North Carolina State University
Blue Mold Forecast
Forecast Summary: Friday, March 16
Regional Weather - Friday, March 16 - (Southeast U.S. / eastern Gulf of Mexico): Strong frontal system is passing through the region today and tonight. Rain is likely for many areas, some of it heavy. The cold front will push through the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Saturday morning. High pressure building in behind the front will usher in markedly cooler temperatures and dry conditions for the remainder of the weekend.
Outlook: Transport events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday move southeast, south, and west, respectively. Minimal danger to U.S. interests. Low Risk to tobacco plants in NC Friday through Sunday.
An additional note .... a re-check of Wednesday's transport event from western Cuba indicates that the event may have extended farther north and east than anticipated. Potential impacts to U.S. interests would still have been quite low due to death of airborne spores and washout over the Gulf. However, it may be advisable for growers in the Southeast to keep a closer watch on their plants during the next week.
*** 21 March edit: The 're-check' of Wednesday's event refers to an actual re-run of this event with updated / archived weather data, and not a simple re-evaluation of the information available at the time of the original forecast. ***
TK