Condition Monitoring Star of the Week, Aug 4th-11th - Craven County, NC

Our Condition Monitoring Star of the Week was posted by observer with station number NC-CN-31 on August 10th.  We chose this report because it describes the multiple ways that recent weather events impacted their community.  Notice how they touched several impact categories available in the CoCoRaHS reporting database. Their in-depth report gives us a greater understanding of local weather and how the community and ecosystems are responding.  Thanks for setting an excellent example NC-CN-31! 

Categories

Business and Industry
Fire
Plants and Wildlife
Society and Public Health
Tourism and Recreation 

 wkly.rpt.August 3rd thru the 9th: Precipitation, humidity and heat. Heavy rain forecasted for today - August 10th. In a 24 hr.period over the past week, all our pepper and tomato plants wilted, along with their 'fruit'. This same scenario was experienced by others in the area. Discussions with other growers found they had the same experience. A discussion with a Farmers Market vendor revealed that four of her produce suppliers have now quit for the season due to this. ( Local Produce Supply Effected ) Moreover, more than one report of dead out ( areas or total) on ornamental fruit and some fir trees. Suspected is either phytopthorea or armillaria. Diagnosis pending. Tobacco fields were aerial sprayed this week; and then the manual labor force went into the fields over the next days, pulling off flowers and suckers. The soy beans have not quite started to bloom yet. Corn stalks are starting to yellow Fields have not been flooded (yet - more rain expected today) Honeybees have slowed brood laying and many keepers are reporting that their colonies are self-requeening. Many keepers are also feeding their bees due to reduced forage caused both by the time of year and too much rain. Precip. has been heavy at times and in sporadic areas. However, dangerous storms have not been an issue. Some local festivities have suffered slightly reduced attendance due to the weather. Local residents have struggled to find a period dry enough to mow lawns and fields, many which are laying wet. Fire Ant mounds are popping up everywhere Snakes are being seen more frequently ( mostly cottonmouth) Barn Swallows have finished with their last clutches, and mostly do not sit in their roosting spots unless rain is heavy. Blue Jays have not been seen in a month. Hawks are beings seen more frequently. Hummingbird population has exploded and they engulf feeders are the rain days. Yellowish bodied dragonflies have shown up again this year, and the others are still around Mosquitos are beginning to be problematic ( EE reported in the state recently ) Weather forecasting over the last week has been poor. Days when it was to be clear, it has rained. Estimated amounts of anticipated precip. accumulations have been incorrect. Times of anticipated rainfall have been off by more than a little.