Disease Update - July 19, 2004: Blue Mold continues to spread in the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachian Mountains. We have the first reports from West Virgina, from Cabell, Wayne, and Putnam counties. Kentucky now reports over 70 counties with confirmed blue mold, with northern TN at 9 counties and southern Ohio still at 5. In the mountains, there are over a dozen counties will confirmed blue mold loosely centered in northeast TN, plus some adjoining counties in western NC and extreme southwest VA.
The Weather... A cold front lies from the Northeast through the Ohio Valley and into the Plains. A large dome of high pressure will push the front to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts by Saturday, where it will stall out. Chance of showers and thunderstorms most areas but the Great Lakes on Friday, under partly to mostly cloudy skies. Scattered showers and thunderstorms possible Saturday and Sunday from the Mountains to the East Coast and across the South. Partly cloudy and dry for the Great Lakes and most of the Ohio Valley.
The Forecast... The transport events from the various sources won't have a significant impact on other growing areas. Trajectories are moving slowly south today, and the general trend is for slow south or southwest movement Saturday and Sunday. Conditions will be mixed over most areas on Friday, becoming unfavorable on Saturday and Sunday for the Ohio Valley but continuing mixed in the mountains and eastward. Moderate Risk for the growing areas in the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachian Mountains on Friday. Low Risk for the Ohio Valley tobacco crops Saturday and Sunday; continued Moderate Risk for the mountain areas. Weakly Moderate Risk for north-central NC and southside VA Friday through Sunday. Low Risk elsewhere for the next three days.
TK
Areas at Strongly Moderate or HIGH Risk during the past week: Southern Appalachian Mountains, Ohio Valley
Current Sources:
Previous Sources:
Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico
Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
Pinar del Rio, Cuba
Southern Texas
Local Weather in North Carolina is available from the WRAL-TV5 Weather Center, which also has links to other weather sites.
***** 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.