HDR1012000170100904961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released September 4, 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 August 26 - September 1, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Warmer weather over most of the Midwest accelerated crop development, but more warm weather and rain is needed. Scattered rains over the western Corn Belt provided relief to dry fields but many dry pockets remained. Soil moisture supplies declined from the Ohio Valley to the central Great Plains. The warm weather increased plant moisture requirements, and persistent dry conditions stressed row crops and pastures. The warm weather accelerated crop development in the eastern Corn Belt, helping to make up for the late spring planting, but most areas will require a late first freeze to allow crops to reach maturity. Field crops in the Great Lakes region needed more sunny, warm weather to mature. Rainfall over most of Texas, brought drought relief and revived pastures. The rain was accompanied by cooler weather that slowed crop development. In the Southeast, wet conditions slowed fieldwork and high winds damaged some cotton fields that had open bolls. Rain over the Delta left fields too wet for hay harvesting and prevented spraying, resulting in increased insect pressure. In the central Great Plains, insect pressure was moderate with corn earworms and grasshoppers frequently cited as the most common pests. Dry conditions continued in the Dakotas, stressing row crops and causing crop conditions to decline slightly. Hot, dry weather and lightning strikes in the West have resulted in extensive fire damage to rangeland and livestock. The winter wheat crop in the 19 major producing States was 2 percent (%) planted, 1 percentage point behind the 5-year average. Extremely dry conditions in the West prevented some plantings. Winter wheat planting activity in Washington at 17% complete was 9 points ahead of normal. Wheat seeding in the Dakotas was underway, but most producers were waiting for rainfall to improve soil moisture conditions. Showers hindered planting from the Southeast to Texas. Spring wheat harvested for the 5 major producing States was 69% complete, up 19 points from last week and 12 points ahead of the 5-year average. Spring wheat harvest activity in North Dakota at 63% complete was up 22 points from the previous week and 8 points ahead of normal. Dry conditions in North Dakota were favorable for small grain harvest activity. Corn condition was mostly good to fair, with doughing 74% complete for the 17 major producing States, up 20 points from the previous week, but 8 points behind the average. Some scattered rain and warmer weather over the Midwest aided crop growth, but more warm weather and rain were needed to accelerate development to normal levels. Corn denting at 33% complete was up 15 points from the previous week but 18 points behind the average. Doughing in Ohio at 66% complete was 29 points behind normal, while denting at 11% complete was 43 points behind the average. In Illinois and Indiana, denting lagged the average by over 24 points. In Missouri, 32% of the corn crop had reached maturity, with 6% of the acreage harvested. Producers in Wisconsin noted that corn ear development varied from well-filled to some with unpollinated tips. Cotton bolls opening was 39% complete, up 12 points from last week and 9 points ahead of the average. Cotton condition declined slightly from the previous week, but remained mostly good to fair for the 14 major producing States. Some fields with open bolls in Arizona were damaged by heavy precipitation and high winds. Bollworms and bollweevils were prevalent in parts of the Delta, where some boll rot was reported. Cotton defoliation began in California's southern San Joaquin Valley and was active in the desert. With cotton bollworm populations increasing in the Texas High Plains, producers applied insecticides before the heavy rains arrived. The heavy rainfall damaged some cotton in the Texas Coastal Bend, while cool weather slowed development. Rice harvested for the five major producing States was 27% complete, up 4 points from the previous week and 4 points ahead of normal. Rice condition was mostly rated good to excellent. Rice harvested in Texas at 80% complete was up 6 points from last week and 19 points ahead of the average. Producers in Arkansas were draining rice fields in preparation for harvest. In California, development was slowed by low morning temperatures in the Sacramento Valley. Harvest activity in Texas was slowed by heavy precipitation that damaged some fields, but the moisture is expected to benefit the second crop. Sorghum condition for the 12 major producing States was mostly good to fair with sorghum turning color 51% complete, up 13 points from the previous week, and 1 point behind the average. In Nebraska and New Mexico, sorghum turning color was 15 points behind normal. Sorghum turning color in Illinois at 26% complete was up 16 points from the previous week but 19 points behind the average. Grasshoppers were reported in sorghum fields in Kansas. The cooler temperatures and recent rains in Texas benefited some fields. Soybeans condition was mostly good to fair with soybeans setting pods 91% complete, up 11 points from last week but 2 points below the average. Setting pods in Ohio at 84% complete was behind the average by 16 points, while dropping leaves was 14 points behind normal. In Mississippi, soybeans dropping leaves at 26% complete was 18 points ahead of the average. Producers in Iowa reported some fields were pressured by weed infestations. In Missouri, 9% of the crop had reached maturity. The continued dry weather in the Midwest stressed some late-planted soybean fields. Scattered rain over the western Corn Belt brought some relief to dry soybean fields, but many dry pockets remained. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 35 August 25 - 31, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Propitious crop-maturation weather encompassed the Corn Belt, while hot, dry conditions favored harvest activities across the northern Plains and the Northwest. The West, however, continued to be subjected to hot, dry, breezy conditions, which, in conjunction with lightning strikes, boosted cumulative wildfire acreage to more than 5 million acres (about 270 percent of the 5-year normal) by August 29. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the U.S. acreage by month's end surpassed the 1988 total and represented the greatest amount burned since 1969. Elsewhere, cool, very wet weather further eased drought in Texas and erased lingering pockets of dryness across the Southeast. However, the torrential rains also caused localized flooding and came at a time when cotton bolls were opening. Early in the week, heat edged eastward from the Northwest into the northern Plains, setting about a dozen daily records. On Sunday, highs surged to 104 degrees F in Pendleton, OR and 105 degrees F in Walla Walla, WA. A day later, Boise, ID hit 104 degrees F. In Miles City, MT, where weekly temperatures averaged 10 degrees F above normal, the maximum reached 103 degrees F on Tuesday. Summer (June-August) rainfall averaged 20 to 30 percent of normal in locations such as Miles City (1.52 inches) and Boise (0.37 inches). Hot weather also prevailed in Hawaii, where Honolulu (93 degrees F on August 25) registered a monthly record-tying high, and Hilo (89 degrees F on August 31) tallied their last of nine daily-record highs during the month. In contrast, weekly temperatures averaged 2 to 7 degreees F below normal in interior and northern Alaska. Weekly rainfall topped the 4-inch mark in such Southern locations as Panama City, FL, New Orleans, LA, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX, and San Angelo, TX. In Texas, totals of 2.28 inches in Brownsville, 2.76 inches in Del Rio, and 5.03 inches in San Angelo accounted for more than 30 percent of year-to-date rainfalls. Corpus Christi wound up with their third-wettest August on record (8.57 inches), behind 1953 and 1980, two years better known, ironically, for heat and extreme dryness. Farther north, nearly 2 inches of rain pelted Dodge City, KS, leaving them with a monthly total of 7.34 inches, one-tenth of an inch shy of their August 1977 record. In contrast, dry weather continued across much of the Midwest. Monthly rainfall included an August record-low total of 0.11 inches in Paducah, KY. In Ohio, Dayton's August rainfall of 0.03 inches represented their driest month on record, breaking the mark set in March 1910. Despite the recent trend toward drier weather, the "summer without heat stress" continued from the central Plains to the East Coast. In Goodland, KS, highs reached or exceeded 90 degrees F only four times during the month, tying their record set in 1992 and 1923. So far this year in Charleston, WV, highs have reached the 90-degree plateau on only 3 days, all in April and May. Their calendar-year record is 5 days, established in 1950, 1958, and 1979. In 1930, the mercury in Charleston reached the 90-degree mark on 95 occasions. Corn: Percent Dough, Corn: Percent Dented, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 90 76 50 65 CO : 45 23 2 25 GA : 100 100 100 100 GA : 100 99 100 100 IL : 78 61 91 92 IL : 36 18 57 61 IN : 82 55 93 95 IN : 30 14 55 58 IA : 64 39 78 72 IA : 20 7 47 44 KS : 98 96 79 93 KS : 74 66 35 64 KY : 98 86 97 100 KY : 78 56 84 84 MI : 45 13 79 58 MI : 8 0 44 25 MN : 47 33 87 72 MN : 13 0 50 36 MO : 96 92 77 92 MO : 79 69 45 73 NE : 89 71 76 88 NE : 35 16 30 52 NC : 100 98 99 96 NC : 100 92 95 90 OH : 66 46 98 95 OH : 11 0 51 54 PA : 69 56 86 74 PA : 36 16 51 32 SD : 80 44 73 74 SD : 32 11 28 39 TX : 100 100 99 97 TX : 98 96 89 89 WI : 58 30 91 67 WI : 12 3 53 32 : : 17 Sts: 74 54 85 82 17 Sts: 33 18 49 51 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 17 States produced 91% of the These 17 States produced 91% of the 1995 corn crop. 1995 corn crop. Soybeans: Percent Setting Pods, Soybeans: Percent Dropping Leaves, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 87 66 87 75 AL : 3 NA 4 5 AR : 84 72 83 77 AR : 9 NA 4 4 GA : 85 73 89 89 GA : 4 NA 9 7 IL : 87 76 95 98 IL : 0 NA 1 7 IN : 92 60 98 99 IN : 3 NA 7 8 IA : 96 94 99 97 IA : 0 NA 0 2 KS : 95 84 83 91 KS : 6 NA 2 11 KY : 85 57 91 79 KY : 3 NA 4 7 LA : 100 99 97 93 LA : 22 NA 12 7 MI : 97 65 100 92 MI : 1 NA 1 2 MN : 98 95 98 96 MN : 0 NA 3 4 MS : 97 95 95 87 MS : 26 NA 19 8 MO : 90 72 72 88 MO : 0 NA 0 2 NE : 98 95 95 97 NE : 0 NA 0 5 NC : 67 51 73 72 NC : 0 NA 0 0 OH : 84 71 100 100 OH : 0 NA 6 14 SC : 71 66 76 69 SC : 1 NA 0 0 SD : 98 93 95 92 SD : 12 NA 7 17 TN : 84 69 87 77 TN : 3 NA 5 4 : : 19 Sts: 91 80 93 93 19 Sts: 3 NA 3 6 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. 1995 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 0 NA 0 0 AL : 29 15 31 22 CA : 0 NA 0 0 AZ : 81 69 86 73 CO : 7 NA 0 3 AR : 37 16 36 21 GA : 0 NA 0 0 CA : 50 25 21 34 ID : 1 NA 0 2 GA : 52 37 58 30 IL : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 60 40 61 50 IN : 0 NA 0 0 MS : 77 53 57 43 KS : 0 NA 0 1 MO : 27 21 16 17 MI : 1 NA 1 0 NM : 35 28 8 22 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 20 13 21 26 MT : 0 NA 0 1 OK : 8 8 2 7 NE : 2 NA 2 3 SC : 20 8 23 23 NC : 0 NA 0 0 TN : 31 16 23 21 OH : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 26 22 26 26 OK : 1 NA 8 6 : OR : 0 NA 0 1 14 Sts: 39 27 34 30 SD : 1 NA 2 3 -------------------------------------- TX : 5 NA 5 6 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 17 NA 10 8 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 2 NA 3 3 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Coloring, These 19 States produced 92% of the Selected States 1995 winter wheat crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 90 80 92 84 CO : 44 12 25 24 IL : 26 10 12 45 KS : 44 23 18 34 LA : 98 97 90 91 MS : 95 93 87 89 MO : 54 45 45 60 NE : 26 14 17 41 NM : 8 6 8 23 OK : 55 28 33 47 SD : 37 25 23 30 TX : 72 68 84 80 : 12 Sts: 51 38 42 52 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Harvested, Barley: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 70 52 47 60 ID : 69 49 51 64 MN : 55 47 71 60 MN : 60 53 75 76 MT : 81 58 41 47 MT : 72 51 41 50 ND : 63 41 49 55 ND : 77 53 65 76 SD : 97 91 96 92 SD : 99 95 99 97 : WA : 86 60 76 80 5 Sts : 69 50 54 57 : -------------------------------------- 6 Sts : 74 54 60 69 These 5 States produced 96% of the -------------------------------------- 1995 spring wheat crop. These 6 States produced 84% of the 1995 barley crop. Rice: Percent Harvested, Selected States Oats: Percent Harvested, -------------------------------------- Selected States : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- : Week Ending : State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 :-----------------------: 1991- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 -------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : Percent -------------------------------------- : : Percent AR : 6 5 7 8 : CA : 0 0 0 0 IA : 100 100 100 100 LA : 75 62 72 62 MI : 85 75 95 87 MS : 18 7 28 13 MN : 96 93 88 89 TX : 80 74 61 61 NE : 100 100 100 100 : ND : 74 48 55 67 5 Sts : 27 23 26 23 OH : 100 99 100 NA -------------------------------------- PA : 94 74 95 94 These 5 States produced 96% of the SD : 99 97 99 98 1995 rice crop. WI : 96 75 92 88 : 9 Sts : 92 80 86 87 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 70% of the 1995 oats crop. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 1, :Aug 25,:Sep 1, : 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 2 NA 0 2 FL : 5 NA NA NA GA : 1 NA 6 3 NC : 0 NA 0 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 SC : 5 NA 15 6 TX : 0 NA 1 3 VA : 0 NA 0 0 : 8 Sts : 1 NA 3 2 -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1995 peanut 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 6 7 62 22 AL : 0 3 22 60 15 GA : 1 10 39 43 7 AR : 4 14 32 39 11 IL : 5 12 31 41 11 GA : 2 5 29 55 9 IN : 4 15 39 37 5 IL : 6 16 37 35 6 IA : 1 4 20 56 19 IN : 5 17 42 31 5 KS : 1 4 12 57 26 IA : 1 5 25 53 16 KY : 1 6 19 54 20 KS : 0 2 16 57 25 MI : 10 19 36 30 5 KY : 1 6 17 60 16 MN : 2 10 33 46 9 LA : 0 1 34 56 9 MO : 1 6 27 47 19 MI : 7 20 31 39 3 NE : 1 2 12 50 35 MN : 1 8 35 50 6 NC : 3 7 37 47 6 MS : 1 4 24 58 13 OH : 4 17 41 33 5 MO : 3 11 31 46 9 PA : 1 2 16 53 28 NE : 0 1 12 59 28 SD : 0 6 25 52 17 NC : 0 3 16 72 9 TX : 10 13 12 27 38 OH : 4 19 40 32 5 WI : 3 11 29 47 10 SC : 1 2 13 69 15 : SD : 0 8 28 48 16 17 Sts : 3 9 26 45 17 TN : 0 3 23 54 20 : : Prev Wk : 3 9 26 47 15 19 Sts : 3 10 30 46 11 Prev Yr : 1 9 30 48 12 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 3 10 30 46 11 Prev Yr : 2 10 34 44 10 -------------------------------------- Cotton: Crop Condition Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, by Percent, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 1 2 32 55 10 AR : 0 2 17 55 26 AZ : 1 6 32 35 26 CA : 0 0 10 65 25 AR : 0 4 22 53 21 LA : 0 3 13 77 7 CA : 0 0 10 50 40 MS : 0 1 22 59 18 GA : 2 10 29 50 9 TX : 0 0 12 60 28 LA : 0 6 30 51 13 : MS : 1 4 27 50 18 5 Sts : 0 2 15 61 22 MO : 0 5 35 48 12 : NM : 0 2 9 59 30 Prev Wk : 0 2 17 59 22 NC : 0 1 14 67 18 Prev Yr : 0 4 27 53 16 OK : 3 17 22 53 5 -------------------------------------- SC : 1 2 19 70 8 TN : 0 4 22 56 18 TX : 8 19 35 26 12 Peanut: Crop Condition : by Percent, Selected States 14 Sts : 3 10 28 43 16 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 4 9 24 46 17 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 2 16 31 44 7 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AL : 0 6 43 51 0 FL : 0 18 12 64 6 Sorghum: Crop Condition GA : 2 12 35 45 6 by Percent, Selected States NC : 0 1 29 63 7 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 4 27 56 13 State : VP : P : F : G : EX SC : 0 8 30 58 4 -------------------------------------- TX : 2 6 38 47 7 : Percent VA : 0 0 25 61 14 : : AR : 1 11 35 46 7 8 Sts : 1 8 34 51 6 CO : 1 5 10 66 18 : IL : 14 15 31 37 3 Prev Wk : 1 7 34 51 7 KS : 1 2 12 58 27 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA LA : 0 0 31 65 4 -------------------------------------- MS : 0 3 22 63 12 MO : 1 6 31 50 12 NE : 1 1 15 53 30 NM : 5 30 31 30 4 OK : 0 2 6 89 3 SD : 0 8 36 49 7 TX : 8 8 29 44 11 : 12 Sts : 3 5 20 53 19 : Prev Wk : 4 5 20 54 17 Prev Yr : 1 11 32 46 10 -------------------------------------- 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 : 0 5 42 43 10 :: NJ : 0 0 25 75 0 AZ : 18 17 26 37 2 :: NM : 5 24 33 32 6 AR : 6 20 32 36 6 :: NY : 0 0 45 55 0 CA : 5 30 35 30 0 :: NC : 0 5 25 63 7 CO : 5 8 29 46 12 :: ND : 8 19 34 35 4 CT : 0 0 61 39 0 :: OH : 8 25 41 24 2 DE : 0 2 16 81 1 :: OK : 0 5 22 47 26 FL : 0 0 25 75 0 :: OR : 0 38 30 23 9 GA : 1 6 32 58 3 :: PA : 1 4 32 50 13 ID : 2 20 33 41 4 :: RI : 0 0 6 88 6 IL : 8 26 38 25 3 :: SC : 1 6 26 52 15 IN : 15 22 41 21 1 :: SD : 2 11 39 43 5 IA : 3 15 30 45 7 :: TN : 1 4 25 63 7 KS : 0 3 19 63 15 :: TX : 10 24 34 22 10 KY : 4 16 30 44 6 :: UT : 10 31 40 18 1 LA : 0 2 23 65 10 :: VT : 0 0 51 49 0 ME : 0 13 48 39 0 :: VA : 0 2 18 59 21 MD : 1 5 18 58 18 :: WA : 0 7 40 41 12 MA : 0 0 50 49 1 :: WV : 0 5 15 68 12 MI : 15 32 29 21 3 :: WI : 5 22 36 35 2 MN : 9 23 38 28 2 :: WY : 0 11 46 43 0 MS : 2 7 24 59 8 :: : MO : 7 17 34 36 6 :: 48 Sts : 4 16 32 41 7 MT : 6 30 36 25 3 :: : NE : 0 6 26 54 14 :: Prev Wk: 5 15 32 41 7 NV : 2 15 49 34 0 :: Prev Yr: 5 16 33 38 8 NH : 0 2 43 55 0 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent