HDR1012000170100409961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY April 1 - 7, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Much-needed rain fell across most of central Texas, but more rain is needed to improve crop conditions and germination. The precipitation missed the Texas High Plains, where below-freezing temperatures lowered wheat condition. Continued dry conditions in the central Great Plains concerned producers. Wheat broke dormancy across much of the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. In Kansas, wheat progress was behind normal due to cool weather and dry soil conditions. In parts of southern Kansas, brown wheat mites were active. Cool, wet weather over most of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys limited field activity, but some producers prepared for planting on well-drained soils. In the Great Lakes region and the Northern States, planting of early- spring grains was delayed as producers waited for snowmelt and higher soil temperatures. In the Southeast, farmers were unable to enter wet fields, leaving crop development and planting progress behind schedule. SMALL GRAINS: Winter wheat condition was mostly fair to poor. In Kansas, wheat jointing was 3 percent(%) complete, 27 percentage points behind the 5-year average of 30 points, and 56 points behind this time last year. Earlier freeze damage was becoming evident as wheat greened. Low temperatures slowed growth in the Great Plains and may have caused damage in some areas. Winter wheat condition declined in the Corn Belt as a result of wide temperature fluctuations. Warmer weather was needed in the Great Lakes region to promote growth. Wheat was good to excellent in the Pacific Northwest, where adequate soil moisture was available. CORN: Corn planting was 2% complete, 1 point behind normal. Planting was underway in 5 of the 17 major producing States. Cool, wet weather in the Southeast slowed planting progress, while last week's adverse weather required some replanting. COTTON: Cotton planting was 5% complete, 1 point behind normal. Planting was started in 4 of the 14 major producing States. Arizona cotton producers took advantage of the warm, dry weather to plant early and reduce the effect of whitefly. Planting was slowed in the Southeastern States by wet, cool weather and low soil temperatures. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 14 March 31 - April 6, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. HIGHLIGHTS: Dry weather returned to the central Plains, accompanied by early-to midweek warmth, while critically dry conditions persisted in Texas' northern panhandle. Farther south, however, much-needed precipitation dampened western and central Texas on April 5. Along the West Coast, early-week wetness yielded to warm, dry conditions, permitting rapid crop development. Cool, damp weather from the Ohio Valley to the Middle Atlantic region continued to delay crop development and hamper fieldwork. Rain changed to snow on Monday from the middle Ohio Valley to the eastern Great Lakes States, resulting in accumulations of 7.1 inches in Cleveland, OH and 1.5 inches in Lexington, KY. Storm-total precipitation topped an inch in a broad area from the Ohio Valley to the Middle Atlantic States, including 1.95 inches in Cincinnati, OH and 1.93 inches in Dover, DE. Meanwhile, rain also fell from Washington to northern California, totaling 1.23 inches in Portand, OR and 1.06 inches in Sacramento, CA. On April 1-3, a short-lived warm spell across the Central States produced about two dozen daily-record highs. Warmth peaked on Tuesday, as Hill City, KS (92 degrees F) notched the Nation's highest temperature for the day. McCook, NE reached 90 degrees F, 6 days before their previous earliest such occurrence, on April 8, 1978. A day later, record warmth reached the Midwest, including a high of 80 degrees F in Moline, IL. At midweek, snow overspread the North Central States, while sharply colder air returned to the Plains. On Wednesday, snowfall included 3.5 inches in International Falls, MN and 3.0 inches in Grand Forks, ND. A day later, totals reached 6.7 inches in Houghton Lake, MI and 2.7 inches in Green Bay, WI. Snow also developed along the east slopes of the Rockies, totaling 2.6 inches in