Browse Weather Stories

Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.

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.

Last year, the peach industry lost $60 million due to the late freeze that hit much of the Southeast in mid-March 2023, said Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent for Peach and Taylor counties. With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound year.

Georgia’s geographic diversity — from beaches and swamps to mountains and flatlands —makes the state an attractive place to live, but each region is vulnerable to weather-related emergencies year-round. When disasters strike, navigating the milieu of steps to recover and rebuild can be difficult. With a presence in all 159 Georgia counties, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is uniquely positioned to help communities prepare for and rebound from calamity.

Georgia cotton growers are starting the 2023 season with a boost from near-record-breaking yields last year. The United States Department of Agriculture released final yield data in late May, confirming the second-highest yields on record, as forecasted by University of Georgia cotton experts in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Whether you’re a home gardener or a production farmer, Georgia’s mild climate allows for a variety of fruits and vegetables to be grown throughout the year. However, with erratic weather events and broad temperature swings during the winter and early spring months, having a few cold protection resources on hand can help you weather the unpredictability.

With an October freeze followed by a relatively balmy December capped with several consecutive days of subfreezing temperatures, Georgia weather has experienced a few unexpected weather events from autumn into winter. Temperatures at both ends of the spectrum can affect the development of fruit crops during the dormant season, including blueberries and peaches, which are economically important crops in Georgia.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center announced that bitterly cold conditions during the holiday season are likely. Northern areas of the Southeast region are the most likely to experience the wintry temperatures, but even Florida may experience freezing weather.

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.

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC) released its latest three-month climate outlook for the United States. What does this mean for conditions in the Southeast in the coming growing season?