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VORTEX is the acronym for a set of scientific field observation programs focusing on the life cycles of tornadoes. In the past, the VORTEX programs have focused on tornadoes in the central US in what is considered the traditional “Tornado Alley”. Now, the next VORTEX program is coming to the Southeast, where tornadoes also occur…
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A recent study by USDA scientists in Tifton, GA shows that strip tillage and cover crops are important practices for reducing erosion from sandy soils in the Southeastern United States and for enhancing soil quality. For example, use of cover crops mean crop residues remain on the surface, providing protection from water and wind erosion.…
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Dr. Jeff Masters reported on his Weather Underground blog that the current El Niño set an all-time record for a weekly value last week. You can read the blog post here. Among the impacts that are being seen around the world are drought in Africa and other locations, floods in South America, and a strong…
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Dr. Dennis Hancock of UGA has a timely article about dealing with all the moldy hay that has been produced this year during the wet and cool conditions this fall. Even hay that was dry in the field may have absorbed moisture in the barn and become moldy later. Horses are the most sensitive to…
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I read an interesting article in Bloomberg Businessweek today about the impacts of El Niño on the worldwide price of gold. According to the article, one of the biggest groups of buyers of gold is Indian farmers, who use gold as an investment and as a dowry when their daughters get married. This year the strong…
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The Carolinas Integrated Science and Assessments (CISA) group has just published a four-page fact sheet describing the flood event that hit South Carolina in early October. They describe the weather, the climate context, the hydrologic response and the impacts for future planning and provide a list of additional resources. You can find it here.
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
The State Climate Office of North Carolina has released their official forecast for the winter of 2015-16. You can read it on their blog at https://climate.ncsu.edu/climateblog?id=166&h=5666e5c1. Here’s their summary of what to expect for North Carolina this winter. The more general aspects of the forecast are also applicable to the rest of the Southeast, although snowfall…