HDR1012000170100903971200WEEKLY WEATHER & CROP BULLETIN Released September 3, 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 25 - 31, 1997 HIGHLIGHTS: Lack of precipitation, combined with normal summertime temperatures, provided good harvest weather, but stressed soybeans, cotton, peanuts, and other late-planted crops in the Southeast and Texas. Farther north, widespread showers brought moisture to many dry fields in the Corn Belt and Northeast. Above-normal temperatures in the western Corn Belt and Plains provided much-needed heat and prompted rapid crop development. Small grain harvest in the northern Plains progressed quickly as temperatures were well above-normal. Rainfall improved crop conditions in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic States, yett amounts were limited, and crops continued to be stressed. Corn: Despite a week of very warm weather, more high temperatures are needed to speed corn development throughout most of the major corn-producing States. Corn doughing reached 84 percent (%) complete, ahead of 71% doughing at this time last year and the 5-year average of 76%. Forty-two percent of the corn acreage was dented, 10 percentage points ahead of 1996 but only 2 points ahead of the average. Corn was mature on 7% of the Nation's acreage, compared with 7% a year ago and the average of 8%. Dry weather in the southern States provided ideal harvest conditions. Overall, corn condition rated mostly good to fair. Soybeans: Soybean fields also benefited from the much-needed warm weather, but more is needed. Pods were setting on 96% of the acreage, ahead of both 90% in 1996 and the average of 92%. Leaves were dropping on 2% of the national acreage, behind 3% for both 1996 and the average. Soybean condition rated mostly good to fair. Significant condition declines caused by lack of precipitation in the Southeast were offset by improvements in the eastern and central Corn Belt. Soybean fields in Iowa started to show stress from dry soils. In localized areas of Illinois, spider mites and sudden death syndrome turned plants prematurely yellow in a few fields. Cotton: Bolls were opening on 23% of the cotton acreage, behind both 36% in 1996 and the average of 30%. Progress was well ahead of average in California, but well behind normal in Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Cotton bolls continued to open rapidly under hot, dry conditions in Texas. Many California fields received the final irrigation prior to harvest. In western Arizona, defoliating and harvest became active. Overall, cotton condition remained mostly good to fair. Declining conditions due to dry soils in the Southeast were offset by improving conditions farther west. Rice: Rice condition remained mostly good overall. In Texas, condition improved as weather was favorable and harvest gained momentum. Growers in Arkansas and Mississippi were just beginning to harvest fields. Harvest was in full swing in Louisiana. Nationwide, rice harvest was 19% complete, behind both the 29% harvested in 1996 and the average of 23%. Sorghum: Fifty-eight percent of the sorghum acreage was turning color, compared with 51% for both 1996 and the average. Twenty-three percent of the acreage was mature, just behind last year and the average. Fields in the central Plains and western Corn Belt matured rapidly due to above-normal temperatures. Nonetheless, sorghum maturity was well behind normal in Arkansas and Texas due to the cool, wet spring. Sorghum harvest was active in the Southern States, while just beginning in southern Kansas. Condition of the sorghum crop remained mostly good. Spring Small Grains: Minnesota and North Dakota farmers took advantage of very warm, dry weather to combine large portions of their spring wheat, barley, and oat acreage. In Idaho, August ended with excellent weather for the small grain harvest. The Montana harvest was slowed somewhat by continued precipitation. Nationally, spring wheat harvest advanced to 69% complete, slightly ahead of last year but well ahead of normal. Barley harvest, at 75% complete, was also ahead of 1996 and