HDR1012000170100722971200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released July 22, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Rhonda Brandt at (202) 720-7621, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Agricultural Summary July 14 - 20, 1997 HIGHLIGHTS: Scattered showers fell across the northern Plains, the upper Great Lakes, and parts of the Southeast, bringing beneficial moisture to row crops. Heavier amounts fell in portions of Kansas, Oklahoma, New England, and the upper Mississippi Valley, causing some flooding and hampering fieldwork. Temperatures were very hot across most of the country, stressing crops that did not receive the scattered showers. Producers in the Corn Belt were concerned by the dry conditions of many of their row crop fields. By the end of the week, Hurricane Danny brought heavy rains to the Gulf Coast, causing coastal flooding in Mississippi, Alabama , and the Florida panhandle. Winter wheat: Winter wheat harvest made good progress in central Plains and in the eastern Corn Belt as producers took advantage of the hot, dry weather. Nebraska growers made very rapid progress as 38 percent (%) of the State's crop was harvested during the week. Colorado, Indiana, and Ohio producers also harvested at least 30% of their acreage. Harvest was basically complete in the southern Plains and Southeast, and finished slightly ahead of average. Harvest was behind average in the northern Plains and in the Northwest. Nationwide, harvest reached 72% complete, 3 percentage points ahead of last year, and 2 points ahead of the 5-year average. Corn: The Nation's corn acreage was 21% in silk, compared with 22% in 1996 and the average of 32%. Due to the cool spring weather, silking progress was behind the average in all States except Kansas and Missouri. Condition of the acreage, at 68 percent good to excellent, declined 5 points from the previous week. Hot, dry conditions in Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri caused ratings to each decline by at least 10 points. Hot, dry conditions also stressed the crop in Iowa. However, rains late in the week reduced that stress. Last week's warmth and rain improved the crop from South Dakota to Michigan. Soybeans: Forty-five percent of the soybean acreage was blooming, ahead of 31% last year and ahead of the average of 41%. Blooming progress was equal to or ahead of normal in all major States except Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, South Dakota, and Tennessee. Soybean condition declined from last week, especially in the central Corn Belt, where hot, dry conditions dominated. In Nebraska, dryland soybeans were under stress from this week's hot weather. Cotton: Cotton squaring was 91% complete, behind the 94% squaring in 1996 but greater than the average of 88%. Cotton squaring was behind normal from Missouri to Georgia. Thirty-seven percent of the acreage was setting bolls, 13 percentage points behind the average. Alabama and North Carolina were at least 30 points behind average. Arizona and New Mexico were the only major States where setting bolls was ahead of average. Overall, cotton was rated mostly good to fair. Producers in California and Louisiana were treating their crops for insects. In many parts of Texas, the crop could use more heat. However, in New Mexico, the crop was maturing rapidly with this week's hot, dry conditions. Rice: Rice heading was behind normal in all major States except Mississippi. Twenty-one percent of the Nation's acreage was heading, behind 35% for 1996 and less than the 28% average. A few growers in Louisiana started harvesting. Some producers in Texas were treating their fields for diseases. Overall, rice condition rated mostly good. Other Small Grains: Favorable conditions across the northern tier of States allowed the Nation's spring wheat condition to improve. Spring wheat headed, at 88 percent, was 6 points ahead of last year and 3 points ahead of average. Spring and durum wheat development was slightly ahead of last year but behind the average in North Dakota. Barley heading, at 89%, was 4 points ahead of last year and 1 point ahead of average. Barley harvest continued in Oregon. In North Dakota , crop development was behind normal. Oat heading advanced to 93% complete, ahead of 90% headed in 1996 and the average of 89%. Condition of the oat acreage rated mostly good to fair. Oats harvest began in Idaho. Other Crops: Peanuts pegging advanced to 71% complete, compared with 82% last year. Progress was behind in all major States. Overall, condition of the peanut crop was mostly good. Peanuts in Florida escaped significant damage from Hurricane Danny. In Texas, fields continued to make good progress. Sorghum condition was also rated mostly good. Some Texas sorghum fields could use rain. However, many of the fields looked good. Harvest has started in the south-central part of Texas and continued in the coastal bend, Rio Grande valley, and the upper coast. National Weather Summary Volume 84, No. 29 July 13 - 19, 1997 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Hot, dry weather depleted topsoil moisture from the central Corn Belt to the Middle Atlantic States. In a reversal from the previous week, temperatures averaged 2 to 7 degrees F above normal in these areas. Meanwhile, localized downpours and flooding affected several areas, including southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma, New England, and the upper Midwest. Late in the week, Hurricane Danny edged across extreme southeastern Louisiana and into Mobile Bay, packing sustained winds up to 80 mph and dumping as much as 27 inches of rain. Elsewhere, pre-monsoon heat (up to 4 degrees F above normal) baked the Southwest, while temperatures rebounded to near-normal levels in the Northwest. During the first half of the week, a weakening cold front pushed eastward across the Midwest. In advance of the system, maxima on Monday were the highest since 1995 in Indianapolis, IN (95 degrees F) and St. Louis, MO (98 degrees F). Farther east, highs on Tuesday soared to daily-record levels in locations such as Wilmington, DE and Raleigh-Durham, NC (both 99 degrees F). Wilmington's maximum was their highest since 1995. Meanwhile, an area of extreme heat over the Southwest began to spread northeastward. Highs in Arizona on July 15 soared to 114 degrees F in Phoenix and 110 degrees F in Tucson. Tucson marked their first 110-degree reading since July 29, 1995. A day later, daily records included 102 degrees F in Pueblo, CO, 101 degrees F in Blanding, UT, and 97 degrees F in Lander, WY. On July 14-15, the cold front helped to produce torrential rain in northern Vermont, where totals reached 6.58 inches in Jay and 6.32 inches in Albany. A few days later (July 16-19), a stalled disturbance deposited as much as 4 to 10 inches of rain in south-central Kansas and north-central Oklahoma. Farther north, mid- to late-week thunderstorms dropped 2 to 4 inches of rain in the upper Mississippi Valley, including a daily-record 3.71 inches in Minneapolis, MN on Thursday. During the mid- to late-week period, highs again soared into the lower to middle 90's across the Corn Belt, and remained in the upper 90's to near 100 degrees F in the Middle Atlantic region. On Thursday, Newark, NJ notched 100 degrees F. A day later, Harrisburg, PA recorded 101 degrees F. Sharply cooler air punched southward into the Great Lakes and New England States at week's end. Late on July 19, Youngstown, OH logged 49 degrees F, a daily-record low. A tropical depression formed on Wednesday afternoon in the Gulf of Mexico, about 230 miles southwest of New Orleans, LA, reaching hurricane intensity less than 36 hours later. Only twice before--in 1886 and 1959--have four tropical-storm-strength Atlantic systems formed before July 17. Hurricane Danny crossed the mouth of the Mississippi River near Port Sulphur, LA on Friday morning, battering Grand Isle, LA with wind gusts to 95 mph. Danny, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and a minimum central pressure of 29.06 inches (984 millibars) wobbled into Mobile Bay on Saturday. July 18-19 rainfall totaled 7.70 inches in Pensacola, FL, 11.83 inches in Mobile, AL, and up to 27.00 inches in southern Mobile County near Theodore, AL. Peak wind gusts in southern Alabama on Saturday included 88 mph on Dauphin Island and 45 mph in Mobile. Dryness in the Corn Belt and Developing Drought in the Mid-Atlantic: By late June, dry spots developed in the central Corn Belt, while dryness became pronounced from the Middle Atlantic coastal regions to southern New England. Despite a cool start to July, dryness intensified from the Midwest to the Middle Atlantic States. In mid-July, however, hot weather--in some cases the hottest since 1995--overspread these areas, sharply reducing topsoil moisture. Extreme maxima soared to near 100 degrees F in the Middle Atlantic States, with highs averaging 98 degrees F in Washington, DC and 97 degrees F in Harrisburg, PA during the 7 days ending July 19. Heat was not as extreme across the central Corn Belt, although highs routinely reached the lower to middle 90's during the same period. In contrast to short-term moisture deficits in the Corn Belt, precipitation in parts of the Middle Atlantic region has averaged below normal throughout 1997. The Middle Atlantic drought has developed slowly, however, in part because the up-to-7-month dry spell immediately followed a 15-month (October 1995 - December 1996) wet spell. Nevertheless, year-to-date precipitation is barely 50 percent of normal at locations such as Williamsport, PA and Wilmington, DE. Corn: Percent Silking, Soybeans: Percent Blooming, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 8 1 17 12 AL : 20 12 34 30 GA : 97 94 97 98 AR : 22 10 36 28 IL : 28 4 20 45 GA : 34 22 33 32 IN : 7 1 12 32 IL : 49 26 18 43 IA : 11 0 3 20 IN : 49 17 14 45 KS : 60 38 81 59 IA : 60 33 43 53 KY : 45 20 51 64 KS : 52 42 49 33 MI : 3 0 2 9 KY : 11 8 22 31 MN : 13 1 13 25 LA : 66 42 74 55 MO : 59 34 64 49 MI : 14 7 7 26 NE : 27 2 32 33 MN : 44 10 40 44 NC : 85 60 93 90 MS : 45 39 74 47 OH : 4 1 3 22 MO : 40 21 30 28 PA : 8 3 32 19 NE : 52 18 33 37 SD : 1 0 0 8 NC : 20 13 22 17 TX : 61 59 93 81 OH : 58 35 14 47 WI : 3 0 1 9 SC : 32 28 23 19 : SD : 33 21 35 35 17 Sts: 21 7 22 32 TN : 19 7 25 22 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 90% of the 19 Sts: 45 23 31 41 1996 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1996 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Harvested, Cotton: Percent Squaring, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 98 94 100 100 AL : 70 61 95 92 CA : 98 97 99 96 AZ : 100 100 100 100 CO : 87 52 60 61 AR : 100 99 100 99 GA : 100 99 100 100 CA : 100 90 99 96 ID : 2 0 1 4 GA : 93 86 98 97 IL : 94 85 91 90 LA : 100 92 100 99 IN : 76 45 69 76 MS : 90 85 100 99 KS : 99 97 97 93 MO : 90 70 100 98 MI : 3 0 3 21 NM : 98 80 99 86 MO : 99 92 98 88 NC : 80 75 87 79 MT : 0 0 0 0 OK : 86 49 92 75 NE : 64 26 48 52 SC : 95 82 98 93 NC : 100 99 99 97 TN : 94 88 100 99 OH : 41 4 60 63 TX : 89 80 89 78 OK : 100 97 100 99 : OR : 3 3 10 12 14 Sts: 91 83 94 88 SD : 8 0 2 15 -------------------------------------- TX : 99 95 99 98 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 2 0 3 10 1996 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 72 63 69 70 -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 91% of the 1996 winter wheat crop. Cotton: Percent Setting Bolls, Spring Wheat: Percent Headed, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 24 16 62 54 ID : 93 78 93 89 AZ : 94 75 82 82 MN : 93 77 84 94 AR : 45 6 90 68 MT : 93 76 87 86 CA : 40 20 46 41 ND : 82 67 77 80 GA : 53 30 81 68 SD : 93 85 92 96 LA : 68 41 92 87 : MS : 60 45 91 70 5 Sts : 88 73 82 85 MO : 39 4 71 49 -------------------------------------- NM : 65 27 77 45 These 5 States produced 96% of the NC : 15 10 50 46 1996 spring wheat crop. OK : 9 0 31 19 SC : 30 27 64 52 TN : 24 9 74 52 Rice: Percent Headed, TX : 24 20 39 35 Selected States : -------------------------------------- 14 Sts: 37 23 59 50 : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1992- These 14 States produced 99% of the State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 1996 cotton crop. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent Sorghum: Percent Headed, : Selected States AR : 3 0 23 15 -------------------------------------- CA : 0 0 3 1 : Week Ending : LA : 57 38 58 60 :-----------------------: 1992- MS : 35 23 44 30 State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 TX : 51 32 84 63 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 21 13 35 28 : Percent -------------------------------------- : These 5 States produced 97% of the AR : 33 17 58 53 1996 rice crop. CO : 2 0 6 1 IL : 3 2 1 9 KS : 16 15 12 7 LA : 69 31 89 78 MS : 75 65 79 69 MO : 18 5 17 21 NE : 0 0 0 5 NM : 1 0 O 2 OK : 10 8 40 20 SD : 0 0 3 3 TX : 58 56 61 69 : 12 Sts: 29 26 30 31 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1996 sorghum crop. Barley: Percent Headed, Peanuts: Percent Pegging, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 94 77 82 86 AL : 74 49 89 NA MN : 95 74 85 95 FL : 91 87 99 NA MT : 93 68 85 87 GA : 82 65 91 NA ND : 83 68 84 85 NC : 52 45 70 NA SD : 92 81 93 96 OK : 86 74 94 NA WA : 100 99 98 99 SC : 58 54 74 NA : TX : 53 38 61 NA 6 Sts : 89 72 85 88 VA : 47 20 77 NA -------------------------------------- : These 6 States produced 82% of the 8 Sts : 71 55 82 NA 1996 barley crop. -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1996 peanut crop. Oats: Percent Headed, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Jul 20,:Jul 13,:Jul 20,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 100 100 100 99 MI : 96 90 93 90 MN : 98 88 98 98 NE : 100 100 100 NA ND : 80 59 72 79 OH : 100 100 100 100 PA : 97 94 98 57 SD : 90 82 94 96 WI : 100 99 84 92 : 9 Sts : 93 86 90 89 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 54% of the 1996 oats 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 4 26 56 13 AL : 2 4 36 53 5 GA : 0 2 22 69 7 AR : 0 9 31 48 12 IL : 2 8 35 46 9 GA : 1 7 26 62 4 IN : 1 8 32 49 10 IL : 1 9 36 47 7 IA : 0 3 21 56 20 IN : 1 7 35 47 10 KS : 1 3 11 59 26 IA : 0 4 24 56 16 KY : 2 11 36 44 7 KS : 0 2 14 65 19 MI : 2 9 32 46 11 KY : 1 11 40 43 5 MN : 1 3 18 55 23 LA : 1 8 26 57 8 MO : 1 8 36 44 11 MI : 2 7 40 41 10 NE : 0 3 21 54 22 MN : 3 8 32 45 12 NC : 4 21 37 37 1 MS : 1 6 28 53 12 OH : 1 6 27 49 17 MO : 2 11 37 44 6 PA : 12 30 35 20 3 NE : 0 3 22 60 15 SD : 1 5 18 53 23 NC : 1 13 29 56 1 TX : 0 2 23 49 26 OH : 2 9 32 46 11 WI : 1 3 10 50 36 SC : 0 2 18 69 11 : SD : 1 7 23 53 16 17 Sts : 1 6 25 50 18 TN : 0 8 26 50 16 : : Prev Wk : 1 4 22 56 17 19 Sts : 1 7 30 51 11 Prev Yr : 3 8 28 47 14 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 1 6 27 55 11 Prev Yr : 3 10 34 43 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 : 15 10 43 28 4 ID : 0 1 8 64 27 AZ : 0 0 6 59 35 MN : 10 16 18 51 5 AR : 0 16 39 42 3 MT : 1 9 36 49 5 CA : 0 0 0 60 40 ND : 3 14 39 41 3 GA : 0 5 20 64 11 SD : 1 6 23 51 19 LA : 0 5 52 35 8 : MS : 1 10 34 47 8 5 Sts : 3 12 33 46 6 MO : 5 5 38 48 4 : NM : 2 6 34 48 10 Prev Wk : 3 15 32 45 5 NC : 6 14 42 37 1 Prev Yr : 1 6 30 53 10 OK : 0 3 21 71 5 -------------------------------------- SC : 1 2 19 72 6 TN : 3 11 31 49 6 TX : 2 8 28 51 11 Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, : Selected States 14 Sts : 2 8 29 49 12 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 2 8 30 47 13 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 3 10 27 46 14 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AR : 0 2 23 51 24 CA : 0 0 50 50 0 Sorghum: Crop Condition LA : 0 3 34 52 11 by Percent, Selected States MS : 0 1 30 66 3 -------------------------------------- TX : 0 5 35 52 8 State : VP : P : F : G : EX : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 0 2 32 52 14 : Percent : : Prev Wk : 0 3 34 52 11 AR : 0 4 36 55 5 Prev Yr : 0 3 20 60 17 CO : 0 1 30 60 9 -------------------------------------- IL : 0 5 45 47 3 KS : 1 2 17 64 16 LA : 0 0 34 61 5 Barley: Crop Condition MS : 0 1 33 64 2 by Percent, Selected States MO : 2 7 33 51 7 -------------------------------------- NE : 0 5 31 53 11 State : VP : P : F : G : EX NM : 0 0 31 69 0 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 1 35 61 3 : Percent SD : 0 2 23 65 10 : TX : 0 4 26 50 20 ID : 0 1 6 66 27 : MN : 12 12 18 52 6 12 Sts : 0 3 25 57 15 MT : 1 2 31 54 12 : ND : 2 16 36 41 5 Prev Wk : 0 3 22 61 14 SD : 6 10 24 51 9 Prev Yr : 2 8 31 47 12 WA : 0 0 5 81 14 -------------------------------------- : 6 Sts : 2 9 27 52 10 : Prev Wk : 1 10 27 51 11 Prev Yr : 1 7 25 55 12 -------------------------------------- Oats: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 0 2 29 57 12 MI : 3 10 45 36 6 MN : 3 8 33 42 14 NE : 0 6 30 53 11 ND : 3 18 45 33 1 OH : 1 14 29 47 9 PA : 0 9 31 52 8 SD : 3 9 23 56 9 WI : 0 2 12 62 24 : 9 Sts : 2 9 30 48 11 : Prev Wk : 2 8 31 48 11 Prev Yr : 0 5 25 60 10 -------------------------------------- Peanut: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 7 42 47 4 FL : 0 10 20 42 28 GA : 0 1 21 66 12 NC : 0 23 53 21 3 OK : 0 1 26 58 15 SC : 0 0 20 76 4 TX : 0 1 20 64 15 VA : 0 1 49 45 5 : 8 Sts : 0 4 28 57 11 : Prev Wk : 0 2 25 63 10 Prev Yr : 1 6 31 52 10 -------------------------------------- Note: US level crop conditions are weighted averages based on 1996 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 3 28 57 12 :: NJ : 0 60 40 0 0 AZ : 16 19 36 25 4 :: NM : 1 9 38 49 3 AR : 1 12 44 39 4 :: NY : 4 53 43 0 0 CA : 5 15 50 25 5 :: NC : 5 26 33 33 3 CO : 6 17 39 32 6 :: ND : 4 27 44 24 1 CT : 0 22 46 32 0 :: OH : 3 12 36 42 7 DE : 10 32 32 26 0 :: OK : 0 3 27 61 9 FL : 0 0 15 75 10 :: OR : 0 8 33 37 22 GA : 1 6 37 52 4 :: PA : 35 22 30 13 0 ID : 0 1 9 62 28 :: RI : 50 50 0 0 0 IL : 6 19 35 36 4 :: SC : 1 11 31 53 4 IN : 2 16 43 37 2 :: SD : 4 4 20 56 16 IA : 8 17 38 35 2 :: TN : 0 4 32 53 11 KS : 1 8 20 61 10 :: TX : 0 5 31 48 16 KY : 3 14 44 34 5 :: UT : 2 7 27 58 6 LA : 0 2 22 66 10 :: VT : 0 0 0 87 13 ME : 0 0 0 85 15 :: VA : 15 35 40 10 0 MD : 25 25 35 15 0 :: WA : 0 10 15 72 3 MA : 3 22 43 32 0 :: WV : 3 15 35 45 2 MI : 4 23 50 21 2 :: WI : 1 7 30 55 7 MN : 3 11 37 44 5 :: WY : 0 2 18 73 7 MS : 1 3 21 61 14 :: : MO : 3 21 40 34 2 :: 48 Sts : 3 12 33 44 8 MT : 0 4 33 52 11 :: : NE : 4 17 35 38 6 :: Prev Wk: 2 8 30 50 10 NV : 0 4 23 58 15 :: Prev Yr: 6 13 31 43 7 NH : 0 30 52 18 0 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent The next Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin report will be released at 12 P.M. 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