Browse Drought Stories

147 results found for Drought
Most of Georgia’s vegetable crops are grown in the southern part of the state, which, similar to California, faces drought risks. However, as the climate warms, the area is expected to receive slightly more rainfall than usual, according to CAES economist Jeff Mullen. If vegetable production in California decreases and prices rise elsewhere, Southeast producers may consider shifting from row crop to vegetable production. CAES News
Expanding Vegetable Production
Changing weather patterns are influencing cropping systems and where certain crops can be successfully grown. Researchers in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences recently published a study in the journal Sustainability examining the feasibility of expanding fresh vegetable production in Georgia as increased temperatures and more frequent and extreme droughts threaten producers in the Western United States.
SoilMoistureSensorTech CAES News
Master Irrigator Program
Georgia's leading industry is agriculture, which relies significantly on irrigation — approximately half of the state's cropland is irrigated. For most farmers operating on razor-thin profit margins, irrigation is essential as insurance against drought and extended dry periods. In a concerted effort to address water conservation in agriculture, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Ag Water Team helps farmers adopt water-saving practices that boost yields, lower production costs and conserve water for future generations.
An arched iceberg located along the Antarctic Peninsula, taken June 17. Last month Antarctic sea ice extent reached a record low for June, at 4.68 million square miles — or about 471,000 square miles below average. (Photo by Dan Costa/National Science Foundation/Creative Commons) CAES News
Weather extremes
Halfway through 2022, Earth is on course for another top-10 finish in global temperature. After six months, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the period from January through June 2022 was the planet’s sixth warmest on record, with observations that go back to 1880. Antarctica also saw its lowest June ice coverage on record.
Pam Knox visits a UGA weather station on the Durham Horticulture Farm in Watkinsville, Georgia. CAES News
Annual Weather Review
In 2021, Georgia experienced its coldest year since 2014, with an average temperature of 64.5 degrees Fahrenheit. But the temperature was still well above the long-term average of 63.4 F and ranked the 20th warmest year overall since statewide records began in 1895.
Calvin Perry, superintendent of Stripling Irrigation Research Park, examines an irrigation box in this 2014 photo. CAES News
Saving Water
For the past three decades, Alabama, Florida and Georgia have been battling over control of water resources in what has become known as the “tri-state water wars.” Judge Paul Kelly of New Mexico, a Supreme Court-appointed expert known as a “special master,” recently ruled in favor of Georgia in the ongoing Florida vs. Georgia court case.
Pecans lie on the ground beneath 20-year-old pecan trees that were uprooted when Hurricane Michael blew through Decatur County, Georgia. CAES News
Pecan Yields Down
A year after Hurricane Michael ravaged southwest Georgia, including the region’s pecan industry, farmers still are struggling as they harvest this year’s crop, according to University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells.
Temperatures ranged from 3 to 7 degrees above normal across Georgia during October 2019. Despite the heat, above-average rainfall helped ease drought conditions across the state. CAES News
October Climate
October saw the easing of drought conditions across the state, but many producers reported that the months of dry conditions had already harmed their crops.
Irrigation is at work in a peach orchard in this 2016 photo on the UGA Griffin campus. CAES News
Peach Production
A drought that has spanned multiple months has University of Georgia peach specialist Dario Chavez concerned that peach trees in Georgia may suffer from lack of water.
Some parts of Georgia saw temperatures as high as 8 or 9 degrees above normal during September 2019. The heat and abnormally dry weather left much the state in some stage of drought. CAES News
Hot and Dry
While it seems Georgia is finally seeing a break from the summer heat, the long hot summer, including a record-setting September, has already caused problems for many Georgia farmers.