Alabama Extension Agent Highlights Current Weather Challenges Impacting Producers

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Weather conditions over the past month have challenged Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers. Excessive rain delayed growers from being able to get in the fields. Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in Southeast Alabama, highlighted that challenge his producers have faced in recent weeks. “The biggest thing is just getting fields ready; getting ready to plant. We’ve …

Weather Challenges for Strawberry Producers in North Alabama

Clint ThompsonAlabama, Strawberries

By Clint Thompson Fluctuating temperatures have made strawberry production a challenge in North Alabama, according Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama. “Right now, everyone is focused on strawberries. We get these days where I believe it was 71 degrees (Fahrenheit), but it was 31 that morning. It’s like you’re scraping frost in the evening and then thinking about …

Wet Winter Weather Expected to Continue

Clint ThompsonWeather

By Clint Thompson A wet winter is likely to carry over into early spring, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist. Knox noted in her Climate and Agriculture Blog that the latest seasonal outlook for February through April shows wetter conditions for the next three months. She emphasized that scenario can have positive and negative impacts on …

Citrus Trees Weather Sub-Freezing Nights

Clint ThompsonAlabama, Citrus, Florida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Trees in the Cold-Hardy Citrus Region weathered last week’s multiple nights of sub-freezing temperatures, according to one industry expert. “I had somebody here at the house and they said, ‘Are you still running sprinklers?’ I was like, ‘Heavens no, but it’s all that ice thawing out and running out into the road.’ It’s a pond out there …

Recent Rains Typical of El Niño Weather Pattern

Clint ThompsonWeather

By Clint Thompson The rain-starved region of the Southeast is quickly accumulating moisture during December. Every week this month has provided much-needed rain for a region that was impacted by drought much of the fall. Pam Knox, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension agricultural climatologist, believes this is consistent with what is typically expected from an El Niño weather pattern. “It …

Adverse Weather Conditions Challenging Florida Strawberry Producers

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberry

By Clint Thompson Wet weather in recent weeks has challenged strawberry production in South Florida. One grower is forced to throw away a substantial amount of one variety because of rain damage. “We’re picking (Monday). We’re definitely a little bit wetter,” said Dustin Grooms with Fancy Farms in Plant City, Florida. “We took a lot of rain damage. Going around …

Attention Florida Blueberry Growers: What to Remember During Freezing Weather

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts caution Florida blueberry growers about the potential for low temperatures this time of year and what management options they need to be concerned with. Doug Phillips, UF/IFAS blueberry Extension coordinator at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, emphasizes the importance of eyeing weather forecasts every …

Christmas Tree Grower: Weather Events Led to Challenging Production Season

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Weather events last Christmas and this fall have made Christmas tree production difficult this year, according to one Alabama producer. “The production was a challenge. That’s my best word, and I think I’m probably speaking for every Christmas tree grower in our neck of the woods, in this part of the Southeast,” said Steve Mannard, with Fish …

Drought Monitor: Dry Weather Expanding, Worsening Across Southeast

Web AdminDrought, Weather

Dry weather is expanding and worsening across the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest areas are located along the Southwest Alabama-Northwest Florida region. Extreme drought is observed in parts of Mobile, Escambia, Monrore and Conecuh counties in Alabama. Severe drought is seen in other parts of Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Clarke, Escambia, Monrore and Conecuh counties. Abnormal drought …

Georgia’s Summer Weather: Mostly Wetter and Hotter

Web AdminGeorgia, Weather

By Clint Thompson Summer is winding down across the Southeast. Georgia’s specialty crop producers will remember this year to be a mostly wet and hot summer, though, those conditions vary throughout the state. The increased rainfall caused tremendous scab pressure in some pecan orchards. The heat also reduced potential harvests for some of the watermelons produced. Pam Knox, University of …