HDR1012000170100521961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released May 21, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" 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. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY May 13 - 19, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Thunderstorms over the central Appalachians and Ohio Valley caused localized flooding that resulted in loss of life and property damage. Wet fields brought most planting activity in the central Corn Belt to a standstill. Indiana has had only 12 total days suitable for fieldwork since April 1, compared with 20 days for the same period last year. Severe thunderstorms in the Red River Valley halted planting progress. Heavy rainfall at midweek in northern California slowed fieldwork, caused lodging in small grain fields and threatened the cherry harvest. Wet weather in the Pacific Northwest slowed planting progress but aided crop emergence. Continued dry weather allowed planting progress to remain ahead of normal in the Southeastern States. Livestock producers moved cattle to CRP land that was opened for grazing due to forage shortages in the middle Mississippi Valley and upper Great Plains. Persistent drought across the Southwest restricted dryland planting progress, and limited grazing availability. Low soil temperatures and wet fields did not restrain producers in the Great Lakes region from planting row crops. The Nation's winter wheat crop was in mostly fair to poor condition with 52 percent (%) of the acreage heading. Wheat headed in Illinois at 16% complete was 38 percentage points behind normal. Wheat headed in Kansas at 60% complete was up 28 points from the previous week, but still 12 points behind the 5-year average. Some scattered hail damage was reported in Kansas. Cool weather in the Northern States slowed wheat progress. Wheat was sprayed for disease and Russian aphids in Washington State. Spring wheat seeding was 46% complete, up 14 points from last week and 35 points below the average. Rainy weather later in the week left fields too wet for planting and forced producers to delay seeding. Spring wheat planting was 35% and 27% complete in Minnesota and North Dakota, respectively, leaving both States 48 points behind the average. Spring wheat planting remained close to 3 weeks behind average in North Dakota. Small grain producers in South Dakota indicated that they would wait 1 more week to finish seeding before switching to later-season crops. Twenty percent of the spring wheat crop was emerged, 35 points behind normal. Corn planting was 61% complete for the 17 major producing States, up 8 points from the previous week but 11 points behind the average. Corn planting advanced 4 percentage points from last week in Indiana and Ohio to 14% and 10% complete, respectively, leaving both States over 50 points behind normal. Planting progress in Indiana had not been this far behind the average since 1961. Corn emergence in Iowa was hampered by low soil temperatures, with some reports of corn yellowing. Corn producers in the Great Lakes region were exchanging corn seed for early-maturing varieties to make up for late planting. Cotton planting was 66% complete, up 12 points from last week and 2 points ahead of the average for the Nation. Cotton planting in Missouri at 56% complete was up 30 points from last week, but 11 points behind normal. Warm weather in the Southwestern and Southeastern States spurred cotton development. Across the southern half of the Nation, insect activity increased as the temperatures climbed. In Arkansas, some cotton was replanted due to cutworm infestation. Windy weather in the southern Great Plains caused blowing sands that slowed some planting activity. Sorghum planting was 32% complete for the 12 major producing States, up 5 points from last week. Sorghum planting progress in Nebraska and New Mexico at 7% and 5% complete respectively, was 16 points