HDR1012000170100523951200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN HDR2012000170100523951200NAT. AGRI. SUMMARY NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY May 15 - 21, 1995 HIGHLIGHTS: Thunderstorms across the Midwest saturated fields, limiting fieldwork and spring planting progress. Cool weather and the heavy rains slowed germination and hampered emergence of crops already in the ground. For the second week in a row, fewer than 2 days were suitable for fieldwork in many Midwestern States as a result of the relentless rains. The storm system caused flash flooding and left standing water in fields, requiring replanting. Small grain planting in the Northern States made significant progress but remained at least 3 weeks behind schedule, forcing some producers to change their planting intentions. Many small grain producers in South Dakota were switching to alternative crops after declaring that small grain planting was complete. Continued dry soil conditions in the Southeastern States caused some producers to delay planting. The Nation's winter wheat crop was in mostly good to fair condition with 60 percent (%) of the acreage heading, 2 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Heading was behind normal in Nebraska by 22 points, while heading in Illinois was ahead of normal by the same amount. Winter wheat condition in Texas was mostly fair to poor. Rain in the Texas High Plains helped fill wheat heads, but many fields were cut for hay. In Kansas, wheat progress was slowed by the cool, wet weather with 71% of the acreage headed, 10 points below the average. The wet conditions in Kansas increased wheat disease problems. The storm system caused wheat lodging and wind damage in Iowa and Kentucky. Excessive moisture in Missouri and South Dakota was yellowing leaves and causing leaf disease. Continued dry conditions in the Southeastern States lowered wheat condition. Spring wheat seeding was again delayed by saturated fields at 48% complete, up 20 points from last week but 45 points below the average. Small grain planting in the Dakotas was 3 weeks behind normal due to water-logged fields. Surplus topsoil moisture was reported in South Dakota, where many small grain producers revised their planting intentions and declared small grain planting complete as they shifted to other crops. Spring wheat planting in North Dakota was 30% complete, 61 points behind the average, while in South Dakota, 64% of the acreage was actually seeded or considered finished, 34 points behind the average. Corn planted was 56% complete for the 17 major producing States, 34 points behind last year and 25 points below the average. Cold, wet storm systems hampered corn emergence in the Corn Belt States, where saturated fields limited spring planting. Corn emergence was slowed by cool weather and early-emerged plants were yellowing. Some corn fields along the Mississippi River were flooded. Some flooded corn fields in Illinois will require replanting. Wet fields limited Illinois's increase in corn planted from last week to 1 point, and progress remained 41 points behind the average. Missouri corn planting increased from last week by 2 points, but remained 36 points behind the average, while Iowa increased corn planted from last week by 32 points, but remained 18 points behind the average. Weather permitted corn planting in Nebraska to increase by 53% from last week, at 64% complete, 26 points behind the average. Cotton planting was 68% complete, up 16 points from last week and equal to the average for the Nation. Missouri cotton planting increased by 36 points from last week but remained 16 points behind the average, while Tennessee crop planting was up 32 points from last week, 16 points ahead of the average. Texas cotton planting progressed to 42% complete, up 9 points from last week and 8 points behind the average. In Texas, hot weather and high winds caused blowing sands that damaged young cotton plants. Cotton growth was slowed in California by cool weather. Thrips and other insects were reported as problems in Mississippi's cotton fields. Sorghum planting was 29% complete for the 12 major producing States, up 3 points from last week but 11 points below the average. Grain sorghum planting was nearing completion in the Texas Blacklands, while planting activity was increasing in the High Plains. Some sorghum fields in the Texas Coastal Bend were heading. Planting had not started in South Dakota due to wet fields, and was behind the average by 16 points. Some grain sorghum fields were replanted in Arkansas. Rice seeding was 84% complete, 7 points ahead of the average for the five major producing States. Rice planting in California at 40% complete was 26 points behind the average due to cool weather. Arkansas rice planting was 89% complete, up 10 points from last week and 17 points ahead of the average. Northern Louisiana rice producers began to flush rice fields. In the five major producing States, 69% of the rice had emerged, 11 points ahead of the average. Rice was 75% emerged in Arkansas, 23 points ahead of the average. Soybean planting was 16% complete, 21 points behind normal. Wet field conditions slowed planting in the Midwest, with Illinois, Nebraska, and Ohio over 30 points behind the average. Soybean planting in Iowa at 17% complete, was up 15 points from last week but 26 points behind the average, since many producers took advantage of the dry weather to plant corn first. Soybean planting was slightly ahead of the average in the Delta States. Dry weather in Minnesota allowed producers to plant 34% of the soybeans, up 27 points from last week, but the late start for planting left the State 12 points behind normal. Range and Pasture: Pasture feed condition for the Nation was rated 69% good to excellent. Some pastures in California were beginning to dry. Pasture growth improved in the Mountain States with warmer weather and adequate soil moisture. Excess moisture and cool weather slowed pasture growth across the Central States. Pastures in the Southeastern States continued to be stressed by dry conditions. HDR2012000170100523951200NAT. WEATHER SUMMARY National Weather Summary Volume 82, No. 21 May 14 - 20, 1995 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Heavy rain fell into already saturated river basins from the central Plains to the Ohio Valley, turning nuisance wetness into a major spring flood. Generally dry weather prevailed north of a southern Nebraska-to-northern Indiana line, allowing Corn Belt fieldwork to slowly resume in the wake of last week's rains. In the northern Plains, cool weather and residual wetness caused further delays in planting progress and crop development. Farther south, hot, dry weather gripped the Gulf Coast region and the southern Atlantic States until cooler, showery conditions arrived toward week's end. Scattered showers failed to dent moisture deficits in Hawaii, the southern Rockies, southern Texas, and parts of the Southeast. On the night of May 13-14, a rash of severe weather, including 42 tornadoes, swept the Midwest. Straight-line (non-tornadic) winds gusted to 136 mph at Grissom A.F.B. near Peru, IN, and to 90 mph at Ft. Knox, KY. Heavy rain ended on Sunday morning after initiating flash flooding in the Ohio River basin. In the wake of the early-week storms, the Nation's north-south temperature gradient tightened, while a strong low-pressure system tracked eastward from the central Rockies, setting the stage for 4- to 10-inch rainfalls at midweek from eastern Kansas to Kentucky. On Sunday, Helena, MT reported a daily-record low of 25 degrees F. Later in the day, about a dozen daily-record highs were tied or set across the South, including 97 degrees F in San Antonio, TX (the first of four daily records) and 100 degrees F in Lakeland, FL. In addition, Houston, TX notched its warmest May minimum temperature (80 degrees F) on record. During the week, more than 50 daily records were established, three dozen of which occurred in Florida. On Tuesday, Apalachicola (95 degrees F) recorded its third hottest May day, while Melbourne (95 degrees F) logged its fourth daily record in 5 days. In Tampa, 16 consecutive days of 90-degree heat (May 4-19) set their May record, and nine daily-record highs set or tied in May broke their record for any month. In contrast, Boston, MA attained 70 degrees F for the first time this year on May 18, the latest such occurrence on record. Farther west, a freeze covered much of North Dakota on Wednesday. Lows included 28 degrees F in Dickinson and 32 degrees F in Fargo. A day later, near-freezing conditions overspread the central High Plains, where lows of 33 degrees F were reported in Goodland, KS, North Platte, NE, and Pueblo, CO. Near-freezing temperatures returned to Montana and western North Dakota at week's end. Rain and severe weather began to occur on Monday in the Central States and intensified by midweek. Seventeen tornadoes were reported on Monday, eight in conjunction with residual storminess in the East, and nine in the central and southern Plains. A day later, nearly two dozen twisters were observed in the Nation's mid-section. The severe-weather event culminated on Thursday with more than 6 dozen tornadoes, pushing the two-storm total to a preliminary count of 165. The final round spawned 21 tornadoes in Tennessee (one in Ethridge left three people dead) and 13 in Illinois. With 5.59 inches of rain on Tuesday, St. Louis, MO marked its wettest May day on record. An additional 3.95 inches fell the next day, pushing their monthly total to 11.67 inches, a May record. Evansville, IN (4.92 inches on Wednesday) also experienced a record-wet May day. Daily rainfall records for May 17 were established in Columbia, MO (4.78 inches), Lexington, KY (2.48 inches), and Cheyenne, WY (1.18 inches). Lexington also set a daily record the following day (1.68 inches). River Flood Highlights: On the main-stem Mississippi River, a crest 1.6 feet above flood stage passed Burlington, IA on May 15. South of there, massive runoff led to rapid river rises, including levels more than 16 feet above flood stage at Chester, IL. By May 22, the Mississippi River at St. Louis climbed 11.8 feet above flood stage, the third greatest flood of record there in terms of height, behind April 28, 1973 (+13.3 feet), and the prolonged high water of the Great Flood of '93 (+19.6 feet on August 1, 1993). By midweek, 75 percent of the rivers in Missouri were reported to be at or above flood stage. Major flooding developed along the lower Missouri River below Miami, MO, as crests of 10 to 16 feet above flood stage approached those observed in late-July and early-August 1993. Due to levee breaks near the Mississippi-Missouri confluence, portions of St. Charles County, MO were isolated. Significant flooding also transpired east of the Mississippi River. On May 21, the Illinois River at Beardstown stood 11.8 feet above flood stage; the Illinois at Hardin was 12.9 feet above flood stage. Near-record flooding hit the Big Muddy River in southern Illinois, where the water at Murphysboro surged to 21.1 feet above bankfull on May 22, less than a foot shy of the record set May 11, 1961. In the Ohio River basin, levels on the Licking River in northern Kentucky reached their highest levels since February 1989 at Cynthiana and at Blue Lick Springs (9.9 feet above flood stage). In contrast, dry weather in South Dakota allowed record crests on the James River to pass without further aggravation. All-time crest records were established at Columbia (+6.0 feet on May 13), Stratford (+4.3 feet on May 21), Ashton (+9.3 feet on May 17), Redfield (+6.5 feet on May 17), and Huron (+5.8 feet on May 19). HDR2012000170100523951200CROP PROGRESS Released May 22, 1995, by the Agricultural Statistics Board. Corn: Percent Planted, Soybeans: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1990- :-----------------------: 1990- State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 66 29 93 87 AL : 33 21 29 27 GA : 99 99 100 99 AR : 15 7 29 15 IL : 37 36 84 82 GA : 27 15 33 26 IN : 48 42 83 80 IL : 4 3 46 44 IA : 62 30 100 80 IN : 20 13 51 47 KS : 56 33 97 91 IA : 17 2 86 43 KY : 76 74 78 74 KS : 3 1 36 24 MI : 56 27 76 71 KY : 9 8 20 15 MN : 70 50 94 80 LA : 38 26 30 30 MO : 29 27 85 65 MI : 20 4 40 32 NE : 64 11 99 90 MN : 34 7 70 46 NC : 96 95 98 98 MS : 53 37 63 26 OH : 62 46 92 88 MO : 3 0 35 20 PA : 63 45 53 58 NE : 4 0 65 38 SD : 17 2 81 73 NC : 34 12 32 29 TX : 98 95 99 98 OH : 26 14 71 56 WI : 60 37 90 68 SC : 14 8 21 20 : SD : 5 0 43 31 17 Sts: 56 36 90 81 TN : 11 6 12 10 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 16 7 53 37 1994 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1994 soybean crop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For information call (202) 720-7621. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. We 1 (5-95) Winter Wheat: Percent Headed, Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1990- :-----------------------: 1990- State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 100 99 99 97 AL : 91 76 83 81 CA : 99 98 99 98 AZ : 97 95 99 97 CO : 29 7 31 28 AR : 71 28 90 75 GA : 100 100 100 100 CA : 97 90 99 99 ID : 5 0 1 3 GA : 85 74 92 77 IL : 80 55 49 58 LA : 96 83 94 88 IN : 50 43 33 38 MS : 95 66 98 77 KS : 71 41 86 81 MO : 58 22 93 74 MI : 0 0 0 1 NM : 83 66 82 89 MO : 72 47 64 67 NC : 92 70 90 87 MT : 0 0 0 0 OK : 30 10 31 31 NE : 2 0 17 24 SC : 78 67 94 86 NC : 95 93 99 96 TN : 82 50 88 66 OH : 12 1 10 16 TX : 42 33 42 50 OK : 99 96 99 95 : OR : 1 0 55 35 14 Sts: 68 52 71 68 SD : 0 0 2 3 -------------------------------------- TX : 90 79 87 88 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 12 0 36 16 1994 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 60 46 65 63 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Planted, These 19 States produced 92% of the Selected States 1994 winter wheat crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1990- State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 76 60 89 67 CO : 3 1 17 14 IL : 2 0 15 21 KS : 3 2 23 18 LA : 84 61 74 75 MS : 88 74 77 65 MO : 17 13 43 31 NE : 3 0 45 30 NM : 27 3 12 30 OK : 11 9 29 22 SD : 0 0 21 16 TX : 75 73 77 74 : 12 Sts: 29 26 46 40 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1994 sorghum crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Planted, Rice: Percent Emerged, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1990- :-----------------------: 1990- State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 91 86 99 94 AR : 75 61 80 52 MN : 47 28 95 96 CA : 10 5 28 29 MT : 79 65 92 93 LA : 89 79 86 83 ND : 30 12 85 91 MS : 90 86 96 56 SD : 64 18 98 98 TX : 74 67 84 76 : : 5 Sts : 48 28 90 93 5 Sts : 69 59 75 58 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 98% of the These 5 States produced 96% of the 1994 spring wheat crop. 1994 rice crop. Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1990- State:May 21,:May 14,:May 21,: 1994 : 1995 : 1995 : 1994 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 89 79 94 72 CA : 40 20 66 66 LA : 96 90 90 90 MS : 99 96 100 72 TX : 90 83 99 92 : 5 Sts : 84 74 90 77 -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 96% of the 1994 rice crop. HDR2012000170100523951200CROP CONDITION Winter Wheat: Crop Condition Cotton: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 0 5 24 56 15 AL : 12 9 31 47 1 CA : 0 0 5 45 50 AZ : 23 23 46 6 2 CO : 6 8 16 44 26 AR : 2 11 34 35 18 GA : 1 13 59 27 0 CA : 0 0 90 10 0 ID : 0 0 18 53 29 GA : 2 9 49 40 0 IL : 0 3 19 59 19 LA : 2 2 21 65 10 IN : 0 1 10 69 20 MS : 1 5 42 46 6 KS : 6 14 33 35 12 MO : 2 32 26 30 10 MI : 0 2 16 50 32 NM : 0 2 47 49 2 MO : 1 9 51 35 4 NC : 0 5 40 55 0 MT : 1 5 16 65 13 OK : 0 0 12 62 26 NE : 0 1 14 79 6 SC : 0 35 56 9 0 NC : 2 10 36 51 1 TN : 0 3 37 53 7 OH : 0 2 17 56 25 TX : 0 1 32 55 12 OK : 10 9 29 49 3 : OR : 4 9 35 43 9 14 Sts : 2 5 39 45 9 SD : 1 7 30 51 11 : TX : 7 30 38 18 7 Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA WA : 0 10 32 47 11 Prev Yr : 1 5 26 62 6 : -------------------------------------- 19 Sts : 5 12 29 42 12 : Prev Wk : 5 13 28 43 11 Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, Prev Yr : 1 8 42 44 5 Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 6 30 52 12 CA : 0 0 60 40 0 LA : 0 2 21 71 6 MS : 0 6 26 57 11 TX : 0 0 11 72 17 : 5 Sts : 0 4 30 57 9 : Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA Prev Yr : 0 0 24 67 9 -------------------------------------- Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 4 2 35 48 11 :: NJ : 0 0 10 90 0 AZ : 1 6 25 26 42 :: NM : 10 48 33 9 0 AR : 0 2 27 58 13 :: NY : 0 0 51 49 0 CA : 0 0 0 35 65 :: NC : 0 3 38 56 3 CO : 1 5 18 63 13 :: ND : 1 4 25 59 11 CT : 0 6 50 36 8 :: OH : 0 3 23 58 16 DE : 0 0 8 92 0 :: OK : 0 1 18 71 10 FL : 0 5 55 35 5 :: OR : 0 0 6 71 23 GA : 8 25 37 30 0 :: PA : 1 4 29 58 8 ID : 0 0 3 68 29 :: RI : 0 0 0 100 0 IL : 0 1 10 61 28 :: SC : 2 33 50 15 0 IN : 0 1 10 59 30 :: SD : 1 4 30 54 11 IA : 0 3 33 50 14 :: TN : 0 1 18 70 11 KS : 0 3 23 67 7 :: TX : 3 9 29 39 20 KY : 0 4 24 54 18 :: UT : 0 0 6 63 31 LA : 0 1 20 62 17 :: VT : 0 0 16 61 23 ME : 0 30 16 53 1 :: VA : 0 19 34 43 4 MD : 0 0 8 62 30 :: WA : 0 2 32 53 13 MA : 0 0 24 65 11 :: WV : 0 4 35 58 3 MI : 0 4 25 55 16 :: WI : 0 3 23 64 10 MN : 1 11 39 41 8 :: WY : 0 0 5 77 18 MS : 0 3 23 58 16 :: : MO : 0 6 27 60 7 :: 48 Sts : 1 5 25 53 16 MT : 0 6 25 53 16 :: : NE : 0 0 25 57 18 :: Prev Wk: 1 7 30 50 12 NV : 0 0 9 55 36 :: Prev Yr: NA NA NA NA NA NH : 0 0 35 65 0 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent