FORECAST DISCUSSION: Tuesday, September 26:
*** September 20 Disease Update: We have our first reports of downy mildew from Virginia and New Jersey *** Steve Johnston in NJ informs us of a serious outbreak of downy mildew in the southern part of the state. Disease was first observed on August 21 on summer squash. During the past month, downy mildew has spread across Salem, Cumberland, and Gloucester counties in southern NJ. It has appeared on the majority of cucurbits grown in that area, primarily pumpkins and muskmelons. Sam Alexander in VA reports that downy mildew has been discovered in Accomack County. This county lies adjacent to Wicomico County, MD in the southern end of the DelMarVa peninsula. Given the proximity of these new reports to the current known source in Wicomico County (Salisbury, MD), they will be included in the forecasts for that general area. A trajectory from Bridgeton, NJ will be included in the forecasts in order to bracket the DelMarVa/southern NJ region. PLEASE NOTE: With disease having been present for at least one month in this region, it is likely that downy mildew is present in other nearby areas, particularly to the north and east of these known sources. Growers concerned about downy mildew should check their plants for signs of disease as soon as possible.
*** Unsettled weather in FL and the coastal mid-Atlantic as a frontal system moves offshore. *** HIGH RISK today for southern NJ, Delaware, and southeast PA. Strongly Moderate Risk for eastern MD and eastern VA. Low Risk today in the Carolinas and far north and far southern GA. Strongly Moderate Risk for central and southern FL today. On Wednesday.... Moderate Risk for central FL; Low Risk elsewhere as high pressure builds in behind the front.
TK
Images courtesy of Tom Isakeit
Current Sources:
Previous Sources:
Ciudad Mante, Mexico
Colima, Mexico
Houston, Texas
This service is provided by the North Carolina State University departments of Plant Pathology and Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences.