HDR1012000170100806961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released August 6, 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 July 29 - August 4, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Corn development surged despite cool weather over most of the Corn Belt. The unusually low summer temperatures benefited crops that were pollinating and reduced the impact of dry soil conditions. The below-normal temperatures slowed crop development in late-planted fields that were already 1 to 2 weeks behind normal. The sluggish development of row crops for fields that were planted late raised producers' concern about the vulnerability of their crops to an early fall frost. Parts of the Corn Belt needed warm, sunny weather to advance crop development while other areas still need rain. Producers across the Midwest and central Plains were monitoring fields for insect activity. In California, the hot, dry weather increased the threat of fires in range and pastures and stressed livestock. Spotty showers over the Southwest did little to ease drought conditions. Summer showers in the Southeast brought relief to crops but increased insect activity and slowed the spraying of insecticides and fungicides. Soil moisture remained short in the Dakotas and Great Lakes region. Wheat harvested for the 19 major producing States was 87 percent (%) complete, up 5 percentage points from the previous week. The wheat harvest in Michigan, at 70% complete, was up 18 points from the previous week but 20 points behind the average. Wet fields slowed the wheat harvest in the central Great Plains. Harvest advanced 35 points in South Dakota but remained 13 points behind the average. The wheat harvest in Washington at 27% complete was 15 points behind the average. Spring wheat condition was mostly good to fair. Condition declined in Montana due to dry conditions. In South Dakota, morning dampness, low nighttime temperatures, and the uneven crop maturity slowed harvest activity. Corn was in mostly good to fair condition, with 72% of the acreage in the silking stage or beyond. Corn silking for the 17 major producing States was up 24 points from the previous week, but 8 points behind the average. Despite significant advances for the week, crop development remained behind normal in the Corn Belt, especially in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Corn silking in Indiana was approximately 13 days behind normal. Silking in Iowa at 77% complete was up 35 points from the previous week. Corn silking in Ohio advanced 32 points from last week but remained 2 weeks behind normal. In Wisconsin, corn silking more than tripled from last week but remained 2 weeks behind the average. Cotton setting bolls was 87% complete, ahead of the average and up 9 points from a week earlier. Cotton condition was mostly good to fair for the 14 major producing States with slight declines in the Southeast due to increased insect activity and previous hot, dry weather. Crop development was ahead of normal by 12 points in Tennessee and Texas. The recent moisture in Texas Plains, combined with hot weather, pushed crop development but increased insect activity. Cotton was irrigated and sprayed for bollworms and bollweevils in the Delta and across the Southeast. In California, cotton was sprayed with growth regulators and insecticides. Rice headed for the five major producing States was 64% complete, up 11 points from the previous week and 12 points ahead of normal. Rice condition was mostly good to fair. Rice headed in Mississippi at 81% complete was up 19 points from last week and 24 points ahead of the average. In Arkansas, rice fields were fertilized and treated for stinkbugs. Rain over the Delta and the Southeast improved rice growth. California rice producers sprayed fields for weeds. Rice fields were harvested in Texas along the Upper Coast. In Louisiana, rice harvesting was hindered by wet conditions. Sorghum condition was mostly good to fair, with sorghum headed at 52% complete, up 14 points from the previous week, and sorghum turning color 22% complete. Sorghum headed in Missouri and Kansas was up from last week by over 20 points. Sorghum development was slowed by cool weather in Illinois and was 47 points behind the average. Insect activity was increasing in