North Carolina State University
Blue Mold Forecast
*** 20 March: Blue Mold has been discovered in the United States. Blue mold was confirmed earlier this week in Alachua County, Florida near the town of Alachua. A 2-acre plant bed is estimated to be completely infected. Forecasts from this area will be added immediately. We will soon produce a special statement on this situation. ***
Forecast Summary: Thursday, March 20
Regional Weather (Southeast U.S. / eastern Gulf of Mexico): Fair weather is expected over nearly all of the region for the next two days. The strong cold front that swept through the Southeast on Wednesday is now moving across the lower FL peninsula and the southeastern Gulf. Scattered showers are expected in these areas Thursday. The cold front will likely stall out north of Cuba, across the southern Gulf and the Straits of Florida. It may move back north as a warm front this weekend. High pressure is building in behind this system and will control the weather for the next several days. Sunny skies and dry weather will prevail. Temperatures will run close to seasonal norms for Highs, and overnight temps will run below normal.
OUTLOOK
Thursday and Friday: Transport events from the known sources are Low Threats to other areas. Airborne spores will not approach other growing regions, and conditions are unfavorable for survivable transport each day. Low Risk to U. S. tobacco plants Thursday and Friday.
TK