HDR1012000170100529961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released May 29, 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 20 - 26, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Fair weather across the central section of the Nation allowed producers to make good progress in working and planting fields. By week's end however, a powerful storm moved across the Nation's midsection, bringing heavy rains and violent weather which again delayed fieldwork. In the South and Southeast, hot, dry conditions delayed planting and stressed emerged crops. However, scattered thunderstorms at the end of the week improved conditions and provided some relief to crops. Rain also fell across parts of Texas, providing some relief to their crops. Pastures remained stressed, and planting on non-irrigated fields remained delayed as hot, dry conditions continued across the Southwest. In the Northwest, rain and wet fields limited fieldwork. Temperatures across the northern half of the Nation averaged below normal, hindering drying conditions, crop development and emergence. Across the southern half of the Nation, temperatures were above normal, which stressed emerged crops and dried soils. The Nation's winter wheat crop remained mostly fair to poor, with 68 percent (%) of the acreage heading, equal to this time last year but 4 percentage points behind the average. Heading progress increased rapidly in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. The condition of the wheat crop in Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas remained mostly poor. Hail damaged some wheat fields in Oregon. In Texas, irrigated fields were stressed by the extreme heat. Spring wheat seeding was 68% complete, up 22 points from last week but 22 points below the average. Favorable conditions across North Dakota allowed producers to plant a third of their acreage, but planting lagged about 2 weeks behind the average. Minnesota planting was 45% complete, 26 points behind last year and 47 points behind the average. Spring wheat emerged, at 41%, was 3 points more than last year but 31 points behind the average. Corn planting was 78% complete for the 17 major producing States, up 17 points from last week but 7 points behind the average. Favorable conditions during the first half of the week allowed good progress to be made in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Illinois. However, rainy conditions by the middle of the week again delayed planting. Dry conditions caused leaf curl in some fields in northern and central sections of Texas. In Michigan, some producers began to consider planting shorter maturity varieties. Some drowned out corn fields need to be replanted in Iowa and Indiana and were replanted in Illinois. Emerged corn in Iowa benefited from the warm weather at the beginning of the week. Cotton planting was 77% complete, up 11 points from last week and 1 point ahead of the average for the Nation. Cotton planting in Missouri at 95% complete was up 39 points from last week, and 8 points ahead of normal. Producers in Texas were waiting for moisture to plant some dryland fields. In California, some fields with poor stands were plowed up and replanted. Sorghum planting was 49% complete for the 12 major producing States, up 17 points from last week and 4 points ahead of average. Favorable conditions early in the week allowed producers in Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas to plant between 24 and 31% of their acreage. Lack of moisture in New Mexico and Texas again limited dryland sorghum planting. Rice seeding was 93% complete, up 9 points from last week and 7 points ahead of average for the five major producing States. California producers planted 25% of their acreage last week. Rice emerged, at 79%, was 2 points ahead of last year and 8 points ahead of average. Water weevils caused problems in some rice fields in Louisiana. In Texas, hot, windy conditions made it difficult for producers to keep water on their fields. Soybean planting was 35% complete for the 19 major producing States, up 20 points from last week but 14 points behind average. Producers in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska planted at least 20% of their acreage last week. However, progress in Ohio at 14% was 58 points behind average and Indiana at 16% was 46 points behind average. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 21 May 19 - 25, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. HIGHLIGHTS: Dryness persisted through a third week in the Southeast, where temperatures approached May-record levels. Farther west, strong thunderstorms peppered the southern High Plains, providing localized soil-moisture improvement and signaling an end to a record-setting May heat wave. (Between May 16 and 25, more than 250 daily-record highs and more than a dozen May records were set or tied.) More substantial rainfall soaked the central Plains, tempering long-term drought. Rainy, cool weather returned to the Corn Belt after midweek, closing a window of rapid planting progress and crop development. Elsewhere, late-season rainfall dampened the Pacific Northwest through midweek, while heavy rain drenched southern Florida on May 21-22. On Sunday, desiccating winds accompanied temperatures of 95 to 105 degrees F on the Texas Plains. In Lubbock, southerly gusts to 37 mph accompanied a May-record high of 105 degrees F, their sixth consecutive triple-digit reading. Midland registered 103 degrees F, their fifth and hottest day during a 6-day string of daily-record heat. After a respite, heat returned on May 22, again propelling Lubbock to 105 degrees F. Southerly wind gusts to 44 mph attended Midland's high of 104 degrees F. In Amarillo, a reading of 101 degrees F on Wednesday marked their ninth daily-record high during the month. Two days later, Amarillo's high reached 95 degrees F, a 16th day of 90-degree heat during May, eclipsing their former record set in 1962 and 1974. On May 23, May record-tying heat stretched as far north as Wichita, KS (100 degrees F). Cooler air, accompanied by thunderstorms, arrived toward week's end. In Amarillo, 0.31 inches fell on May 24, ending a 54-day dry spell. A 1.61-inch rainfall pelted Lubbock on Saturday night, accounting for 89 percent of their May total (through the 26th), 71 percent of their year-to-date total, and half of their rainfall since October 1, 1995. In the East, heat shifted southward during the week, producing several May records. On Monday, highs reached 100 degrees F as far north as Lexington Park, MD. Other May records included 99 degrees F in Newark, NJ and 97 degrees F in Bridgeport, CT. Farther south, hot weather aggravated the effects of short-term dryness. In Alabama, a May record was set in Pinson (97 degrees F on Thursday) and tied in Huntsville (96 degrees F on Friday). Highs reached or exceeded 90 degrees F on 8 consecutive days (May 17-24) in Atlanta, GA, breaking their May record of 6 days established in 1941 and 1944. Through May 26, monthly rainfall totaled less than a third of an inch in parts of the Southeast, including Meridian, MS (0.03 inches), Jacksonville, FL (0.12 inches), and Huntsville (0.22 inches). In contrast, Miami, FL withstood 4.36 inches of rain in a 24-hour period on May 21-22. During the passage of another late-season storm, precipitation topped an inch as far south as the central Sierra Nevada, where Blue Canyon, CA collected 1.49 inches. Farther north, Salem, OR received 1.02 inches. Unlike recent eastward-bound disturbances, some of the storm's energy plunged into the Southwest, delivering late-week heavy snow (9 inches) as far south as Mt. Charleston, NV (near Las Vegas). After midweek, widespread heavy rain developed on the northern High Plains, expanding across the central Plains and much of the Corn Belt by week's end. By May 25, storm totals reached 2 inches or more in many locations, including Sioux City, IA, Goodland, KS, Miles City, MT, and Lander, WY. Earlier in the week, a cold front edged across the Northeastern and Great Lakes States, focusing daily-record rainfall in Caribou, ME (0.68 inches on May 19) and Grand Rapids, MI (3.39 inches on May 20). As the front pushed through Elkins, WV on Tuesday, 2.75 inches fell, propelling their May rainfall to nearly 13 inches, an all-time record for any month. In Hawaii, weekly temperatures averaged 2 to 5 degrees F above normal. Highs of 91 degrees F in Honolulu (on Wednesday) and 92 degrees F in Kahului (on Thursday) were among the handful of daily-record highs. After midweek, warmth exploded across northern Alaska. Barrow (47 degrees F) logged a daily-record high on Thursday. A day later, Umiat recorded a remarkable 79 degrees F, 43 degrees F above normal, 25 degrees F higher than their former daily record, and 6 degrees F greater than their former May record. Corn: Percent Planted, Soybeans: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 97 94 68 87 AL : 46 35 47 38 GA : 99 98 100 100 AR : 44 30 27 26 IL : 77 56 48 83 GA : 33 23 33 32 IN : 45 14 57 85 IL : 27 5 7 55 IA : 95 86 75 83 IN : 16 4 26 62 KS : 99 96 60 87 IA : 57 20 36 55 KY : 78 50 79 86 KS : 43 12 3 29 MI : 43 23 73 84 KY : 14 3 11 24 MN : 79 64 82 85 LA : 73 61 55 44 MO : 90 84 31 71 MI : 16 5 41 53 NE : 95 83 70 90 MN : 35 15 55 61 NC : 99 99 98 99 MS : 84 76 62 38 OH : 39 10 73 91 MO : 26 9 4 30 PA : 59 36 74 73 NE : 43 14 14 53 SD : 67 49 36 74 NC : 37 19 36 38 TX : 98 96 99 99 OH : 14 0 40 72 WI : 65 38 76 80 SC : 22 19 20 24 : SD : 29 14 14 45 17 Sts: 78 61 67 85 TN : 27 12 22 19 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 35 15 27 49 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 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 100 100 100 99 AL : 93 85 96 87 CA : 99 99 99 99 AZ : 99 97 98 99 CO : 30 7 38 50 AR : 98 84 88 87 GA : 100 99 100 100 CA : 99 97 98 99 ID : 1 0 6 6 GA : 86 79 89 84 IL : 59 16 87 79 LA : 100 99 97 91 IN : 50 22 64 62 MS : 99 98 97 83 KS : 90 60 85 91 MO : 95 56 77 87 MI : 0 0 0 4 NM : 87 85 86 91 MO : 75 43 82 82 NC : 97 86 96 94 MT : 0 0 0 1 OK : 30 21 53 47 NE : 15 1 10 43 SC : 95 90 83 91 NC : 99 96 97 97 TN : 95 80 93 81 OH : 19 9 28 36 TX : 50 36 55 57 OK : 100 100 100 99 : OR : 42 21 12 42 14 Sts: 77 66 77 76 SD : 0 0 0 11 -------------------------------------- TX : 97 90 93 92 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 20 2 29 30 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 68 52 68 72 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Planted, These 19 States produced 92% of the Selected States 1995 winter wheat crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 94 84 84 78 CO : 40 35 4 18 IL : 5 0 3 32 KS : 40 16 3 23 LA : 97 93 88 81 MS : 94 89 91 73 MO : 49 19 18 41 NE : 38 7 7 43 NM : 10 5 32 28 OK : 40 37 12 30 SD : 8 6 1 24 TX : 71 65 78 77 : 12 Sts: 49 32 30 45 -------------------------------------- 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 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 94 90 95 96 AR : 96 89 93 86 MN : 45 35 71 92 CA : 70 45 61 75 MT : 88 76 88 94 LA : 99 92 97 93 ND : 60 27 47 87 MS : 100 98 100 80 SD : 87 83 79 95 TX : 99 93 94 95 : : 5 Sts : 68 46 64 90 5 Sts : 93 84 90 86 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- 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 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 85 75 84 84 AR : 83 72 86 72 MN : 30 14 42 78 CA : 30 10 17 37 MT : 59 29 62 72 LA : 93 81 95 88 ND : 27 8 19 68 