HDR1012000170100826971200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released August 26, 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 August 18 - 24, 1997 Highlights: A mid- to late-week storm track brought much-needed moisture to the eastern half of the United States, benefiting crops and pastures. The rainfall provided some relief from drought-like conditions in the mid-Atlantic States, but may have come too late to save some crops. Torrential rains in Delaware and New Jersey caused localized flooding, increased the chance for disease, and stopped harvest. While the moisture was beneficial, the below-normal temperatures accompanying the storm slowed the progress of maturing crops throughout the Corn Belt and New England. Fields along the southern-Atlantic and Gulf Coasts remained a little dry as the storm passed to the north. Monsoonal moisture fell in the southern Plains, improving most row-crop conditions but hampering harvest activities. Farmers in the West took advantage of above-normal temperatures, with little or no precipitation to harvest small grains and hay. Corn: Corn was in the dough stage on 68 percent (%) of the Nation's acreage, ahead of 52% doughing at this time in 1996 and the 5-year average of 61%. Twenty-one percent of the acreage was dented, ahead of last year but behind the average. Progress of the corn crop slowed, but remained ahead of average in the western Corn Belt. On the other hand, crop development slowed to near normal levels in the eastern Corn Belt. Mid- to late-week rainfall brought much-needed precipitation to the major corn-producing States. Condition of the corn crop improved somewhat, but remained mostly good to fair. Soybeans: The soybean crop also showed signs of slowing to normal progress due to cool weather in the Eastern United States. For the Nation, 90% of the soybean acreage was setting pods, compared with 77% last year and the average of 82%. Soybeans were just beginning to drop leaves in Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Dakota. Soybean condition improved with mid- to late-week rains. Crop conditions improved with rainfall, but farmers were concerned about the effect that cool weather had on crop development. Cotton: Bolls were opening on 16% of the cotton acreage, behind both 25% in 1996 and the average of 20%. Progress in Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi was significantly behind normal. California cotton fields progressed well ahead of normal. The New Mexico crop matured slowly, but was still ahead of normal. Bolls opened rapidly in central Texas, while harvest activity increased to the south. Harvest was active in southern Louisiana. Crop condition in North Carolina declined due to continued hot, dry weather. Overall, crop condition remained mostly good to fair. Rice: The majority of the nation's rice acreage, at 92%, was headed. Rice harvest was 13% complete, behind the 21% harvested at this time last year and the average 18%. Harvest had yet to begin in Arkansas and was well behind normal in Texas. Harvest continued along the Texas upper coast, and many more fields were drained in preparation for harvest. Nationwide, rice condition rated mostly good. Sorghum: Ninety-two percent of the sorghum crop was harvested, compared with 94% last year and the average of 85%. Fields developed ahead of normal in most major sorghum-producing States, especially Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. Forty-two percent of the acreage was turning color, ahead of both 1996 and the average. Fields in Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma responded well to improved moisture supply and moderate temperatures. Overall, sorghum remained in mostly good condition. We 1(8-97) Other Small Grains: Farmers in the major spring wheat- and barley-producing States made good harvest progress as warm, dry weather dominated the week. Spring wheat harvest advanced to 41% complete, behind 49% in 1996 but ahead of the average of 39%. Barley harvest reached 50% complete, 1 percentage point behind 1996 but equal to the average. Condition of both spring wheat and barley rated mostly good to fair. Oat harvest was slowed by showers in most Eastern States, while farmers in the Western States made good progress. Nationally, oat harvest was 78% complete, compared with 79% in 1996 and 76% for the average. Other Crops: Peanut harvest was just underway in Florida, where disease pressure increased due to wet weather. South Carolina growers also began harvesting their peanut acreage. Crop condition in Georgia slipped slightly due to dry weather as farmers prepared for harvest and sprayed for diseases. Crop condition in North Carolina declined substantially due to dry weather. Overall, peanut condition rated mostly good. Farmers in the West prepared to plant winter wheat. National Weather Summary Volume 84, No. 34 August 17 - 23, 1997 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: A pair of rain events made a significant dent in the Middle Atlantic drought, while widespread showers continued to ease dryness in the central Corn Belt. Thunderstorms again produced locally heavy rain in the Four Corners States, and dumped as much as 2 to 5 inches on Kansas and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, dry weather favored harvest activities on the northern Plains, but further depleted topsoil moisture in the Southeast. Farther west, the remnants of the eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Ignacio delivered out-of-season rains to northern California and ended a long dry spell in the Pacific Northwest. Very hot, dry conditions continued to grip southern Texas, where weekly temperatures averaged up to 6 degrees F above normal. Above-normal temperatures prevailed in the West (up to 7 degrees F above normal in Idaho and Utah), except in northern California. The Midwestern and Great Lakes States recorded weekly temperatures 3 to 8 degrees F below normal. Early in the week, widespread thunderstorms signaled the end of a Middle Atlantic heat wave and further moistened the Corn Belt. On Sunday, a maximum of 105 degrees F in Washington, DC was the city's highest since an all-time-record high of 106 degrees F on July 10, 1936. Later in the day, however, daily-record rainfall totaled 3.32 inches at nearby Dulles Airport, VA. Meanwhile in Illinois, Springfield (1.66 inches) and Peoria (1.50 inches) also netted daily-record amounts. Farther north, very cool weather settled into the Midwestern and Great Lakes States. Highs on Sunday peaked at only 63 degrees F in Minneapolis, MN and 61 degrees F in Green Bay, WI. A day later, heavy rain blossomed in the Central States as a storm developed over the upper Midwest. On Monday, Hastings, NE (1.98 inches) reported a daily-record total. In Arkansas, Little Rock's 3.98-inch rainfall was their greatest 1-day total since October 29, 1991. The next day, Minneapolis, MN (3.19 inches) notched a daily-record total. At midweek, heavy rain reached the Middle Atlantic States, where Baltimore (2.75 inches) collected a daily-record amount. Extremely cool weather accompanied the rainfall. On Tuesday, Peoria's maximum struggled to 66 degrees F. A day later in Michigan, both Grand Rapids and Flint noted 63 degrees F. On Thursday, a high of 59 degrees F in Albany, NY was 21 degrees below normal. The storm intensified along the East Coast, producing excessive rainfall in the vicinity of southern New Jersey. August 20-21 rainfall reached 13.52 inches in Atlantic City, NJ and 8.94 inches in Dover, DE. Atlantic City's all-time monthly rainfall record of 13.09 inches was broken during a 15-hour span. On Thursday, the mercury in Corpus Christi, TX hit 100 degrees F for the first time since July 30, 1991. A day later, their maximum of 101 degrees F was their highest since August 27, 1990. During the 66-day period from June 19 to August 23, Corpus Christi's rainfall totaled only 0.34 inch. Hot weather also affected Florida, where highs of 98 degrees F set daily records at both Ft. Myers (on Monday) and Lakeland (on Friday). Cooler weather spread into northern Florida at week's end, however, resulting in an August-record low of 57 degrees F on Saturday in Tallahassee. Farther north, a minimum of 58 degrees F on August 23 in Huntsville, AL was their first of three consecutive daily-record lows. Along the California coast, hot weather accompanied Ignacio's passage. On Tuesday, Santa Maria's high of 96 degrees F eclipsed their previous record for August 19 by 13 degrees. In Bakersfield, CA, sustained winds reached an August-record 33 mph. Farther north, 0.19 inch fell in downtown Sacramento, their first rain on August 20 during the 121-year period of record. Downtown San Francisco received 0.72 inch, just 0.06 inch shy of their all-time August record, set in 1976. In Oregon, Astoria's third-longest dry spell on record ended on August 20 at 35 days. On the same day, a 0.06-inch rainfall in Seattle, WA ended their sixth-longest dry spell (and longest since September-October 1991) at 39 days. Corn: Percent Dough, Corn: Percent Dented, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 47 33 75 47 CO : 4 NA 22 7 GA : 100 98 100 100 GA : 98 NA 98 99 IL : 76 63 58 76 IL : 24 NA 17 30 IN : 81 55 53 77 IN : 14 NA 13 24 IA : 59 32 35 47 IA : 12 NA 6 16 KS : 91 75 95 80 KS : 55 NA 64 44 KY : 82 50 84 90 KY : 44 NA 53 63 MI : 24 5 12 22 MI : 0 NA 0 5 MN : 46 17 30 40 MN : 7 NA 3 9 MO : 96 91 91 80 MO : 65 NA 66 53 NE : 84 66 69 67 NE : 19 NA 15 23 NC : 95 90 98 94 NC : 76 NA 91 84 OH : 71 27 41 74 OH : 10 NA 0 18 PA : 56 40 55 53 PA : 20 NA 15 13 SD : 62 26 42 44 SD : 17 NA 10 13 TX : 96 93 100 94 TX : 75 NA 94 82 WI : 43 34 28 44 WI : 4 NA 3 11 : : 17 Sts: 68 47 52 61 17 Sts: 21 NA 19 25 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 17 States produced 90% of the These 17 States produced 90% of the 1996 corn crop. 1996 corn crop. Soybeans: Percent Setting Pods, Soybeans: Percent Dropping Leaves, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 60 46 64 63 AL : 0 NA 0 1 AR : 62 41 71 68 AR : 0 NA 5 3 GA : 73 60 71 75 GA : 0 NA 0 2 IL : 95 93 73 85 IL : 0 NA 0 0 IN : 93 75 57 86 IN : 0 NA 0 1 IA : 100 95 93 92 IA : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 90 87 83 78 KS : 6 NA 4 3 KY : 47 40 55 58 KY : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 92 86 98 91 LA : 8 NA 13 5 MI : 99 89 61 74 MI : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 98 84 91 88 MN : 0 NA 0 0 MS : 86 84 95 82 MS : 13 NA 22 7 MO : 85 68 69 70 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 98 89 93 88 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 52 37 50 53 NC : 0 NA 0 0 OH : 96 77 65 86 OH : 0 NA 0 0 SC : 46 39 62 56 SC : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 97 80 91 82 SD : 7 NA 6 5 TN : 55 45 67 64 TN : 0 NA 1 1 : : 19 Sts: 90 79 77 82 19 Sts: 1 NA 2 1 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the These 19 States produced 94% of the 1996 soybean crop. 1996 soybean crop. Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Sorghum: Percent Coloring, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 9 4 14 10 AR : 55 34 78 75 AZ : 57 40 66 61 CO : 1 0 10 8 AR : 4 3 15 10 IL : 14 13 10 23 CA : 35 20 24 18 KS : 32 15 22 17 GA : 4 2 35 23 LA : 87 70 95 89 LA : 16 1 36 34 MS : 85 82 93 87 MS : 12 10 50 29 MO : 50 28 42 42 MO : 11 9 19 7 NE : 13 1 13 16 NM : 18 15 26 11 NM : 1 0 5 9 NC : 9 5 13 13 OK : 12 10 28 28 OK : 1 0 8 5 SD : 16 12 24 16 SC : 5 3 7 8 TX : 68 61 68 75 TN : 0 0 14 8 : TX : 20 14 22 21 12 Sts: 42 30 39 40 : -------------------------------------- 14 Sts: 16 10 25 20 These 12 States produced 99% of the -------------------------------------- 1996 sorghum crop. These 14 States produced 99% of the 1996 cotton crop. Spring Wheat: Percent Harvested, Selected States Sorghum: Percent Headed, -------------------------------------- Selected States : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1992- : Week Ending : State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 :-----------------------: 1992- : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 -------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : Percent -------------------------------------- : : Percent ID : 42 19 50 47 : MN : 35 22 45 40 AR : 98 90 99 98 MT : 34 18 54 34 CO : 87 65 77 65 ND : 36 16 38 30 IL : 90 83 78 85 SD : 78 54 89 79 KS : 96 88 95 79 : LA : 100 94 100 99 5 Sts : 41 22 49 39 MS : 100 100 100 99 -------------------------------------- MO : 100 92 90 87 These 5 States produced 96% of the NE : 94 89 92 86 1996 spring wheat crop. NM : 69 53 45 60 OK : 79 52 93 79 SD : 82 77 89 73 TX : 89 84 98 93 : 12 Sts: 92 84 94 85 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1996 sorghum crop. Rice: Percent Headed, Barley: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 89 72 96 92 ID : 50 23 47 49 CA : 100 90 93 85 MN : 46 26 51 54 LA : 93 92 97 95 MT : 34 17 49 36 MS : 82 80 99 93 ND : 52 24 49 51 TX : 95 93 100 97 SD : 79 60 93 90 : WA : 77 65 56 68 5 Sts : 92 82 96 92 : -------------------------------------- 6 Sts : 50 27 51 50 These 5 States produced 97% of the -------------------------------------- 1996 rice crop. These 6 States produced 83% of the 1996 barley crop. Rice: Percent Harvested, Selected States Oats: Percent Harvested, -------------------------------------- Selected States : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1992- : Week Ending : State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 :-----------------------: 1992- : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 -------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : Percent -------------------------------------- : : Percent AR : 0 0 4 4 : CA : 5 0 0 0 IA : 100 100 100 100 LA : 51 42 58 53 MI : 93 71 74 66 MS : 0 0 6 5 MN : 68 50 91 77 TX : 15 6 71 49 NE : 100 100 100 100 : ND : 48 21 44 42 5 Sts : 13 9 21 18 OH : 96 90 98 97 -------------------------------------- PA : 86 73 72 83 These 5 States produced 97% of the SD : 90 73 95 91 1996 rice crop. WI : 76 68 72 70 : 9 Sts : 78 63 79 76 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 70% of the 1996 oats crop. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 24,:Aug 17,:Aug 24,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 NA NA NA FL : 4 NA NA NA GA : 0 NA NA NA NC : 0 NA NA NA OK : 0 NA NA NA SC : 6 NA NA NA TX : 0 NA NA NA VA : 0 NA NA NA : 8 Sts : 0 NA NA NA -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1996 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 : 4 7 15 53 21 AL : 1 10 42 45 2 GA : 0 2 24 67 7 AR : 1 11 33 44 11 IL : 4 12 36 43 5 GA : 1 7 23 54 15 IN : 3 8 35 44 10 IL : 2 10 36 45 7 IA : 1 8 25 51 15 IN : 1 6 33 46 14 KS : 1 4 23 58 14 IA : 2 6 25 52 15 KY : 4 15 42 33 6 KS : 1 2 21 63 13 MI : 3 10 37 39 11 KY : 1 8 39 45 7 MN : 1 3 19 53 24 LA : 2 9 22 60 7 MO : 7 21 37 30 5 MI : 2 7 35 43 13 NE : 3 6 28 48 15 MN : 2 5 33 49 11 NC : 3 19 32 44 2 MS : 2 6 14 57 21 OH : 1 6 26 48 19 MO : 3 16 38 38 5 PA : 12 20 37 28 3 NE : 2 8 33 49 8 SD : 0 3 12 56 29 NC : 1 4 24 65 6 TX : 0 3 17 53 27 OH : 1 6 25 47 21 WI : 0 4 12 51 33 SC : 0 4 20 62 14 : SD : 1 5 15 51 28 17 Sts : 2 8 27 48 15 TN : 1 5 30 49 15 : : Prev Wk : 3 9 28 45 15 19 Sts : 2 8 30 48 12 Prev Yr : 3 9 26 47 15 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 2 9 32 46 11 Prev Yr : 3 10 30 46 11 -------------------------------------- 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 : 10 7 47 33 3 ID : 0 1 11 68 20 AZ : 0 3 10 53 34 MN : 3 33 40 22 2 AR : 0 17 34 44 5 MT : 1 8 41 46 4 CA : 0 0 0 60 40 ND : 6 24 41 29 0 GA : 0 8 20 57 15 SD : 4 7 33 41 15 LA : 3 8 38 46 5 : MS : 2 4 28 59 7 5 Sts : 4 19 38 35 4 MO : 0 16 31 47 6 : NM : 0 4 29 41 26 Prev Wk : 3 15 38 39 5 NC : 3 15 32 48 2 Prev Yr : 3 10 33 44 10 OK : 0 2 22 68 8 -------------------------------------- SC : 1 4 18 67 10 TN : 2 6 29 54 9 TX : 2 13 33 44 8 Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, : Selected States 14 Sts : 2 10 28 49 11 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 2 9 27 49 13 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 4 9 24 46 17 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AR : 0 2 21 53 24 CA : 0 0 50 50 0 Sorghum: Crop Condition LA : 0 2 28 61 9 by Percent, Selected States MS : 0 2 10 72 16 -------------------------------------- TX : 0 6 61 31 2 State : VP : P : F : G : EX : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 0 2 31 53 14 : Percent : : Prev Wk : 0 2 31 52 15 AR : 2 10 42 43 3 Prev Yr : 0 2 17 59 22 CO : 0 1 14 64 21 -------------------------------------- IL : 5 15 37 39 4 KS : 0 3 15 69 13 LA : 0 2 37 58 3 Barley: Crop Condition MS : 3 5 23 61 8 by Percent, Selected States MO : 3 13 35 43 6 -------------------------------------- NE : 3 10 37 46 4 State : VP : P : F : G : EX NM : 0 11 33 55 1 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 1 8 87 4 : Percent SD : 0 1 11 68 20 : TX : 1 4 28 55 12 ID : 0 3 9 66 22 : MN : 4 32 40 22 2 12 Sts : 1 5 24 59 11 MT : 0 4 27 60 9 : ND : 4 20 40 33 3 Prev Wk : 1 6 25 57 11 SD : 0 16 33 45 6 Prev Yr : 4 5 20 54 17 WA : 0 0 0 71 29 -------------------------------------- : 6 Sts : 2 14 30 45 9 : Prev Wk : 2 11 32 46 9 Prev Yr : 2 12 26 48 12 -------------------------------------- Peanut: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 5 54 36 5 FL : 0 1 17 40 42 GA : 0 10 23 56 11 NC : 0 11 37 51 1 OK : 0 2 33 59 6 SC : 0 0 10 81 9 TX : 1 5 28 44 22 VA : 4 6 33 46 11 : 8 Sts : 0 7 30 50 13 : Prev Wk : 1 4 28 57 10 Prev Yr : 1 7 34 51 7 -------------------------------------- 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 2 27 64 7 :: NJ : 0 30 50 20 0 AZ : 13 31 39 15 2 :: NM : 1 3 22 67 7 AR : 2 20 38 37 3 :: NY : 2 37 38 23 0 CA : 10 20 30 40 0 :: NC : 8 14 33 42 3 CO : 0 2 24 55 19 :: ND : 11 30 37 21 1 CT : 0 0 77 23 0 :: OH : 3 9 36 43 9 DE : 6 10 61 23 0 :: OK : 1 8 27 54 10 FL : 0 0 30 60 10 :: OR : 1 3 36 43 17 GA : 1 4 27 62 6 :: PA : 10 35 35 20 0 ID : 0 1 17 56 26 :: RI : 0 15 57 28 0 IL : 5 20 39 33 3 :: SC : 0 8 35 51 6 IN : 4 18 40 33 5 :: SD : 0 3 18 57 22 IA : 11 27 37 22 3 :: TN : 0 14 35 44 7 KS : 3 6 24 54 13 :: TX : 1 16 42 35 6 KY : 6 20 39 32 3 :: UT : 2 4 15 62 17 LA : 0 4 33 57 6 :: VT : 0 18 29 33 20 ME : 10 32 30 23 5 :: VA : 13 33 38 16 0 MD : 32 17 28 23 0 :: WA : 12 9 39 40 0 MA : 0 7 22 34 37 :: WV : 1 9 26 57 7 MI : 10 16 43 28 3 :: WI : 0 3 17 60 20 MN : 2 9 32 52 5 :: WY : 0 2 15 68 15 MS : 2 6 21 59 12 :: : MO : 6 24 42 27 1 :: 48 Sts : 4 14 32 42 8 MT : 2 5 27 53 13 :: : NE : 11 26 29 31 3 :: Prev Wk: 5 15 33 39 8 NV : 0 0 16 68 16 :: Prev Yr: 5 15 32 41 7 NH : 0 9 21 70 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. ET on September 3, 1997. 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