By Clint Thompson
The upcoming summer months are projected to be warmer than normal. That’s the forecast shared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist, noted in the UGA Extension Climate Blog that the forecast of warmer temperatures in June through August is not a surprising prediction. She said it is more likely every year that temperatures will be warmer than the 30-year average than below normal.
“The year-to-year variability is still going to be there, so it’s not going to be a straight line. For most farmers, they’re not necessarily concerned about that long-term trend as they are about what’s going to happen next year. You farm one year to the next,” Knox said. “There will be increases. It’s going to be hotter for the workers that are outdoors. It’s going to be hotter for the plants. There will be a longer growing season, because the last spring frost will occur earlier in the year and the first fall frost will happen later in the year.”
Warmer conditions year-round provide Southeast growers with production opportunities that hadn’t existed until this warming trend started. Citrus production in the cold-hardy citrus region mostly exists because of increased temperatures. North Florida watermelon producers start planting in late February because warmer temperatures allow for earlier production.
“That’s an advantage if they can do that because they can get those melons into the market. They are still going to run into an occasional problem with frost, and there’s all the other issues with warming temperatures, too, like more diseases and more pests. But it is a market advantage to be able to do that,” Knox said.
“(Warmer temperatures) does provide some opportunities for double cropping. You’re growing different varieties that maybe take a little bit longer to reach maturity. It’s not entirely all bad (situation), but it’s something that the farmers have to adjust to especially if they’re planning to farm for a long time.”