Browse Weather Stories - Page 4

Farmers who might face a delayed planting season can thank El Niño for Georgia’s exceedingly wet winter, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agricultural climatologist. Row crop and vegetable producers usually begin planting their crops in late March through May, but excessive rainfall and cloudy conditions in January and February have left many fields soaked and soggy.

Are the first warm spring days making it impossible to stay out of the garden? There’s no way for a gardener to predict or stop a late frost from hitting after they’ve put in transplants or started counting blooms, but they can be prepared, said Paul Thomas, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension horticulturist. Since no one knows when a frosty night might hit, gardeners should have a frost tool kit and game plan ready.

Due to losses suffered during the last growing season and new tariffs, Georgia farmers are facing a sense of uncertainty surrounding the upcoming production season, according to University of Georgia agricultural economist Adam Rabinowitz.

Peach tree buds are naturally protected from freezing temperatures, but unseasonably warm temperatures in early February have some Georgia trees already beginning to bloom.

Georgia’s Vidalia onion crop is planted and looks “promising,” according to Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension’s area onion agent, but he cautions producers to be proactive in managing onion diseases.

As Georgia cotton farmers prepare for this year’s growing season, some are still trying to harvest what’s left of the 2018 crop, according to Jared Whitaker, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton agronomist.

Georgia experienced many different weather and climate patterns in 2018. University of Georgia Agricultural Climatologist Pam Knox says five stand out for their impacts on the state.

Three separate weather events this season will likely impact the quality and yield of a substantial amount of Georgia’s peanut acreage, according to Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan agronomist.

The Georgia Forestry Commission estimates that 2.4 million acres of timber were damaged by Hurricane Michael. This equates to $763 million in direct losses.

Georgia’s pecan growers will have a limited supply this year due to weather conditions that affected the quality of the pecans and Hurricane Michael’s impact, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells.