing up and crops in general look good if we get a rain soon.

Dry earlier in the week.  Better rainfall events Saturday and Sunday.

Hot Dry weather is having a very negative effect on crop conditions in county.

Cotton and peanut yields on dryland are going down very quickly due to extreme drought conditions.  The good yield potential we had 3 weeks ago is pretty much gone.

DISTRICT 9 – SOUTHEAST

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