MS : 99 84 95 71 SD : 74 53 56 87 TX : 88 84 78 82 : : 5 Sts : 41 20 38 72 5 Sts : 79 67 77 71 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- 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 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 89 84 91 95 IA : 100 100 94 97 MN : 34 30 64 90 MI : 85 *70 96 97 MT : 91 77 80 90 MN : 92 85 86 96 ND : 66 22 44 87 NE : 100 100 100 100 SD : 87 78 74 94 ND : 56 22 41 85 WA : 92 89 98 99 OH : 79 65 99 100 : PA : 89 69 94 95 6 Sts : 74 50 65 90 SD : 89 84 78 94 -------------------------------------- WI : 77 60 97 97 These 6 States produced 82% of the : 1995 barley crop. 9 Sts : 84 71 82 94 -------------------------------------- * Revised. These 9 States Barley: Percent Emerged, produced 56% of the 1995 oat crop. Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : Oats: Percent Emerged, :-----------------------: 1991- Selected States State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 -------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- : Percent State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. ID : 78 63 72 81 -------------------------------------- MN : 22 12 36 76 : Percent MT : 57 31 55 68 : ND : 24 5 15 69 IA : 96 91 89 93 SD : 61 35 40 82 MI : 50 *26 74 77 WA : 76 62 90 93 MN : 78 52 73 86 : NE : 100 100 NA NA 6 Sts : 43 24 40 73 ND : 21 5 11 65 -------------------------------------- OH : 64 50 95 95 These 6 States produced 82% of the PA : 69 62 NA NA 1995 barley crop. SD : 66 57 52 84 WI : 57 32 NA NA : 9 Sts: 66 51 60 83 -------------------------------------- * Revised. These 9 States produced 56% of the 1995 oats crop. Peanuts: Percent Planted, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:May 26,:May 19,:May 26,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 93 83 96 86 FL : 90 82 NA NA GA : 93 86 96 89 NC : 90 47 90 91 OK : 58 30 37 39 SC : 95 91 76 88 TX : 45 31 26 21 VA : 86 70 99 96 : 8 Sts : 81 67 78 73 -------------------------------------- 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 : 1 6 19 56 18 CA : 0 0 5 65 30 CO : 15 17 32 27 9 GA : 1 5 31 56 7 ID : 0 2 12 46 40 IL : 23 30 32 15 0 IN : 7 20 40 28 5 KS : 33 32 24 11 0 MI : 14 24 32 25 5 MO : 19 24 32 23 2 MT : 2 10 29 50 9 NE : 8 20 47 24 1 NC : 0 3 20 76 1 OH : 8 20 40 28 4 OK : 27 31 28 14 0 OR : 0 0 4 38 58 SD : 9 19 36 34 2 TX : 32 35 27 6 0 WA : 0 0 12 59 29 : 19 Sts : 21 24 26 23 6 : Prev Wk : 21 25 27 22 5 Prev Yr : 5 13 30 42 10 -------------------------------------- Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 3 19 59 19 CA : 0 0 25 70 5 LA : 0 5 46 45 4 MS : 0 5 21 67 7 TX : 0 5 28 58 9 : 5 Sts : 0 3 26 59 12 : Prev Wk : 0 3 25 58 14 Prev Yr : 0 3 25 55 17 -------------------------------------- Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 8 31 40 21 0 :: NJ : 0 0 30 60 10 AZ : 32 45 15 8 0 :: NM : 50 35 13 2 0 AR : 0 19 41 35 5 :: NY : 0 0 13 41 46 CA : 0 0 10 65 25 :: NC : 0 4 33 61 2 CO : 10 24 30 32 4 :: ND : 1 4 25 64 6 CT : 0 0 14 86 0 :: OH : 2 10 38 41 9 DE : 0 0 20 73 7 :: OK : 7 27 44 21 1 FL : 5 15 50 30 0 :: OR : 0 0 3 63 34 GA : 7 27 41 24 1 :: PA : 0 5 25 56 14 ID : 0 1 7 60 32 :: RI : 0 2 4 82 12 IL : 3 5 33 49 10 :: SC : 3 10 30 54 3 IN : 1 5 30 51 13 :: SD : 1 3 19 64 13 IA : 1 5 32 52 10 :: TN : 1 8 38 50 3 KS : 11 20 39 28 2 :: TX : 25 35 33 7 0 KY : 1 5 33 52 9 :: UT : 2 11 27 53 7 LA : 3 20 47 29 1 :: VT : 0 17 15 40 28 ME : 0 10 26 22 42 :: VA : 0 0 19 73 8 MD : 0 2 11 59 28 :: WA : 0 0 37 58 5 MA : 0 0 22 70 8 :: WV : 0 2 27 65 6 MI : 4 12 38 30 16 :: WI : 0 8 22 62 8 MN : 3 17 42 34 4 :: WY : 0 0 13 70 17 MS : 12 26 40 21 1 :: : MO : 2 17 45 32 4 :: 48 Sts : 7 14 30 40 9 MT : 0 5 19 57 19 :: : NE : 1 8 44 43 4 :: Prev Wk: 7 14 34 39 6 NV : 0 1 16 38 45 :: Prev Yr: 1 5 23 54 17 NH : 0 2 5 89 4 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent