FORECAST SUMMARY: Monday, June 18:
Detailed forecasts are unavailable today. The Forecast staff is hosting an international conference.
*** Disease Update: 18 June *** We have the first reports of blue mold from western NC and Ohio. Blue mold was confirmed this afternoon in Madison County, NC. Fresh lesions are present in a ridgetop field source in the central NC mountains. In Ohio.... blue mold was discovered in outdoor float beds on Friday, June 15, in Brown County, in southwest Ohio. Plants are ready to go to the field. Fresh lesions are present in the float beds, but at present no lesions have been found in transplanted tobacco.
*** Conditions are unfavorable for survivable transport and deposition for most areas on Monday and Tuesday. High pressure over the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic regions will drift eastward during the next two days. Skies will be mostly sunny to partly cloudy. Dry weather is expected near most of the known sources. The exception is southern GA and northern FL, where the presence of a dying front will be enough to create mixed conditions for disease development. Partly cloudy skies with a chance of afternoon and evening showers in this region today and Tuesday. Moderate Risk for northern FL and southern GA Monday and Tuesday. Low Risk to commercial tobacco crops in other regions. In the extended period... signs are rather ominous. A cold front will move into the Ohio Valley on Wednesday, and into the east coast states on Thursday. There are indications that the front may stall out along the east coast, which may mean a 3 to 4 day period of disease-favorable weather toward the end of the week. Please stay tuned to the forecasts for updates.
*** We strongly encourage growers to monitor their plants for signs of disease. Diligent scouting and prompt reporting of blue mold are essential if one wishes to derive maximum benefit from the services we provide. ***
TK
HIGH RISK areas: None
Blue Mold Active in the Plant Bed and Greenhouse (click on small image for larger image)
What should one look for?
(Red = New, 1 to 7 days; Blue = Active, > 7 days; Green = Old)
Climate Outlooks and Epidemic Prognoses
Current Sources:
Previous Sources:
Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico
Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Uvalde, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Pinar del Rio, Cuba
***** NOTE: These forecasts/outlooks only apply to disease development from airborne transport of spores!!! We do not have the capability to ascertain blue mold development by other means, such as transplanting of infected seedlings, nor will we attempt to do so. Please consult the Extension Service personnel in your area if you have concerns about these matters! *****
This service is provided by the North Carolina State University departments of Plant Pathology and Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences.