HDR1012000170100131951200WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN HDR2012000170100131951200NAT'L WEATHER SUMMARY JAN 22-28, 1995 National Weather Summary Volume 82, No. 5 January 22 - 28, 1995 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Significant precipitation returned to California, with 2- to 6-inch totals common in southern-coastal and northern regions. Elsewhere, blustery, showery conditions waned in the Northeast, while storminess overspread the southern two-thirds of the Nation. In Albany, NY, where the normal high temperature for late January is 30 degrees F, a 10.5-day streak of freeze-free weather ended on Sunday. Colder, drier air continued to infiltrate the Northeast during the week (Albany recorded a low of 7 degrees F on January 28), setting the stage for a late-week snow and ice storm from the Midwest to the Middle Atlantic States. Before precipitation ended in Massachusetts, however, Worcester and Boston marked their longest wet spells on record, formerly set in November 1969. Measurable precipitation was recorded on 13 consecutive days in Boston (January 11-23), totaling 2.32 inches, and on 12 consecutive days in Worcester (January 11-22). A storm system traversed the Gulf Coast States early in the week, dropping locally an inch or more of rain from eastern Texas to northwestern Florida, and a band of snow along its northern fringe. Snow depths on Monday morning included 7 inches in McAlester, OK, 4 inches in Little Rock, AR, and 1 inch in Tupelo, MS. Farther north, disturbances crossing the North-Central States drew cold air southward and kept lake-effect squalls active through midweek. Lows on Monday dropped to -26 degrees F in Wisdom, MT and -17 degrees F in Grand Forks, ND. Enough cool air slipped toward the Gulf coast by Tuesday to give Port Arthur, TX it first freeze of the winter (50 days later than normal) and its latest first freeze on record. Warmth quickly returned to the Gulf Coast States, however, with daily-record highs set on Saturday in Florida at Tallahassee (80 degrees F) and Apalachicola (78 degrees F). The latest round of heavy precipitation to hit California left as much as 7.52 inches of rain in 24 hours (on January 23-24) in the Sierra Madre (Old Man Mountain), north of Santa Barbara. Rainfall in southern-coastal areas during the week propelled Santa Barbara and Santa Maria to all-time monthly rainfall records, and led to the flooding of a water treatment plant in Paso Robles. San Diego logged 1.99 inches on January 25, setting a daily record and making this month their second wettest January on record. In the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles, Mt. Wilson tallied 6.72 inches of rain on January 23-25. Even in the desert, Blythe recorded 1.66 inches on January 25-26, more than four times their monthly normal. Farther north, weekly totals included 6.42 inches in Redding and 4.96 inches at Blue Canyon, aggravating flooding in the Sacramento River basin. On Friday, Fresno, CA set a January record with its 20th day of measurable rain. Three days later (on January 30), all-time monthly records of the same type were tied at the downtown observing sites in San Francisco (26 days) and Sacramento (25 days). In Las Vegas, NV, midweek rainfall of 1.02 inches increased the monthly rainfall to a January-record 3.00 inches. Nearby Mt. Charleston received 3 feet of snow. Heavy snow also blanketed peaks in the Four Corners States. Totals in Utah included 35 inches at Alta and 23 inches at Bryce Canyon National Park. More than a foot of new snow on Mt. Lemmon, near Tucson, brought the snow depth to 41 inches. Light rain spread into the central Plains on Thursday, changing to snow by week's end. Snow depths by Sunday morning reached 2 inches in Denver, CO and 4 inches in Wichita, KS. A band of snow and ice plagued areas from Iowa to the Middle Atlantic region, resulting in accumulations of 5 inches in Covington, KY, 4 inches in Washington, DC, and 3 inches in Indianapolis, IN. Meanwhile, heavy rain spread across the Gulf Coast region, pushing weekly rainfall to 4.23 inches in Mobile, AL, 4.14 inches in Baton Rouge, LA, and 3.42 inches in Houston, TX. HDR2012000170100131951200NAT'L AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY JAN 23-29, 1995 National Agricultural Summary January 23 - 29, 1995 Highlights: Warm weather in the Southern States raised some concern about excessive growth for small grains. Heavy rain along the Gulf Coastal region left some wheat fields flooded. Rice growers in Louisiana leveled fields, while fieldwork in Georgia was hampered by soils too wet to support farm equipment. Warm weather and sunshine in Texas prompted wheat greening, while the continued rains in east Texas caused some rust and yellowing of wheat fields. Rain, freezing rain, and snow created muddy conditions in the Midwest, limiting grain movement and field activities. The lack of snow cover raised wheat producers' concern in parts of the Dakotas where virtually no new snow fell. The snow cover in Montana for wheat was rated as mostly poor with little wind damage reported, while winter wheat was rated as mostly fair to good. Snow fell in the Ohio Valley, where some fields were ponding as the snow melted. Heavy rains in California halted fieldwork and left some low- lying fields with excessive moisture that yellowed the small grains. The coldest weather of the season in Florida may have helped the citrus crop by curbing new growth and blooms.