Arkansas and Texas, where many sorghum fields were sprayed. Soybeans blooming was 69% complete, up 16 points from last week and 8 points below the average. Soybeans were in mostly good to fair condition. The percentage of acreage blooming lagged normal in the eastern Corn Belt. Blooming in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio was behind the average by at least 40 points. Cool weather reduced the effect of dry conditions in the western Corn Belt but, producers reported that plants on hillsides and in poor soils were beginning to show signs of stress. Soybean producers were monitoring increased insect activity in the Midwest. In Indiana, soybeans blooming was 18 days behind the average. In the Ohio Valley, soybean fields were cultivated and sprayed for weeds. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 31 July 28 - August 3, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: For the second consecutive week, thunderstorms fired along a slow-moving front draped from the Middle Atlantic region to Oklahoma. Temperatures again averaged 3 degrees F or more below normal along and north of the front. Although dry weather prevailed across the western Corn Belt, the absence of heat prevented crop stress. Early-week showers benefited reproductive crops in the eastern Corn Belt. In the Southeast, meanwhile, frequent rainfall continued to improve topsoil moisture. Farther west, warmer weather further depleted topsoil moisture in the northern High Plains. Drought intensified across the southern two-thirds of Texas, where temperatures soared above 100 degrees F and weekly departures ranged from +2 to +7 degrees F. In contrast, significant rain fell as far south as the Red River Valley (Texas-Oklahoma border). Late in the week, a strong cold front swept into the Northwest, ending a spell of hot weather. Hot weather prevailed in the West for much of the week, resulting in about a dozen daily-record highs. On Monday, Portland, OR tallied 90 degrees F for the 12th time this month, toppling their July record set in 1985. In California, heat peaked on Wednesday in Paso Robles (111 degrees F) and downtown Sacramento (109 degrees F). Farther east, St. George, UT registered 110 degrees F. By Saturday, however, sharply cooler air overspread the Northwest, producing daily-record lows of 43 degrees F in Eugene, OR and Yakima, WA. In Texas, the week ended with consecutive daily-record highs in Austin (102 degrees F on August 2-3) and Del Rio (104 degrees F on Friday; 106 degrees F on Saturday). Farther north, temperatures remained below 80 degrees F all week in Chicago, IL until Saturday, when the mercury climbed to 81 degrees F. Chicago's last 90-degree maximum and their only one of the month occurred on July 7 (91 degrees F). Meanwhile, highs in Philadelphia, PA edged no higher than 83 degrees F during the week, concluding their first July on record without 90-degree heat. Last year, highs reached or exceeded 90 degrees F on 10 days in Chicago, and on a July record-tying 21 occasions in Philadelphia. Heavy rain pelted the northern Delta region on the last 2 days of July (24-hour total of 4.60 inches in Memphis, TN), pushing Memphis' monthly total to a record 9.87 inches. Additional rainfall in Oklahoma City, OK boosted their record-setting July total to 11.90 inches. In Elkins, WV, the monthly total of 12.03 inches was a July record and represented the second-highest monthly value this century (15.75 inches fell in May 1996). Elsewhere, totals of 7.14 inches in Albany, NY and 6.65 inches in Goodland, KS were the stations' sixth-highest July values on record. Meanwhile, heat and dryness exacerbated the 10-month drought in Texas, where some southern and western locations have endured moisture deficits dating to the summer of 1993. July totals included 0.19 inches in Victoria, 0.15 inches in Austin, and 0.13 inches in Midland. Year-to-date, percent-of-normal rainfall slipped to 55 percent (%) of normal (11.37 inches) in Victoria, 51% (9.64 inches) in Austin, and 43% (3.30 inches) in Midland. Elsewhere around the State, year-to-date totals through July included 7.44 inches in Wichita Falls (44% of normal), 6.57 inches in San Antonio (37%), 5.27 inches in Corpus Christi (34%), 2.32 inches in Del Rio (23%), and 1.45 inches in Brownsville (12%). But substantial improvement continued on the northeastern fringe of the drought region. July rainfall in Amarillo (4.95 inches) accounted for 49% of their year-to-date total (10.11 inches; 85% of normal). Oklahoma City's July rainfall represented 59% of their January-July total (20.28 inches; just 0.09 inches shy of normal). Corn: Percent Silking, Soybeans: Percent Blooming, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 79 58 25 56 AL : 59 44 61 55 GA : 100 100 100 100 AR : 67 51 56 52 IL : 77 52 83 94 GA : 65 49 72 66 IN : 55 35 82 92 IL : 63 42 69 86 IA : 77 42 78 78 IN : 51 33 81 91 KS : 100 98 65 89 IA : 85 72 86 85 KY : 80 68 85 92 KS : 88 60 41 67 MI : 32 13 82 70 KY : 50 35 53 66 MN : 81 46 79 66 LA : 94 85 86 72 MO : 91 83 52 81 MI : 35 21 91 76 NE : 90 70 57 81 MN : 83 69 94 84 NC : 98 97 99 98 MS : 87 85 83 67 OH : 46 14 79 85 MO : 63 50 28 64 PA : 67 53 75 64 NE : 91 66 66 80 SD : 47 16 40 56 NC : 40 34 45 45 TX : 98 97 97 94 OH : 52 36 89 92 WI : 37 9 78 62 SC : 51 38 48 46 : SD : 65 58 66 69 17 Sts: 72 48 74 80 TN : 58 46 57 52 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 69 53 71 77 1995 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Harvested, Cotton: Percent Setting Bolls, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 100 100 100 100 AL : 87 78 95 87 CA : 99 99 99 99 AZ : 99 93 90 97 CO : 96 92 92 93 AR : 100 100 95 93 GA : 100 100 100 100 CA : 100 80 82 90 ID : 21 7 12 21 GA : 98 92 97 95 IL : 98 96 100 98 LA : 100 99 100 96 IN : 98 88 100 98 MS : 100 98 99 91 KS : 100 100 100 98 MO : 100 94 93 92 MI : 70 52 95 90 NM : 95 85 71 78 MO : 100 100 100 97 NC : 82 79 83 81 MT : 15 2 2 10 OK : 78 51 51 58 NE : 95 83 90 92 SC : 91 79 81 83 NC : 100 100 99 100 TN : 100 98 96 88 OH : 99 95 100 96 TX : 72 59 61 60 OK : 100 100 100 100 : OR : 40 19 54 49 14 Sts: 87 78 80 78 SD : 58 23 80 71 -------------------------------------- TX : 100 100 99 100 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 27 17 35 42 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 87 82 88 88 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Headed, These 19 States produced 92% of the Selected States 1995 winter wheat crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 86 72 86 79 CO : 18 9 0 18 IL : 5 3 6 52 KS : 49 25 8 28 LA : 98 97 92 91 MS : 95 93 91 85 MO : 53 33 33 57 NE : 19 2 7 37 NM : 4 3 14 23 OK : 50 46 24 39 SD : 17 13 11 22 TX : 78 74 86 80 : 12 Sts: 52 38 35 48 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Sorghum: Percent Coloring, Barley: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 48 NA 16 29 ID : 6 2 5 11 CO : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 7 0 7 22 IL : 0 NA 0 8 MT : 1 0 1 3 KS : 5 NA 0 1 ND : 2 0 2 13 LA : 54 NA 52 50 SD : 16 3 11 37 MS : 59 NA 40 45 WA : 12 8 17 32 MO : 6 NA 4 11 : NE : 0 NA 0 1 6 Sts : 4 1 4 13 NM : 0 NA 0 0 -------------------------------------- OK : 19 NA 4 10 These 6 States produced 84% of the SD : 5 NA 0 1 1995 barley crop. TX : 58 NA 73 66 : 12 Sts: 22 NA 23 22 Oats: Percent Harvested, -------------------------------------- Selected States These 12 States produced 98% of the -------------------------------------- 1995 sorghum crop. : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 Rice: Percent Headed, : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Week Ending : : :-----------------------: 1991- IA : 72 30 82 77 State:Aug 4, :Jul 28,:Aug 4, : 1995 MI : 20 8 34 24 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. MN : 20 0 21 36 -------------------------------------- NE : 82 58 77 78 : Percent ND : 1 0 1 9 : OH : 45 21 62 62 AR : 62 51 52 47 PA : 40 31 38 45 CA : 20 5 3 6 SD : 28 10 20 46 LA : 80 68 85 79 WI : 9 8 26 28 MS : 81 62 75 57 : TX : 97 93 88 83 9 Sts : 26 12 30 38 : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 64 53 57 52 These 9 States produced 70% of the -------------------------------------- 1995 oats crop. These 5 States produced 96% of the 1995 rice crop. Corn: Crop Condition Soybeans: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 3 3 20 55 19 AL : 0 2 25 63 10 GA : 4 13 36 40 7 AR : 4 10 29 45 12 IL : 4 11 32 45 8 GA : 3 11 36 47 3 IN : 1 10 36 46 7 IL : 6 16 38 36 4 IA : 1 5 23 52 19 IN : 3 13 38 40 6 KS : 1 2 12 62 23 IA : 2 7 27 50 14 KY : 1 4 17 59 19 KS : 0 2 16 64 18 MI : 8 19 35 32 6 KY : 1 3 18 63 15 MN : 3 8 38 44 7 LA : 0 6 24 64 6 MO : 1 9 22 51 17 MI : 6 12 31 41 10 NE : 1 2 14 51 32 MN : 2 8 40 44 6 NC : 3 14 33 46 4 MS : 2 8 25 55 10 OH : 4 15 41 34 6 MO : 1 9 36 45 9 PA : 1 3 17 50 29 NE : 0 1 17 59 23 SD : 0 2 24 55 19 NC : 1 6 22 60 11 TX : 14 20 31 15 20 OH : 4 14 42 32 8 WI : 1 9 26 52 12 SC : 0 6 23 63 8 : SD : 0 2 24 53 21 17 Sts : 3 8 27 47 15 TN : 1 2 16 58 23 : : Prev Wk : 3 8 28 47 14 19 Sts : 3 9 31 47 10 Prev Yr : 1 7 28 51 13 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 2 10 33 45 10 Prev Yr : 1 8 32 49 10 -------------------------------------- Cotton: Crop Condition Spring Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 1 1 14 76 8 ID : 0 3 14 52 31 AZ : 1 1 7 57 34 MN : 2 4 35 51 8 AR : 0 8 29 49 14 MT : 4 20 49 23 4 CA : 0 0 0 55 45 ND : 1 6 28 59 6 GA : 4 13 31 44 8 SD : 0 7 18 55 20 LA : 0 4 26 47 23 : MS : 1 4 23 58 14 5 Sts : 2 9 33 48 8 MO : 0 4 36 58 2 : NM : 0 1 16 45 38 Prev Wk : 1 8 30 53 8 NC : 1 2 11 75 11 Prev Yr : 2 7 32 51 8 OK : 0 7 26 59 8 -------------------------------------- SC : 5 14 25 52 4 TN : 0 1 18 59 22 TX : 7 19 31 29 14 Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, : Selected States 14 Sts : 3 10 25 46 16 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 3 11 26 45 15 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 5 8 31 45 11 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AR : 0 2 16 58 24 CA : 0 0 10 80 10 Sorghum: Crop Condition LA : 0 3 31 58 8 by Percent, Selected States MS : 0 7 45 46 2 -------------------------------------- TX : 0 4 12 64 20 State : VP : P : F : G : EX : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 0 3 20 61 16 : Percent : : Prev Wk : 0 2 24 59 15 AR : 5 13 33 45 4 Prev Yr : 0 2 19 62 17 CO : 1 4 16 63 16 -------------------------------------- IL : 7 14 41 36 2 KS : 1 4 15 63 17 LA : 0 0 28 65 7 Barley: Crop Condition MS : 0 5 29 64 2 by Percent, Selected States MO : 0 5 30 55 10 -------------------------------------- NE : 0 1 17 59 23 State : VP : P : F : G : EX NM : 5 44 38 13 0 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 1 7 90 2 : Percent SD : 0 3 23 57 17 : TX : 5 13 40 30 12 ID : 0 2 20 55 23 : MN : 1 5 36 50 8 12 Sts : 2 7 25 52 14 MT : 6 19 41 28 6 : ND : 0 3 27 60 10 Prev Wk : 3 7 26 50 14 SD : 0 2 18 73 7 Prev Yr : 2 5 30 53 10 WA : 0 6 18 59 17 -------------------------------------- : 6 Sts : 2 7 30 50 11 : Prev Wk : 1 7 25 54 13 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Oats: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 0 3 29 55 13 MI : 1 13 35 40 11 MN : 1 4 34 58 3 NE : 0 2 26 67 5 ND : 0 6 35 54 5 OH : 2 11 52 29 6 PA : 0 4 30 57 9 SD : 0 3 16 71 10 WI : 0 3 25 59 13 : 9 Sts : 0 4 30 57 9 : Prev Wk : 0 4 28 59 9 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Peanut: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 3 24 64 9 FL : 0 1 32 39 28 GA : 6 15 28 47 4 NC : 0 0 12 75 13 OK : 0 5 29 57 9 SC : 0 6 31 56 7 TX : 2 8 34 52 4 VA : 0 0 7 64 29 : 8 Sts : 3 8 26 54 9 : Prev Wk : 1 7 28 52 12 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Note: US level crop conditions are weighted averages based on 1995 planted acres for the selected states. 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 3 28 60 8 :: NJ : 0 0 0 75 25 AZ : 17 33 26 21 3 :: NM : 15 25 35 20 5 AR : 3 16 36 39 6 :: NY : 0 0 20 80 0 CA : 5 15 20 60 0 :: NC : 4 24 28 41 3 CO : 4 8 28 47 13 :: ND : 2 7 30 53 8 CT : 0 0 16 82 2 :: OH : 2 11 42 40 5 DE : 0 0 11 82 7 :: OK : 1 8 32 56 3 FL : 0 20 40 35 5 :: OR : 0 6 21 50 23 GA : 4 12 41 41 2 :: PA : 0 4 30 53 13 ID : 0 13 26 52 9 :: RI : 0 0 0 100 0 IL : 4 18 36 37 5 :: SC : 12 21 36 28 3 IN : 3 9 41 41 6 :: SD : 0 3 19 59 19 IA : 4 16 40 35 5 :: TN : 0 5 25 59 11 KS : 1 7 30 58 4 :: TX : 26 31 33 10 0 KY : 1 8 24 53 14 :: UT : 4 15 39 42 0 LA : 0 2 23 66 9 :: VT : 0 0 21 77 2 ME : 0 10 41 38 11 :: VA : 0 2 20 53 25 MD : 0 1 9 73 17 :: WA : 0 4 33 58 5 MA : 0 0 10 90 0 :: WV : 0 4 42 51 3 MI : 5 22 36 32 5 :: WI : 3 5 22 63 7 MN : 4 23 40 30 3 :: WY : 0 3 32 59 6 MS : 3 10 32 47 8 :: : MO : 1 14 42 39 4 :: 48 Sts : 5 13 31 45 6 MT : 2 15 34 45 4 :: : NE : 1 3 34 50 12 :: Prev Wk: 5 13 32 44 6 NV : 3 6 18 73 0 :: Prev Yr: 2 11 29 48 10 NH : 0 0 43 52 5 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent