HDR1012000170101001961200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released October 1, 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 September 23 - 29, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Row crop harvest activity and small grain seeding was slowed by wet weather over most of the eastern half of the Nation. Cold autumn weather followed the rainy weather into the central Great Plains, bringing below-freezing temperatures. Corn and soybean producers in the Midwest commented that warm sunny weather was needed to reduce grain moisture levels in row crops. Midwestern corn remaining in the field had higher moisture levels than this time last year, forcing some producers to harvest corn at higher-than-normal moisture levels. In the mid-Atlantic, fields along Hurricane Fran's destructive path were still drying. Fran's high winds left some corn blown over and the wet conditions caused it to sprout. Wet fields delayed harvesting in the Southeast, but should benefit peanuts by leaving soils ready for digging. Thunderstorms in the Dakotas forced fieldwork to a standstill. In the southern Great Plains, rains restored soil moisture for small grain planting and revived pastures, but created problems for cotton fields with open bolls. One-third of the winter wheat crop in the 19 major producing States was planted, up 8 percentage points from the previous week but 13 points behind the 5-year average. Wet weather delayed winter wheat seeding in the central Great Plains, but provided pre-planting moisture. Winter wheat planting in Kansas at 20 (%) complete was up 6 points from last week but 26 points behind the average. Winter wheat emerged at 18 percent (%) complete was 3 points behind the average. Wheat producers in the Dakotas, who were waiting for rain to increase soil moisture before planting, also were prevented from planting by wet fields. Wet field conditions slowed planting progress in Oklahoma, where 25% of the wheat acreage was seeded, 25 points behind the average. Wheat producers in Texas delayed planting due to armyworm infestations. Corn continued in mostly good to fair condition, with denting 94% complete for the 17 major producing States, up 7 points from the previous week, but 1 point behind the average. Corn mature at 56% complete was up 19 points from the previous week but 16 points behind the average. Rain in the Midwest improved corn condition slightly, but delayed harvest activity. Corn harvested at 9% complete was up 2 points from last week but 8 points behind normal. Corn harvested in Iowa last week had an average grain moisture of 32 percent, compared with last year's range from 20 to 30 percent. Cotton bolls opening was 77% complete, up 7 points from last week and 5 points ahead of the average. Cotton harvested at 18% complete was up 6 points from last week and 1 point ahead of the average. Cotton condition declined from the previous week for the 14 major producing States but remained mostly good to fair. Cotton condition dropped in the Southern States where, fields with open bolls were harmed by the recent rains. Defoliation was active across the Southwest, where whitefly pressure was increasing. In the Delta, cotton defoliation was increasing, but some producers reported problems with regrowth and bollrot. The cotton harvest in Louisiana came to a standstill due to the heavy rains that threatened yield and lowered quality. In Texas, unseasonably cool, wet weather slowed cotton maturity in the High Plains, where some early bales were harvested. Rice harvested for the five major producing States was 74% complete, up 11 points from the previous week and 9 points ahead of normal. Rice harvested in Mississippi at 78% complete was up 1 point from last week and 15 points ahead of the average. In the Delta, heavy rains caused lodging and delayed harvest activity. Some rice producers in California were waiting for lower grain moisture levels before harvesting. Second crop rice was heading in Texas, where the first rice harvest was completed. Sorghum condition for the 12 major producing States declined from last week and was mostly good to fair. Sorghum mature at 62% complete was up 16 points from the previous week, and 3 points ahead of the average. Sorghum acreage in Nebraska mature at 48% complete was up 35 points from last week, but 10 points behind the average. Sorghum harvested at 26% complete was up 1 point from last week, but 7 points behind the average. Soybeans condition remained in mostly good to fair condition with soybeans dropping leaves 56% complete, up 23 points from last week but 15 points below the average. In Illinois, soybeans dropping leaves at 45% complete was up 21 points from the previous week, but 37 points behind the average. Rain over the Midwest provided moisture for late-planted soybeans. Soybeans harvested at 4% complete was up 2 points from last week, but 11 points behind the average. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 39 September 22 - 28, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Heavy rain, sparked by a dynamic and moisture-laced storm system, spread from the Plains to the East after midweek. In conjunction with earlier rainfall, weekly totals topped 4 inches in the Ozark and Ouachita highlands and in parts of eastern Texas and Louisiana. The season's first significant snowfall blanketed the Rockies and the central High Plains. Cold air in the storm's wake delivered a hard freeze to Montana and resulted in frost and near-freezing temperatures as far south and east as eastern Colorado and Nebraska. Farther east, late-planted Corn Belt crops advanced toward maturity, but wet weather hampered fieldwork and harvest activities. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 3 degrees F below normal from the interior Northwest to the Midwest, southward into central Texas. Departures reached -6 to -10 degrees F in the northern and central Plains. Early in the week, cool air swept into the Northwest. On Monday, daily-record lows were set at a half-dozen locations, including Pocatello, ID (24 degrees F), Pendleton, OR (33 degrees F), and Olympia, WA (34 degrees F). Meanwhile in the East, a cold front swept offshore on Sunday, followed by a fast-moving cold front at midweek. On September 22-23, 24-hour rainfall reached 1.13 inches in Albany, NY and 1.39 inches in Hartford, CT. Farther west, thunderstorms developed over Iowa, expanding southward into Texas and eastward into the Northeast by Tuesday. On September 23, a daily-record total fell in St. Louis, MO (1.23 inches); a day later, San Antonio, TX received a daily-record 1.78 inches. On Wednesday, an intensifying storm over the central Plains drew sharply colder air southward. Northerly winds gusted to 45 mph in Dodge City, KS. Storm-total snowfall reached 4.7 inches in Denver, CO and 4.2 inches at both Lander, WY and Colorado Springs, CO. On Thursday, Colorado Springs' high peaked at 38 degrees F. Daily records were broken at about a dozen stations on Friday morning, including Laramie, WY (8 degrees F) and McCook, NE (31 degrees F). Later in the day, Amarillo, TX logged a daily-record low of 35 degrees F. On Saturday morning, daily records were set in Midland, TX (37 degrees F) and tied in Abilene (40 degrees F). Farther north lows in Nebraska dipped to 32 degrees F in Norfolk and 29 degrees F in North Platte. In contrast, temperatures rebounded into the 90's in parts of the Northwest, where daily records were set in Medford, OR (94 degrees F) and Walla Walla, WA (90 degrees F). Farther east, heavy rain expanded slowly eastward from the Plains. In Missouri, Springfield's weekly rainfall of 5.83 inches was boosted by a daily-record total (3.90 inches) on Thursday. Weekly totals locally reached 9 inches in parts of eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas. In South Dakota, Aberdeen's 1.61-inch storm total boosted their monthly rainfall to a September-record 5.31 inches. Elsewhere, the storm padded all-time monthly totals in Cleveland, OH (11.05 inches) and Raleigh-Durham, NC (16.62 inches). Very cold weather persisted in Alaska, where weekly temperatures averaged 4 to 7 degrees F below normal. Kodiak registered daily-record lows on Monday (27 degrees F) and Friday (30 degrees F). In addition, very heavy precipitation lashed southeastern Alaska, where weekly totals reached 9.71 inches in Yakutat and 6.90 inches in Sitka. Generally dry weather and near-normal temperatures prevailed on the Hawaiian Islands. Corn: Percent Dented, Corn: Percent Mature, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 99 97 86 88 CO : 59 32 30 48 GA : 100 100 100 100 GA : 100 100 100 100 IL : 94 92 96 97 IL : 59 46 86 80 IN : 93 83 100 100 IN : 53 38 92 79 IA : 96 88 99 95 IA : 63 40 90 78 KS : 100 98 98 98 KS : 84 65 65 85 KY : 99 98 100 100 KY : 85 72 88 86 MI : 82 59 100 91 MI : 25 16 94 51 MN : 99 96 99 92 MN : 43 25 93 61 MO : 100 100 94 98 MO : 88 76 63 82 NE : 99 92 100 99 NE : 67 21 64 72 NC : 100 100 100 100 NC : 100 100 100 99 OH : 79 65 100 99 OH : 15 7 71 61 PA : 82 73 92 83 PA : 38 25 71 37 SD : 95 83 98 90 SD : 52 26 72 64 TX : 100 100 98 99 TX : 96 93 94 92 WI : 82 62 100 86 WI : 26 18 89 56 : : 17 Sts: 94 87 98 95 17 Sts: 56 37 82 72 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 17 States produced 91% of the These 17 States produced 91% of the 1995 corn crop. 1995 corn crop. Corn: Percent Harvested, Soybeans: Percent Dropping Leaves, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 7 0 0 4 AL : 38 29 54 36 GA : 87 80 96 91 AR : 34 22 25 22 IL : 6 4 16 21 GA : 47 32 38 48 IN : 5 3 20 17 IL : 45 24 75 82 IA : 3 2 8 9 IN : 57 30 94 90 KS : 20 13 11 32 IA : 66 34 82 79 KY : 36 26 51 38 KS : 71 53 57 74 MI : 2 1 15 9 KY : 35 25 48 44 MN : 3 1 10 5 LA : 64 58 62 51 MO : 31 23 24 31 MI : 53 20 94 75 NE : 3 1 2 12 MN : 83 49 95 79 NC : 66 50 79 65 MS : 68 56 71 51 OH : 4 2 9 10 MO : 38 24 40 56 PA : 9 6 18 7 NE : 64 25 69 80 SD : 3 2 2 9 NC : 21 15 25 25 TX : 74 69 80 78 OH : 40 20 99 95 WI : 2 1 11 6 SC : 9 5 6 9 : SD : 88 75 81 79 17 Sts: 9 7 15 17 TN : 44 30 52 39 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 56 33 72 71 1995 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 4 1 3 3 AR : 5 2 3 5 AR : 10 7 4 5 CA : 0 0 0 0 GA : 1 0 1 2 CO : 60 56 66 80 IL : 4 1 18 25 GA : 1 1 3 3 IN : 3 1 26 20 ID : 47 24 43 40 IA : 1 0 10 15 IL : 2 0 4 6 KS : 5 2 2 14 IN : 8 4 11 11 KY : 2 0 4 4 KS : 20 14 28 46 LA : 31 23 28 17 MI : 14 9 24 30 MI : 2 1 15 8 MO : 6 4 9 9 MN : 3 1 10 12 MT : 32 12 55 49 MS : 29 26 40 17 NE : 56 44 76 83 MO : 3 0 1 7 NC : 11 5 8 12 NE : 2 0 5 24 OH : 4 1 16 11 NC : 1 0 1 0 OK : 25 17 24 50 OH : 2 0 19 17 OR : 19 8 30 30 SC : 0 0 0 0 SD : 64 53 85 86 SD : 4 2 6 17 TX : 65 51 41 45 TN : 2 0 2 2 WA : 72 65 67 65 : : 19 Sts: 4 2 12 15 19 Sts: 33 25 36 46 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the These 19 States produced 92% of the 1995 soybean crop. 1995 winter wheat crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 0 NA 0 1 AL : 81 68 83 72 CA : 0 NA 0 0 AZ : 100 100 100 98 CO : 37 NA 34 41 AR : 92 83 92 76 GA : 0 NA 1 1 CA : 100 100 84 94 ID : 13 NA 12 14 GA : 80 74 86 76 IL : 0 NA 3 1 LA : 99 96 96 94 IN : 0 NA 1 1 MS : 96 95 98 93 KS : 10 NA 7 20 MO : 87 80 78 75 MI : 0 NA 2 9 NM : 86 83 73 72 MO : 0 NA 0 1 NC : 89 80 92 87 MT : 6 NA 9 13 OK : 31 28 12 45 NE : 36 NA 38 47 SC : 88 71 73 81 NC : 0 NA 0 0 TN : 97 93 96 90 OH : 1 NA 1 1 TX : 57 47 55 52 OK : 8 NA 4 17 : OR : 6 NA 9 9 14 Sts: 77 70 75 72 SD : 39 NA 48 56 -------------------------------------- TX : 40 NA 19 23 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 58 NA 47 46 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 18 NA 14 21 -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 92% of the 1995 winter wheat crop. Cotton: Percent Harvested, Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 16 8 24 13 AR : 76 61 81 74 AZ : 17 8 11 17 CO : 1 0 0 3 AR : 18 9 11 12 IL : 1 1 1 12 CA : 10 2 2 3 KS : 9 8 2 12 GA : 16 12 23 11 LA : 97 90 89 87 LA : 28 13 39 26 MS : 88 85 91 79 MS : 29 14 41 20 MO : 15 10 30 29 MO : 21 10 11 13 NE : 0 0 2 12 NM : 1 0 0 0 NM : 0 0 0 3 NC : 8 3 7 8 OK : 13 10 5 9 OK : 1 0 0 3 SD : 7 2 1 7 SC : 16 11 9 9 TX : 62 61 75 73 TN : 25 11 11 13 : TX : 18 17 25 25 12 Sts: 26 25 28 33 : -------------------------------------- 14 Sts: 18 12 21 17 These 12 States produced 98% of the -------------------------------------- 1995 sorghum crop. These 14 States produced 99% of the 1995 cotton crop. Rice: Percent Harvested, Selected States Sorghum: Percent Mature, -------------------------------------- Selected States : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- : Week Ending : State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 :-----------------------: 1991- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 -------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : Percent -------------------------------------- : : Percent AR : 75 59 68 63 : CA : 25 10 8 22 AR : 98 92 96 93 LA : 95 90 96 91 CO : 24 17 22 33 MS : 78 77 91 63 IL : 47 30 32 61 TX : 100 98 95 94 KS : 51 35 27 44 : LA : 100 100 99 97 5 Sts : 74 63 69 65 MS : 100 100 99 96 -------------------------------------- MO : 64 48 53 67 These 5 States produced 96% of the NE : 48 13 47 58 1995 rice crop. NM : 35 4 4 17 OK : 42 32 16 26 SD : 76 42 59 56 TX : 84 77 88 83 : 12 Sts: 62 46 51 59 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Sep 29,:Sep 22,:Sep 29,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 38 27 52 49 FL : 51 39 NA NA GA : 41 17 59 48 NC : 9 2 12 8 OK : 8 2 5 8 SC : 23 19 32 30 TX : 5 2 11 14 VA : 20 10 46 27 : 8 Sts : 28 14 39 33 -------------------------------------- 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 : 1 2 7 66 24 AL : 1 2 17 66 14 GA : 1 15 40 39 5 AR : 3 12 28 39 18 IL : 4 11 31 41 13 GA : 2 8 29 52 9 IN : 3 12 41 39 5 IL : 5 13 40 36 6 IA : 1 3 20 56 20 IN : 5 13 42 37 3 KS : 1 1 12 59 27 IA : 1 5 27 52 15 KY : 1 4 20 50 25 KS : 0 1 16 58 25 MI : 11 17 38 28 6 KY : 0 3 19 54 24 MN : 2 6 42 42 8 LA : 0 3 27 61 9 MO : 1 6 24 47 22 MI : 8 18 41 28 5 NE : 1 2 9 57 31 MN : 3 10 37 45 5 NC : 10 40 25 21 4 MS : 1 4 23 66 6 OH : 4 14 42 35 5 MO : 2 8 33 46 11 PA : 2 5 12 56 25 NE : 1 1 11 57 30 SD : 0 3 20 53 24 NC : 1 11 23 58 7 TX : 0 0 11 27 62 OH : 4 15 41 35 5 WI : 2 14 31 45 8 SC : 0 5 21 62 12 : SD : 0 3 20 60 17 17 Sts : 2 7 26 47 18 TN : 0 3 16 64 17 : : Prev Wk : 3 8 27 47 15 19 Sts : 3 9 31 46 11 Prev Yr : 2 10 36 44 8 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 3 10 32 45 10 Prev Yr : 4 15 37 37 7 -------------------------------------- Cotton: Crop Condition Peanut: 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 : 2 3 23 57 15 AL : 0 9 50 35 6 AZ : 2 13 36 33 16 FL : 0 33 12 22 33 AR : 0 6 33 45 16 GA : 2 8 35 47 8 CA : 0 0 0 50 50 NC : 0 5 22 65 8 GA : 0 8 31 46 15 OK : 0 4 29 53 14 LA : 0 11 37 41 11 SC : 2 7 33 56 2 MS : 0 3 31 57 9 TX : 1 4 16 64 15 MO : 1 9 25 60 5 VA : 0 0 28 61 11 NM : 0 1 15 67 17 : NC : 0 5 27 55 13 8 Sts : 1 8 30 50 11 OK : 2 19 47 30 2 : SC : 0 5 20 61 14 Prev Wk : 1 7 31 48 13 TN : 0 2 16 66 16 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA TX : 9 17 23 35 16 -------------------------------------- : 14 Sts : 4 10 25 44 17 : Prev Wk : 3 8 26 47 16 Prev Yr : 5 18 42 32 3 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 11 36 43 10 CO : 0 1 8 70 21 IL : 7 8 28 49 8 KS : 0 2 12 60 26 LA : 0 0 29 68 3 MS : 0 11 25 62 2 MO : 1 5 31 49 14 NE : 1 1 14 57 27 NM : 1 8 37 51 3 OK : 1 2 8 71 18 SD : 0 1 22 64 13 TX : 0 9 36 38 17 : 12 Sts : 0 4 22 53 21 : Prev Wk : 0 4 18 56 22 Prev Yr : 4 19 39 35 3 -------------------------------------- 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 24 57 15 :: NJ : 0 0 10 80 10 AZ : 20 13 32 32 3 :: NM : 3 9 28 48 12 AR : 5 20 34 36 5 :: NY : 0 0 0 100 0 CA : 0 20 60 20 0 :: NC : 1 7 23 59 10 CO : 4 8 19 57 12 :: ND : 4 19 39 35 3 CT : 0 0 8 92 0 :: OH : 4 19 39 36 2 DE : 0 3 24 71 2 :: OK : 0 4 20 49 27 FL : 0 5 20 75 0 :: OR : 1 35 36 27 1 GA : 1 10 32 54 3 :: PA : 0 4 22 58 16 ID : 0 24 41 32 3 :: RI : 0 0 8 8 84 IL : 10 28 34 25 3 :: SC : 2 8 38 50 2 IN : 6 19 43 30 2 :: SD : 1 6 28 53 12 IA : 3 13 35 43 6 :: TN : 0 2 24 61 13 KS : 0 4 18 69 9 :: TX : 2 13 40 35 10 KY : 3 11 33 44 9 :: UT : 12 29 40 18 1 LA : 0 4 26 62 8 :: VT : 24 9 40 26 1 ME : 0 24 33 35 8 :: VA : 0 0 14 63 23 MD : 1 2 11 72 14 :: WA : 0 15 40 40 5 MA : 0 0 11 89 0 :: WV : 0 2 16 71 11 MI : 7 23 36 30 4 :: WI : 15 37 31 15 2 MN : 10 26 39 24 1 :: WY : 2 10 43 45 0 MS : 2 10 31 50 7 :: : MO : 6 19 29 38 8 :: 48 Sts : 3 14 32 43 8 MT : 6 24 43 26 1 :: : NE : 1 2 16 64 17 :: Prev Wk: 4 15 33 41 7 NV : 7 15 42 36 0 :: Prev Yr: 4 16 35 40 5 NH : 0 2 55 43 0 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent