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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Weather”
Climate change is a key reason that citrus production has progressed in South Georgia, North Florida and South Alabama, the area known as the cold-hardy citrus region. As more varieties, other than satsuma mandarins, continue to be planted in the area, warmer temperatures are needed for trees to flourish. Arnold Schumann, professor of soil fertility and water quality at the …
By Ariel Singerman Orange yield in Florida has decreased by more than 80% since HLB was first found in the state in 2005. It is hard to find another example in recent history of an industry as iconic as Florida citrus that has declined so significantly as a consequence of a plant disease. As a comparison, at the global level, …
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service forecasters issued an Atlantic hurricane outlook update on Aug. 8 very similar to its initial outlook issued in May. Both outlooks projected an above-normal hurricane season. The forecasters updated the number of expected named storms to 17 to 24 (with winds of 39 mph or greater), of which eight to 13 …
Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers on Aug. 6 continued to call for an extremely active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. The August forecast is the same as the July forecast for all parameters except for named storms, which was reduced from 25 to 23. Twelve of the named storms are predicted to reach hurricane strength. Six of the 12 hurricanes …
Hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University (CSU) issued an update on July 9 for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Information obtained through early July indicates that this season will have hurricane activity well above the 1991–2020 average. CSU’s July forecast is higher in all categories compared to its June 11 forecast. A summary of the July forecast is as follows: …
A federal workplace safety investigation found a Florida labor contractor could have prevented the fatal illness of a 41-year-old worker who collapsed while harvesting oranges at Alico Farms in December 2023. According to investigators, the incident could have been avoided if the required steps to protect employees from hazards associated with high temperatures were taken. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s …
The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have created an online toolkit to help protect agricultural workers from the summer heat. Last year’s sweltering summer temperatures convinced SCCAHS leadership that additional promotion about heat-related illness education could save lives. Even before the summer ended, the …
By Ramdas Kanissery Finding the right time to apply post-emergent herbicides for controlling weeds in citrus groves is challenging in the summer months due to frequent rain. Rainy conditions delay grove maintenance, including herbicide spraying, while also impacting the effectiveness of the herbicides. Monitoring weather forecasts and identifying optimal conditions for herbicide applications can help achieve the best results. Below …
Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers in June maintained their April forecast for an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season in 2024. The maintained forecast for the 2024 season, with the average for 1991-2020 in parentheses, is: The researchers also maintained the probabilities for at least one major hurricane landfall on each of the following coastal areas: “This forecast is of …
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center on May 23 predicted above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year. NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, eight to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), …
By Amir Rezazadeh Citrus trees are not immune to the challenges posed by drought stress. Drought stress occurs when a tree’s water supply falls below its demand, leading to physiological disruptions that can impair growth, development and fruit production. In the dry season, when water scarcity is a prevalent issue in Florida, understanding and managing drought stress in citrus trees …
Climate scientist Michael Mann at the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts & Sciences and his team have predicted a record-breaking 33 named storms for the 2024 North Atlantic hurricane season. They said the number of storms could potentially range from 27 to 39. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Earlier this spring, Colorado State University …
By Christopher Vincent Particle film is a useful tool to take the edge off stress to citrus trees caused by weather and HLB. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research over the past several years shows moderate concentrations of kaolin particle films cause trees to grow faster, suffer less water loss and keep leaves cooler, even …
Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane researchers on April 4 predicted an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season in their initial 2024 forecast. The team cites record warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures and a likely developing La Niña as primary factors for their prediction of 11 hurricanes this year. This is the highest prediction for hurricanes that CSU has ever issued in …
A new web-based tool will help growers reduce risks that come with climate variability. It’s called the climate indicators tool, the newest addition to AgroClimate. AgroClimate is a web-based platform designed 15 years ago by Clyde Fraisse, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of agricultural and biological engineering. Growers can use the new tool …
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has the potential to rank as one of the most active in history, AccuWeather predicted on March 27. The season officially runs from June 1 through the end of November. AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting 20 to 25 named storms across the Atlantic basin in 2024. This includes 8 to12 hurricanes, four to seven major hurricanes …
Citrus production in the Southeast has spiked due to increased warmer temperatures in recent years. This is reflected in the new U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The updated hardiness zones show a region that is more conducive to growing crops than it has been in prior years. The concern over colder temperatures has dissipated due to global …
The Chilean Citrus Committee, which recently reported a strong export season, also discussed the challenges of competition and inclement weather that its citrus exporters face. “It (2023) was a season that ended with many challenges, such as growing competition,” said Juan Enrique Ortuzar, president of the committee. “The competition did not disappear, but we had favorable circumstances that allowed …
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) recently reported that the 2023 frost season is underway for the state’s San Joaquin Valley citrus growers. “That means growers will be closely monitoring weather forecasts to prepare for any cold spells that may sweep through the valley in the coming months,” the citrus growers’ trade association stated. Although long periods of below-freezing temperatures are of …
According to the Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA), a new heat wave in Brazil’s São Paulo state has been concerning citrus growers. Temperatures are higher than those registered in the last wave in September and are lasting longer. Many producers say that the weather may affect 2024–25 production, but it is still too early to estimate possible …
