HDR1012000170101113961200WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN Released November 13, 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 7:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET. For assistance with general agricultural statistics, information about NASS, its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail; NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY November 4 - 10, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: Rain and snow fell across the Corn Belt late in the week, slowing row-crop harvest activity. Heavy rains were followed by freezing weather that crossed the Eastern States, limiting fieldwork. The winter storm stalled harvest activity in the Dakotas. The third consecutive week of wet weather limited harvest progress in the eastern Corn Belt, as did high moisture levels in some late maturing grain fields. Producers in the central Great Plains reported some elevators were full due to the abundant fall harvest. Some lodging and row-crop losses from the previous high winds were reported in Nebraska. Excessive rainfall delayed harvest activity and flooded some unharvested fields in the middle Mississippi Valley. In the Southeast, severe thunderstorms, some accompanied by tornadoes, and chilly weather stopped fieldwork. Warm dry weather aided Florida's vegetable harvest that was active to fulfill the holiday demand. The winter wheat crop in the 19 major producing States was 89 percent (%) emerged, up 4 percentage points from last week and 6 points ahead of the 5-year average. In Kansas, some wheat disease was reported, with leaf rust common in early-planted fields. Delays to wheat seeding in the eastern Corn Belt may cause some acres to remain unplanted. Wet fields in the mid-Atlantic left wheat seeding behind the average and caused some producers to switch to no-till. In the Great Lakes region, producers indicated that wheat was ready for the winter season. Thin wheat stands were reported in the Delta due to excessive moisture. Wheat acreage, emerged in Texas at 97% complete, was 20 points ahead of the average. Corn harvested at 79% complete was up 15 points from last week but 2 points behind normal. Some losses and lodging due to previous high winds were reported in the western Corn Belt. Wet conditions and high-average moisture levels in corn in the Midwest slowed the corn harvest. Corn harvested in Ohio, at 51% complete, was 22 points behind the average. Cotton acreage harvested was estimated at 69%, up 7 points from last week, but 1 point behind the average. Cotton growers in California harvested 75% of their acreage, up 15 points from the previous week, with shredding and discing equipment following the pickers. In Texas, below-freezing temperatures late in the week were welcomed by producers who were waiting for a hard freeze to aid defoliation. Sorghum harvested at 85% complete was up 11 points from the previous week but 3 points below the average. In Illinois, sorghum harvested at 71% complete was up 22 points from last week, but 19 points behind the average. In the central Great Plains, some sorghum was piled on the ground at full elevators. Many late-planted sorghum fields remained too green in northern Texas for harvest and may have experienced damage from the midweek freeze. Soybean acreage harvested, at 89%, was up 8 points from last week but 3 points less than the average. In Tennessee, the soybean harvest was 43% complete, 21 points behind normal, due to 3 consecutive weeks of wet conditions. Widespread rainfall slowed the soybean harvest in the Corn Belt. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 45 November 3 - 9, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Another strong autumn storm dumped heavy snow on parts of the West and the northern Plains before drenching the East. Rainfall topped 2 inches in parallel stripes from northeastern Texas to southern Michigan and from the central Gulf Coast States to Quebec. Totals in excess of 4 inches caused extensive flooding in parts of the interior Northeast. Weekly temperatures averaged within 3 degrees F of normal across most of the Nation. In the East, cold spells early in the week and again at week's end were sandwiched around several very warm days (two dozen daily-record highs). Above-normal temperatures replaced an early-week chill across the West. Cold air blanketed the East early in the week, lowering tempertures to the freezing mark as far south as central portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Daily-record lows were set in locations such as Bristol, TN (23 degrees F on Sunday) and Raleigh-Durham, NC (28 degrees F on Monday). By Tuesday, however, warmth returned to Florida, where Ft. Myers registered their first of three daily-record highs (90, 92, and 91 degrees F). On Wednesday, the mercury surged to 84 degrees F in Montgomery, AL; a day later, Knoxville, TN recorded 79 degrees F. A strong cold front swept off the East Coast (except New England) on Friday, but not before the temperature reached 81 degrees F in Norfolk, VA. In Vermont, Burlington's high of 74 degrees F was 1 degree shy of their November record. The warmth lingered into Saturday in New England, where St. Johnsbury, VT (68 degrees F) and Caribou, ME (64 degrees F) notched daily records. With the warmth came widespread heavy rainfall. On November 7-9, 2 to 5 inches soaked the Appalachian cordillera. While minor flooding was commonplace, severe flooding unfolded in New York's northeastern Adirondacks. Record crests were established along several rivers that drain into Lake Champlain. On the Au Sable River, the crest at Au Sable Forks toppled the February 1990 record by 1.9 feet, while on the Saranac River at Plattsburgh, the April 1928 record was broken by 1.5 feet. Both previous records had been set during ice-jam flooding. Farther west, the storm produced daily-record totals for November 6 in locations such as Tulsa, OK (3.49 inches) and Springfield, MO (2.92 inches). A day later, Indianapolis, IN received 3.51 inches, 109 percent of their November normal and their wettest day since November 14, 1993. A 3.08-inch total in Evansville, IN represented their third-wettest November day on record. In West Virginia, the storm boosted Elkins' 1996 rainfall to more than 66 inches, breaking their former annual record of 65.37 inches, set in 1906. In addition, strong winds-- including more than 30 tornadoes--accompanied the storm's cold front across the South and East. On Saturday, wind gusts reached 67 mph at Massachusetts' Blue Hill Observatory. Before reaching the East, the storm was responsible for a 22-inch snowfall (in 24 hours on November 4-5) at Alta in Utah's Wasatch Range. Elsewhere, snowfall included 4.4 inches in Kalispell, MT and 3.1 inches in Casper, WY. The low- pressure system journeyed from the central Rockies to the northern Plains on November 5-6, depositing 6.3 inches of snow in Bismarck, ND. Totals topped a foot at a few spots in northeastern North Dakota. At week's end, very heavy and persistent lake-effect snow squalls developed in the storm's wake. Event totals through Saturday reached 4.0 inches in Akron-Canton, OH and 5.2 inches in South Bend, IN, with localized totals approaching 1 foot. Farther south, 1.3 inches fell in Nashville, TN on Saturday, their first measurable November snowfall since 1976. Cool weather lingered in the West through midweek. On Wednesday, lows dipped to daily-record levels in California at Sacramento (34 degrees F) and Eureka (35 degrees F). But at week's end, daily-record warmth spread as far east as Phoenix, AZ (88 degrees F) and Ely, NV (64 degrees F). Near the coast, the L.A. Civic Center logged a high of 94 degrees F. In Hawaii, meanwhile, hot weather yielded to much-needed rainfall. On Thursday, Hilo's high of 92 degrees F was a November record. Honolulu netted more than 2 inches of rain on November 5, 6, and 8, resulting in a weekly total of 6.57 inches. Farther north, cold air gradually returned to most of Alaska. Temperatures averaged 11 degrees F above normal in Fairbanks on November 3-5, but 11 degrees F below normal on November 7-9. Corn: Percent Harvested, Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 94 86 85 80 AL : 62 56 59 62 GA : 100 98 100 99 AR : 68 58 89 76 IL : 84 69 97 88 GA : 52 37 25 44 IN : 65 47 96 80 IL : 95 87 100 98 IA : 80 62 95 82 IN : 92 80 100 98 KS : 97 93 97 94 IA : 98 96 99 100 KY : 93 90 97 93 KS : 88 82 99 94 MI : 52 34 90 61 KY : 64 42 87 78 MN : 88 78 92 79 LA : 98 91 97 88 MO : 84 79 84 85 MI : 93 80 99 92 NE : 86 71 87 80 MN : 99 99 96 98 NC : 100 96 99 97 MS : 88 77 95 79 OH : 51 35 88 73 MO : 83 70 94 88 PA : 59 41 86 63 NE : 100 100 100 100 SD : 78 59 80 72 NC : 29 21 19 26 TX : 100 98 99 100 OH : 86 73 98 99 WI : 62 36 86 67 SC : 36 19 12 24 : SD : 100 98 91 98 17 Sts: 79 64 92 81 TN : 43 33 70 64 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 93% of the 19 Sts: 89 81 94 92 1995 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 46 36 58 58 CA : 15 10 6 7 CO : 98 95 97 98 GA : 9 7 16 15 ID : 85 83 84 82 IL : 84 71 91 88 IN : 84 70 92 89 KS : 97 95 92 90 MI : 93 82 93 88 MO : 72 57 73 70 MT : 87 85 86 84 NE : 100 100 100 100 NC : 38 27 30 36 OH : 78 69 93 89 OK : 91 85 76 79 OR : 83 74 73 74 SD : 96 91 96 99 TX : 94 92 71 74 WA : 97 93 89 86 : 19 Sts: 89 85 83 83 -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 92% of the 1995 winter wheat crop. Cotton: Percent Harvested, Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 82 74 89 79 AL : 97 91 100 99 AZ : 63 53 67 81 FL : 99 94 NA NA AR : 91 84 95 88 GA : 98 93 99 99 CA : 75 60 64 83 NC : 96 89 89 92 GA : 76 68 75 68 OK : 86 83 90 79 LA : 100 97 100 95 SC : 97 92 94 92 MS : 96 93 100 91 TX : 79 65 64 62 MO : 80 70 92 89 VA : 99 98 100 99 NM : 62 50 53 51 : NC : 73 68 61 65 8 Sts : 94 87 91 90 OK : 28 24 23 41 -------------------------------------- SC : 83 69 59 66 These 8 States produced 99% of the TN : 87 80 83 83 1995 peanut crop. TX : 47 41 53 53 : 14 Sts: 69 62 70 70 -------------------------------------- These 14 States produced 99% of the 1995 cotton crop. Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- State:Nov 10,:Nov 3, :Nov 10,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 100 99 100 99 CO : 84 67 89 73 IL : 71 49 92 90 KS : 86 77 97 85 LA : 100 100 100 100 MS : 100 100 100 100 MO : 85 80 85 86 NE : 80 59 100 92 NM : 38 10 55 53 OK : 69 34 68 68 SD : 91 83 82 89 TX : 89 83 95 93 : 12 Sts: 85 74 94 88 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 9 39 42 9 CA : 0 0 30 40 30 CO : 1 3 22 53 21 GA : 1 2 33 63 1 ID : 0 0 4 74 22 IL : 2 1 20 60 17 IN : 0 1 18 67 14 KS : 0 0 11 71 18 MI : 1 4 26 53 16 MO : 0 2 35 55 8 MT : 0 3 60 35 2 NE : 0 2 24 68 6 NC : 0 0 8 82 10 OH : 0 3 21 60 16 OK : 0 1 17 75 7 OR : 0 0 53 40 7 SD : 0 2 18 64 16 TX : 1 13 46 31 9 WA : 0 5 38 54 3 : 19 Sts : 0 3 24 61 12 : Prev Wk : 0 3 22 62 13 Prev Yr : 1 9 36 48 6 -------------------------------------- The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12:00 p.m. ET on November 19, 1996. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. 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