behind the average for both States. Lack of moisture in New Mexico delayed dryland sorghum planting. Rice seeding was 84% complete, up 8 points from last week and 8 points ahead of the average for the five major producing States. Rice fields in Arkansas were flushed to boost germination. Emerged rice fields in California were treated for weevils and broadleaf weeds. Texas rice producers flushed emerged rice fields. Soybean planting was 15% complete for the 19 major producing States, up 6 points from last week. Soybean planting was postponed in Ohio by saturated fields. Normally 48% of the crop is planted by this time. Illinois and Indiana soybean producers advanced planting by 1 point from last week, leaving both States over 30 points behind normal. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 20 May 12 - 18, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: A jet-stream shift allowed May-record heat to spread as far north as the central High Plains, but kept northern and central California under an unusually wet regime. In the Midwest and Northeast, early-week frost yielded to warmer weather. Warmer, drier conditions across much of the Corn Belt permitted flood waters to recede and favored crop development. Several days of warmth in the northern Plains spurred some planting progress, but late-week downpours sent many rivers back above flood stage. Heavy rain caused some streams and rivers to flood from Indiana to Virginia. In contrast, drought conditions intensified across the central and southern Plains and the Southwest. Early in the week, heat gripped the Southwest, while snow blanketed the interior Northeast. On Sunday, highs in Arizona reached 116 degrees F in Coolidge and 111 degrees F in Yuma. Warmth also prevailed across Alaska, where highs reached daily-record levels in Valdez (74oF) and Yakutat (71 degrees F). The mercury reached 39 degrees F in Barrow, AK, marking their third daily-record high in 4 days. Also on May 12, Bethel, AK--in the midst of a 5-day spell of record warmth--notched their earliest 70-degree reading. Meanwhile, a powerful storm over northern New England deposited daily-record snowfall (for May 12) on Caribou, ME (5.6 inches) and Rochester, NY (1.1 inches). High pressure in the storm's wake resulted in more than five dozen daily-record lows across the Midwest and East on May 12-13. On Monday, lows dipped to 25 degrees F in Michigan at Muskegon and Lansing, and to 30 degrees F in Ohio at Mansfield and Youngstown. A day later, Parkersburg, WV tallied a May record-tying low of 29 degrees F. Lows of 28 degrees F in Williamsport, PA and 31 degrees F in Charleston, WV were records for so late in the spring. In Sacramento, CA, a daily-record 1.67 inches of rain fell on May 15, en route to a weekly total of 2.08 inches (717 percent of their May normal). Flooding in the Sierra Nevada foothills resulted from weekly rainfall that totaled as much as 10.31 inches (at Blue Canyon, CA). Farther east, late-week rainfall in the Red River Valley boosted the weekly total to 1.90 inches in Grand Forks, ND. Similarly, weekly rainfall topped 2.50 inches in South Bend, IN, Cincinnati, OH, and Huntington, WV. About 170 daily-record highs were tied or set during the week as heat gradually spread from the Southwest into the East. On Sunday, highs soared to 105 degrees F as far north as St. George, UT. A day later, El Paso, TX registered 102 degrees F, their highest temperatures so early in the year. On May 15, triple-digit heat arrived earlier than ever recorded in Amarillo, TX (101 degrees F), toppling the previous mark of 100 degrees F, set on May 17, 1927. Amarillo received no rain during the past 49 days, and only 1.22 inches (18 percent of normal) during the 229-day period ending May 18. May-record heat developed on Thursday across the central and southern High Plains, where highs soared to 106 degrees F in Meade, KS, 105 degrees F in Dodge City, KS, and 103 degrees F in Amarillo. The previous earliest date of 105-degree heat in Dodge City occurred on June 5, 1933 and 1966. Severe heat continued into Saturday on the central Plains, as Meade again logged 106 degrees F, while Tribune, KS (102 degrees F) and Pueblo, CO (99 degrees F) noted May records. Elsewhere on May 18, highs reached 90 degrees F as far north as Milwaukee, WI. Flood Update (as of May 20, 1996): On May 20, the Mississippi River crest reached Caruthersville, MO, 8.0 feet above flood stage (a.f.s.). The river was below flood stage north of Hannibal, MO. In the lower Mississippi Valley, minor flooding is forecast to occur, peaking on May 28 in Greenville, MS (1.0 foot a.f.s.) and on May 29 in Vicksburg, MS (0.5 feet a.f.s.). Although most tributaries in the middle Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys were receding, some flooding continued. In Murphysboro, IL, the Big Muddy stood at 12.0 feet a.f.s. Along the Illinois River at Beardstown, IL, the gauge read 5.1 feet a.f.s. The Ohio River remained well above flood stage along its lower reaches, including 14.1 feet a.f.s. at Shawneetown, IL and 13.1 feet a.f.s. at Cairo, IL. Farther north, the Red River (ND/MN border) surged 4.7 feet in 24 hours at East Grand Forks, MN, to 3.4 feet a.f.s. The Red River crest reached Wahpeton, ND (2.4 feet a.f.s.) on May 19, and is expected to work northward to Pembina, ND (5 to 6 feet a.f.s.) on May 27. Corn: Percent Planted, Soybeans: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 94 86 51 76 AL : 35 22 30 24 GA : 98 97 99 99 AR : 30 20 13 15 IL : 56 52 37 72 GA : 23 11 24 21 IN : 14 10 46 73 IL : 5 4 4 37 IA : 86 83 53 70 IN : 4 3 18 42 KS : 96 88 49 82 IA : 20 12 13 36 KY : 50 35 75 76 KS : 12 9 2 18 MI : 23 14 48 61 KY : 3 1 9 13 MN : 64 43 64 72 LA : 61 41 35 26 MO : 84 78 28 59 MI : 5 1 15 25 NE : 83 76 46 78 MN : 15 4 26 38 NC : 99 95 96 96 MS : 76 60 48 28 OH : 10 6 57 80 MO : 9 6 2 16 PA : 36 17 58 54 NE : 14 7 5 29 SD : 49 29 13 56 NC : 19 11 28 25 TX : 96 94 97 98 OH : 0 0 23 48 WI : 38 24 53 60 SC : 19 8 12 14 : SD : 14 2 4 22 17 Sts: 61 53 50 72 TN : 12 4 10 9 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 15 9 14 31 1995 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Headed, Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 100 90 100 97 AL : 85 70 87 78 CA : 99 98 99 98 AZ : 97 93 96 95 CO : 7 2 5 19 AR : 84 62 59 68 GA : 99 98 100 100 CA : 97 95 95 98 ID : 0 0 4 2 GA : 79 63 82 73 IL : 16 2 73 54 LA : 99 87 92 85 IN : 22 13 48 35 MS : 98 85 87 73 KS : 60 32 62 72 MO : 56 26 48 67 MI : 0 0 0 0 NM : 85 77 78 85 MO : 43 23 65 61 NC : 86 60 86 82 MT : 0 0 0 0 OK : 21 12 24 28 NE : 1 0 2 16 SC : 90 76 75 81 NC : 96 91 94 94 TN : 80 53 73 64 OH : 9 2 9 11 TX : 36 28 39 43 OK : 100 91 98 95 : OR : 21 0 1 19 14 Sts: 66 54 64 64 SD : 0 0 0 2 -------------------------------------- TX : 90 82 87 86 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 2 0 9 12 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 52 40 55 58 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Planted, These 19 States produced 92% of the Selected States 1995 winter wheat crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 84 72 71 70 CO : 35 26 2 12 IL : 0 0 1 17 KS : 16 10 3 14 LA : 93 71 77 72 MS : 89 73 84 67 MO : 19 11 16 29 NE : 7 5 2 23 NM : 5 1 20 21 OK : 37 10 10 21 SD : 6 4 0 10 TX : 65 63 74 73 : 12 Sts: 32 27 27 35 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Planted, Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 90 86 90 91 AR : 89 80 86 76 MN : 35 14 42 83 CA : 45 30 34 50 MT : 76 59 75 88 LA : 92 90 94 89 ND : 27 16 25 75 MS : 98 93 98 74 SD : 83 65 51 88 TX : 93 88 88 90 : : 5 Sts : 46 32 44 81 5 Sts : 84 76 81 76 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 96% of the These 5 States produced 96% of the 1995 spring wheat crop. 1995 rice crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Emerged, Rice: Percent Emerged, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 75 65 78 77 AR : 72 56 71 57 MN : 14 4 24 59 CA : 10 5 9 15 MT : 29 7 50 57 LA : 81 75 86 81 ND : 8 1 8 49 MS : 84 78 89 62 SD : 53 15 26 77 TX : 84 77 72 74 : : 5 Sts : 20 6 24 55 5 Sts : 67 56 66 57 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 96% of the These 5 States produced 96% of the 1995 spring wheat crop. 1995 rice crop. Barley: Percent Planted, Oats: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 84 78 82 89 IA : 100 100 90 92 MN : 30 11 35 79 MI : 65 36 88 89 MT : 77 53 69 83 MN : 85 73 76 91 ND : 22 12 21 76 NE : 100 100 99 99 SD : 78 54 41 85 ND : 22 7 21 73 WA : 89 84 94 96 OH : 65 57 80 94 : PA : 69 64 89 90 6 Sts : 50 36 47 81 SD : 84 63 47 85 -------------------------------------- WI : 60 53 86 85 These 6 States produced 82% of the : 1995 barley crop. 9 Sts : 71 61 70 87 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 56% of the Barley: Percent Emerged, 1995 oat crop. Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : Oats: Percent Emerged, :-----------------------: 1991- Selected States State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 -------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- : Percent State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. ID : 63 45 62 71 -------------------------------------- MN : 12 3 21 54 : Percent MT : 31 8 44 53 : ND : 5 0 5 50 IA : 91 80 80 86 SD : 35 12 18 72 MI : 20 3 45 58 WA : 62 55 79 84 MN : 52 20 51 71 : NE : 100 91 NA NA 6 Sts : 24 12 29 57 ND : 5 0 4 45 -------------------------------------- OH : 50 42 84 84 These 6 States produced 82% of the PA : 62 46 NA NA 1995 barley crop. SD : 57 30 28 73 WI : 32 19 NA NA : 9 Sts: 50 35 46 69 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 56% of the 1995 oats crop. Peanuts: Percent Planted, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 19,:May 12,:May 19,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 83 48 82 75 FL : 82 65 NA NA GA : 86 69 85 78 NC : 47 30 70 71 OK : 30 14 22 25 SC : 91 85 64 80 TX : 31 20 14 13 VA : 70 45 90 90 : 8 Sts : 67 48 65 61 -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1995 peanut crop. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 4 20 59 17 CA : 0 0 10 60 30 CO : 17 20 39 20 4 GA : 0 4 26 64 6 ID : 0 2 10 56 32 IL : 26 34 27 13 0 IN : 10 23 38 25 4 KS : 31 32 24 13 0 MI : 16 23 36 21 4 MO : 20 27 33 18 2 MT : 4 15 26 47 8 NE : 6 18 52 23 1 NC : 0 6 29 60 5 OH : 11 26 38 20 5 OK : 27 31 28 14 0 OR : 0 0 4 38 58 SD : 10 24 39 25 2 TX : 38 37 21 4 0 WA : 0 0 6 63 31 : 19 Sts : 21 25 27 22 5 : Prev Wk : 22 24 26 23 5 Prev Yr : 5 12 29 42 12 -------------------------------------- Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 3 22 57 18 CA : 0 0 10 80 10 LA : 0 5 36 54 5 MS : 0 5 20 57 18 TX : 0 2 42 44 12 : 5 Sts : 0 3 25 58 14 : Prev Wk : 0 4 29 59 8 Prev Yr : 0 4 30 57 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 : 1 9 49 40 1 :: NJ : 0 0 50 40 10 AZ : 31 46 15 8 0 :: NM : 46 38 15 1 0 AR : 0 16 39 39 6 :: NY : 0 14 30 40 16 CA : 0 0 20 55 25 :: NC : 0 2 17 75 6 CO : 13 25 38 23 1 :: ND : 1 8 35 52 4 CT : 0 0 26 74 0 :: OH : 2 14 40 39 5 DE : 0 0 23 73 4 :: OK : 11 21 44 23 1 FL : 5 15 40 40 0 :: OR : 0 0 3 85 12 GA : 1 11 39 46 3 :: PA : 0 7 28 51 14 ID : 0 0 11 61 28 :: RI : 0 7 20 40 33 IL : 3 7 35 47 8 :: SC : 1 7 28 61 3 IN : 1 9 35 48 7 :: SD : 2 5 33 50 10 IA : 2 9 41 43 5 :: TN : 1 7 41 46 5 KS : 14 21 39 23 3 :: TX : 28 34 32 6 0 KY : 2 7 33 48 10 :: UT : 1 13 33 49 4 LA : 0 11 37 48 4 :: VT : 0 0 13 76 11 ME : 0 27 29 22 22 :: VA : 0 1 18 69 12 MD : 0 1 20 60 19 :: WA : 0 6 34 59 1 MA : 0 0 41 49 10 :: WV : 1 12 35 48 4 MI : 9 21 38 28 4 :: WI : 2 16 45 35 2 MN : 2 23 41 30 4 :: WY : 0 0 23 68 9 MS : 3 13 37 41 6 :: : MO : 2 10 48 36 4 :: 48 Sts : 7 14 34 39 6 MT : 1 9 34 49 7 :: : NE : 1 9 39 48 3 :: Prev Wk: 7 17 34 36 6 NV : 0 1 24 45 30 :: Prev Yr: 1 5 25 53 16 NH : 0 3 56 24 17 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent