Here’s a recent article on the impacts of the current La Niña on the hurricane season, which is still chugging along, and on winter conditions that could affect next year’s growing season conditions. It is by my friend and colleague Bob Kemerait of UGA Extension and was published today in Farm Press. The expected strong La Niña is likely to lead to a warmer and drier than normal winter, although there will still be some cold outbreaks. This means that it will be easier for pests and their associated diseases to overwinter and become a serious problem next year.
The dry winter also means that soil moisture could be short in the spring growing season, which could cause problems for spring planting and germination. It could also set up parts of the Southeast for drought in 2021 if we go through a dry spell without having sufficient soil moisture reserves, especially if temperatures are warmer than usual as they have been trending. You can read the article here.
