September 2016

  • The Panhandle Ag e-News blog posted a useful article on the impacts of the recent tropical storms on crops in the Southeast.  In the article they point out that while many crops are already in the process of being harvested, other crops that were planted late as part of a double-cropped system or were planted…

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  • A USA Today story reported here by KARE11.com notes two recent records for lightning bolts were made by the World Meteorological Organization. In the story it states “Scientists identified all-time world records for both the longest lightning bolt — nearly 200 miles — and the world’s longest-duration lightning flash — over 7 seconds — according to a report released Thursday.…

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  • The latest QPF map shows that central parts of the Southeast will receive little to no rain in the next week, while areas in Alabama, southern Florida, and just off the East Coast will receive quite a bit.  Temperatures are expected to generally remain above normal, which may increase drought stress in some areas due to…

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  • The Packer noted yesterday that losses to the Louisiana sweet potato crop are still uncertain weeks after the flooding rains that occurred there.  On Sept. 13 the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry estimated crop and ag infrastructure losses at $277 million, but because the sweet potatoes are still in the ground they have not…

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  • Fifty three counties in Georgia are currently designated by EPD as in a Drought Response level 1.  Earlier this week I discussed what the difference between different agencies’ drought  designations mean.  Today Greg Huber of UGA’s Center for Urban Agriculture has published some information about water conservation efforts and the current drought response level 1…

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  • I’ve been getting a lot of questions about when fall weather will finally replace the many days of 90 F plus weather we have had over the course of the last few months.  Of course, the sun is rising later and later each day so the total energy into the climate system is decreasing and…

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  • We will soon enter the last quarter of 2016, and the Climate Prediction Center has just released their latest set of updates for fall and winter.  What do they show us in the Southeast? Predictions for the end of September continue to show warmer than normal temperatures for most of the rest of the month.…

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