Riverton, WY and 2.4 inches in Pueblo, CO. On Thursday, 4.7 inches blanketed Alamosa, CO, representing 39 percent (%) of their season-to-date snowfall. Farther north, frigid conditions persisted through a second consecutive week in North Dakota, where daily-record lows included -2 degrees F in Williston on Thursday and -1 degree F in Bismarck on Friday. Toward week's end, rain and snow developed from southeastern New Mexico to the central Gulf Coast. Storm-total precipitation of 1.22 inches in Midland, TX accounted for 90% of their year-to-date total, and improved their total since October 1, 1995, to 1.93 inches (41% of normal). Similarly, a 1.08-inch total in Corpus Christi, TX represented all but 0.08 inches of their 1996 total, which improved to 24% of normal. In Abilene, TX, much of the 2.04-inch total fell as snow (9.3 inches), their greatest snow storm on record, topping the 8.0-inch mark established on February 12, 1890 and tied on January 15-16, 1919. But in Texas' northern panhandle, only 0.11 inches dampened Lubbock, while no measurable precipitation fell in Amarillo. Cold air in the storm's wake produced a half-dozen daily-records on Saturday, including 21 degrees F in both Chanute, KS and Springfield, MO. Meanwhile, daily-record warmth arrived along the West Coast, as Medford, OR tallied a high of 83 degrees F. Above-normal temperatures also prevailed at week's end in Alaska and Hawaii. On Saturday, highs topped 50 degrees F as far north as Fairbanks, AK, while in Hawaii, Honolulu logged a daily-record high of 87 degrees F. Released April 8, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Crop Progress" call Greg Preston at (202) 720-7621, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. For assistance with general agricultural statistics, information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV. Corn: Percent Planted, Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Apr 7, :Mar 31,:Apr 7, : 1995 State:Apr 7, :Mar 31,:Apr 7, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 0 NA NA 0 AL : 1 NA 1 2 GA : 46 NA NA 66 AZ : 32 NA 28 23 IL : 0 NA NA 0 AR : 0 NA 0 0 IN : 0 NA NA 0 CA : 10 NA 5 15 IA : 0 NA NA 0 GA : 0 NA 2 1 KS : 1 NA NA 5 LA : 0 NA 0 0 KY : 0 NA NA 0 MS : 0 NA 1 1 MI : 0 NA NA 0 MO : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 0 NA NA 0 NM : 0 NA 4 1 MO : 2 NA NA 7 NC : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 0 NA NA 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 12 NA NA 13 SC : 0 NA 1 0 OH : 0 NA NA 1 TN : 0 NA 0 0 PA : 0 NA NA 0 TX : 10 NA 11 11 SD : 0 NA NA 0 : TX : 52 NA NA 49 14 Sts: 5 NA 6 6 WI : 0 NA NA 0 -------------------------------------- : These 14 States produced 99% of the 17 Sts: 2 NA NA 3 1995 cotton crop. -------------------------------------- These 17 States produced 91% of the 1995 corn crop. We 1 (4-96) Sorghum: Percent Planted, Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Apr 7, :Mar 31,:Apr 7, : 1995 State:Apr 7, :Mar 31,:Apr 7, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 6 NA NA NA AR : 1 NA 13 6 CO : 0 NA NA NA CA : 0 NA 0 0 IL : 0 NA NA NA LA : 31 NA 34 33 KS : 0 NA NA NA MS : 1 NA 21 10 LA : 1 NA NA NA TX : 45 NA 35 29 MS : 6 NA NA NA : MO : 0 NA NA NA 5 Sts : 11 NA 18 13 NE : 0 NA NA NA -------------------------------------- NM : 0 NA NA NA These 5 States produced 96% of the OK : 0 NA NA NA 1995 rice crop. SD : 0 NA NA NA TX : 41 NA NA NA : 12 Sts: 12 NA NA NA -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Apr 7, :Mar 31,:Apr 7, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 22 NA NA NA MN : 0 NA NA NA MT : 0 NA NA NA ND : 0 NA NA NA SD : 1 NA NA NA : 5 Sts : 1 NA NA NA -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 96% of the 1995 spring wheat crop. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 7 31 52 9 CA : 0 0 10 65 25 CO : 12 21 42 21 4 GA : 2 5 32 52 9 ID : 0 1 9 57 33 IL : 20 34 33 12 1 IN : 14 24 43 19 0 KS : 21 31 36 12 0 MI : 3 6 28 43 20 MO : 16 32 36 15 1 MT : 0 5 47 40 8 NE : 10 37 38 15 0 NC : 0 3 32 60 5 OH : 9 16 38 32 5 OK : 19 35 36 10 0 OR : 0 0 13 47 40 SD : 2 18 31 47 2 TX : 27 36 29 8 0 WA : 0 0 4 64 32 : 19 Sts : 15 25 33 22 5 : Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA Prev Yr : 1 4 26 57 12 --------------------------------------