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 frontal system is bringing unsettled weather to the eastern 1/3 of the nation today with high pressure in the central regions. Mostly cloudy skies with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms for most areas east of the MS River on Monday. By Tuesday the front will lie along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, anchored to a low pressure area in the eastern Great Lakes. Unsettled weather will continue in the eastern Ohio Valley, the mountains, and along the East Coast while areas to the west begin to dry out.
The Forecast... Favorable conditions for disease development will be dominant on Monday. Sources in the Ohio Valley may impact areas of the mid-Atlantic as trajectories move to the ENE. HIGH RISK on Monday for the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachian Mountains. Moderate Risk to tobacco crops in north-central NC, southside VA, southeast PA, and Maryland. Low Risk elsewhere. On Tuesday... transport of airborne spores to unaffected growing regions appears unlikely but the weather will remain favorable for disease development in many areas. Strongly Moderate Risk Tuesday for the eastern Ohio Valley, including southern OH, eastern KY, and western WV. HIGH RISK for the southern Appalachian Mountain areas. Moderate Risk for north-central NC and southside VA. Low Risk otherwise.
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.