the average. Oat harvest reached 91% complete, equal to a year ago but ahead of the average. Other Crops: Peanut harvest was still in its very early stages as Alabama, Georgia, and Texas growers were just entering fields. Dry soils caused peanuts in Florida to wilt and immature pods to shrivel as growers made limited harvest progress. Very little harvest progress was made in South Carolina. Peanut condition declined significantly due to lack of moisture in the Southeast. Very little precipitation has fallen in the area, and soils have dried since the remains of tropical storm Danny swept through the area in late July. In Georgia, irrigation was active to relieve crop stress where facilities were available. Winter wheat seedbed preparation was very active, and planting was underway in several major winter wheat-producing States. National Weather Summary Volume 84, No. 35 August 24 - 30, 1997 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Despite near- to below-normal temperatures, dry weather persisted in the Southeast for a fourth consecutive week. Meanwhile, southern Texas' 2 1/2-month dry spell continued, although cooler air arrived. Farther west, however, heavy monsoonal thunderstorms peppered the Southwest for the sixth week in a row. Across the North--including the Pacific Northwest, northern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast--a parade of disturbances sparked occasional rainfall. Weekly temperatures averaged up to 10 degrees F above normal on the northern Plains, but were as much as 4 degrees F below normal in the eastern Great Lakes States. Near- to below-normal readings prevailed in the West Coast States, except near the Pacific Ocean, where warm-phase (El Ni o) conditions have resulted in unusually high sea-surface and air temperatures. Early in the week, a high-pressure system drifted across the Southeast, producing more than two dozen daily-record lows. On Sunday, Huntsville, AL (56 degrees F) notched their second of three consecutive daily records. Lows dipped below 50 degrees F as far south as Bristol, TN (48 degrees F) and Asheville, NC (47 degrees F). Meanwhile in North Dakota, highs soared to daily-record levels of 100 degrees F at Dickinson and Williston. Three days later, Miles City, MT recorded 102 degrees F. As late as Thursday, Worland, WY posted a daily-record high of 99 degrees F, but sharply cooler air approached the region at week's end. Along the California coast at Eureka, the mercury reached or exceeded 70 degrees F on 10 consecutive days from August 21 to 30, breaking their record of 4 days set during September 1983. Eureka also tallied daily-record highs of 74 degrees F on Sunday and Monday. Farther south, Santa Barbara logged daily records on Sunday (86 degrees F) and Tuesday (88 degrees F). Meanwhile in the Atlantic Basin, August passed without any tropical storms or hurricanes for the first time since 1961. Without significant tropical moisture, August rainfall was the lowest on record in Columbia, SC (0.22 inches). In Mobile, AL, August's 1.04-inch total (lowest on record) contrasted sharply with July's 18.52-inch total, fueled by Hurricane Danny. Less than 1 inch of rain fell during August in locations such as Montgomery, AL (0.74 inches) and Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (0.92 inches). In southern Texas, San Antonio received only 0.62 inches during the month. Weekly rainfall in excess of 2 inches was confined to scattered locations in southern Florida, the Northeast, the Southwest, and the coastal Northwest. Totals locally in excess of 1 inch only briefly interrupted harvests on the northern Plains and benefited later-planted crops in the Corn Belt. Warm, generally dry weather in Hawaii resulted in a monthly record-tying high of 93 degrees F on Saturday at Honolulu. Meanwhile in Alaska, occasional rainfall capped the second-wettest August on record in Barrow (2.64 inches), Anchorage (8.37 inches), and Valdez (13.34 inches). Corn: Percent Dough, Corn: Percent Dented, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 72 47 88 65 CO : 30 4 42 21 GA : 100 100 100 100 GA : 99 98 100 100 IL : 87 76 76 87 IL : 54 24 33 47 IN : 91 81 78 90 IN : 37 14 28 42 IA : 86 59 60 66 IA : 43 12 18 33 KS : 97 91 98 91 KS : 72 55 73 61 KY : 97 82 96 97 KY : 76 44 75 81 MI : 30 24 40 45 MI : 5 0 7 15 MN : 84 46 45 60 MN : 25 7 12 24 MO : 100 96 95 90 MO : 80 65 78 69 NE : 93 84 86 84 NE : 41 19 32 40 NC : 100 95 100 96 NC : 85 76 95 90 OH : 87 71 63 87 OH : 17 10 9 36 PA : 63 56 67 69 PA : 27 20 33 27 SD : 77 62 75 67 SD : 34 17 29 27 TX : 98 96 100 97 TX : 89 75 98 90 WI : 62 43 54 60 WI : 8 4 11 22 : : 17 Sts: 84 68 71 76 17 Sts: 42 21 32 40 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 17 States produced 90% of the These 17 States produced 90% of the 1996 corn crop. 1996 corn crop. Corn: Percent Mature, Soybeans: Percent Setting Pods, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 0 NA 1 1 AL : 73 60 84 76 GA : 95 NA 94 98 AR : 84 62 82 80 IL : 4 NA 3 5 GA : 83 73 83 86 IN : 3 NA 4 4 IL : 98 95 85 94 IA : 0 NA 0 4 IN : 97 93 87 96 KS : 17 NA 17 21 IA : 100 100 96 96 KY : 21 NA 26 24 KS : 96 90 93 90 MI : 0 NA 0 0 KY : 79 47 81 77 MN : 0 NA 0 1 LA : 100 92 100 95 MO : 22 NA 30 22 MI : 100 99 92 89 NE : 0 NA 0 2 MN : 99 98 98 96 NC : 66 NA 82 75 MS : 90 86 97 91 OH : 0 NA 0 2 MO : 95 85 87 86 PA : 4 NA 3 3 NE : 100 98 98 96 SD : 6 NA 2 2 NC : 76 52 65 69 TX : 60 NA 67 62 OH : 100 96 82 96 WI : 0 NA 0 2 SC : 72 46 70 70 : SD : 99 97 97 91 17 Sts: 7 NA 7 8 TN : 73 55 82 79 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 90% of the 19 Sts: 96 90 90 92 1996 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1996 soybean crop. Soybeans: Percent Dropping Leaves, Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 3 0 3 4 AL : 20 9 27 22 AR : 1 0 8 5 AZ : 67 57 79 79 GA : 2 0 3 6 AR : 10 4 28 20 IL : 1 0 0 2 CA : 60 35 46 38 IN : 5 0 3 3 GA : 10 4 50 33 IA : 0 0 0 1 LA : 43 16 57 53 KS : 8 6 6 6 MS : 17 12 74 49 KY : 1 0 3 6 MO : 15 11 26 15 LA : 16 8 21 11 NM : 27 18 34 20 MI : 0 0 1 1 NC : 13 9 19 21 MN : 0 0 0 1 OK : 2 1 8 7 MS : 16 13 26 12 SC : 14 5 18 19 MO : 0 0 0 1 TN : 1 0 29 20 NE : 1 0 0 2 TX : 22 20 25 25 NC : 0 0 0 0 : OH : 2 0 0 4 14 Sts: 23 16 36 30 SC : 5 0 1 0 -------------------------------------- SD : 9 7 11 10 These 14 States produced 99% of the TN : 0 0 3 3 1996 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 2 1 3 3 -------------------------------------- Sorghum: Percent Coloring, These 19 States produced 94% of the Selected States 1996 soybean crop. -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 80 55 89 88 CO : 14 1 39 23 IL : 40 14 24 35 KS : 52 32 41 33 LA : 97 87 98 94 MS : 90 85 95 93 MO : 66 50 53 56 NE : 38 13 24 29 NM : 11 1 8 16 OK : 56 12 51 47 SD : 33 16 35 25 TX : 75 68 71 78 : 12 Sts: 58 42 51 51 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1996 sorghum crop. Sorghum: Percent Mature, Rice: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 15 NA 44 52 AR : 1 0 11 8 CO : 0 NA 5 2 CA : 10 5 0 0 IL : 0 NA 0 1 LA : 65 51 73 62 KS : 7 NA 5 3 MS : 4 0 16 13 LA : 83 NA 87 73 TX : 35 15 79 60 MS : 64 NA 84 68 : MO : 9 NA 8 14 5 Sts : 19 13 29 23 NE : 0 NA 0 1 -------------------------------------- NM : 0 NA 0 1 These 5 States produced 97% of the OK : 4 NA 21 10 1996 rice crop. SD : 3 NA 7 4 TX : 54 NA 60 67 : Barley: Percent Harvested, 12 Sts: 23 NA 26 27 Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the : Week Ending : 1996 sorghum crop. :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. Spring Wheat: Percent Harvested, -------------------------------------- Selected States : Percent -------------------------------------- : : Week Ending : ID : 66 50 66 63 :-----------------------: 1992- MN : 80 46 59 67 State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 MT : 56 34 69 48 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. ND : 81 52 74 69 -------------------------------------- SD : 91 79 98 96 : Percent WA : 94 77 82 83 : : ID : 61 42 67 61 6 Sts : 75 50 72 65 MN : 72 35 54 49 -------------------------------------- MT : 56 34 78 47 These 6 States produced 83% of the ND : 69 36 60 45 1996 barley crop. SD : 94 78 96 90 : 5 Sts : 69 41 68 52 -------------------------------------- These 5 States produced 96% of the 1996 spring wheat crop. Oats: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 100 100 100 100 MI : 99 93 84 82 MN : 90 68 96 88 NE : 100 100 100 100 ND : 79 48 70 60 OH : 100 96 100 100 PA : 91 86 91 91 SD : 96 90 99 97 WI : 90 76 93 86 : 9 Sts : 91 78 91 86 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 70% of the 1996 oats crop. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Aug 31,:Aug 24,:Aug 31,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 1 0 2 NA FL : 9 4 5 NA GA : 1 0 1 NA NC : 0 0 0 NA OK : 0 0 0 NA SC : 7 6 5 NA TX : 1 0 0 NA VA : 0 0 0 NA : 8 Sts : 1 0 1 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 26 50 13 AL : 1 8 61 26 4 GA : 0 4 24 66 6 AR : 2 11 33 42 12 IL : 3 12 37 41 7 GA : 4 9 32 49 6 IN : 3 9 32 46 10 IL : 2 9 33 47 9 IA : 2 8 26 53 11 IN : 2 6 30 50 12 KS : 1 10 20 48 21 IA : 3 6 25 54 12 KY : 5 17 43 32 3 KS : 0 5 23 56 16 MI : 3 11 32 42 12 KY : 2 8 40 43 7 MN : 2 3 20 54 21 LA : 3 16 26 50 5 MO : 7 20 36 31 6 MI : 2 6 25 50 17 NE : 3 7 26 49 15 MN : 3 4 32 53 8 NC : 7 9 32 49 3 MS : 2 6 20 57 15 OH : 1 6 25 50 18 MO : 5 16 39 34 6 PA : 10 22 37 28 3 NE : 2 11 33 47 7 SD : 0 5 18 46 31 NC : 3 5 23 63 6 TX : 1 5 21 51 22 OH : 1 5 25 49 20 WI : 0 3 13 52 32 SC : 1 10 24 55 10 : SD : 1 6 18 47 28 17 Sts : 3 8 27 48 14 TN : 1 5 26 49 19 : : Prev Wk : 2 8 27 48 15 19 Sts : 2 8 29 49 12 Prev Yr : 3 9 26 45 17 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 2 8 30 48 12 Prev Yr : 3 10 30 46 11 -------------------------------------- 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 18 55 24 2 AR : 0 2 21 51 26 AZ : 0 2 9 51 38 CA : 0 0 50 50 0 AR : 0 19 37 38 6 LA : 0 2 28 60 10 CA : 0 0 0 60 40 MS : 0 2 8 71 19 GA : 2 11 27 49 11 TX : 0 6 55 31 8 LA : 3 11 39 43 4 : MS : 3 6 26 53 12 5 Sts : 0 2 30 52 16 MO : 2 19 30 43 6 : NM : 0 2 22 51 25 Prev Wk : 0 2 31 53 14 NC : 4 13 27 52 4 Prev Yr : 0 2 15 61 22 OK : 0 1 19 72 8 -------------------------------------- SC : 1 7 27 60 5 TN : 2 7 29 52 10 TX : 1 10 33 49 7 Peanut: Crop Condition : by Percent, Selected States 14 Sts : 1 10 29 49 11 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 2 10 28 49 11 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 3 10 28 43 16 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AL : 0 9 58 27 6 FL : 0 1 34 63 2 Sorghum: Crop Condition GA : 2 11 32 46 9 by Percent, Selected States NC : 1 11 54 33 1 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 2 33 62 3 State : VP : P : F : G : EX SC : 0 1 17 73 9 -------------------------------------- TX : 4 11 20 48 17 : Percent VA : 4 7 35 42 12 : : AR : 2 13 46 36 3 8 Sts : 2 9 35 45 9 CO : 0 1 8 63 28 : IL : 5 15 32 46 2 Prev Wk : 0 7 30 50 13 KS : 0 6 20 58 16 Prev Yr : 1 8 34 51 6 LA : 0 3 38 58 1 -------------------------------------- MS : 1 6 25 63 5 MO : 5 13 35 41 6 NE : 3 11 37 40 9 NM : 1 3 36 60 0 OK : 0 1 8 87 4 SD : 0 1 12 72 15 TX : 0 5 27 58 10 : 12 Sts : 1 6 25 56 12 : Prev Wk : 1 5 24 59 11 Prev Yr : 3 5 20 53 19 -------------------------------------- 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 : 1 9 49 36 5 :: NJ : 0 0 40 60 0 AZ : 5 16 40 37 2 :: NM : 1 4 20 60 15 AR : 3 21 41 33 2 :: NY : 0 42 40 18 0 CA : 15 15 30 40 0 :: NC : 10 19 37 33 1 CO : 1 3 30 43 23 :: ND : 13 32 34 21 0 CT : 0 0 13 87 0 :: OH : 2 7 32 49 10 DE : 10 29 46 14 1 :: OK : 0 5 19 66 10 FL : 0 0 30 55 15 :: OR : 10 4 36 35 15 GA : 5 13 37 42 3 :: PA : 10 20 50 20 0 ID : 0 3 23 54 20 :: RI : 0 0 10 60 30 IL : 5 17 34 39 5 :: SC : 5 32 42 19 2 IN : 5 14 34 41 6 :: SD : 1 4 22 53 20 IA : 11 25 36 25 3 :: TN : 2 14 36 43 5 KS : 3 6 27 54 10 :: TX : 3 14 43 35 5 KY : 6 20 42 29 3 :: UT : 3 3 14 60 20 LA : 1 7 41 48 3 :: VT : 0 18 47 31 4 ME : 2 32 37 21 8 :: VA : 20 34 35 11 0 MD : 19 24 32 25 0 :: WA : 18 8 28 36 10 MA : 2 7 28 31 32 :: WV : 1 4 36 55 4 MI : 3 20 41 32 4 :: WI : 1 3 19 57 20 MN : 4 12 31 48 5 :: WY : 0 2 15 62 21 MS : 1 6 26 57 10 :: : MO : 7 24 42 23 4 :: 48 Sts : 5 14 33 40 8 MT : 3 10 31 44 12 :: : NE : 10 24 30 34 2 :: Prev Wk: 4 14 32 42 8 NV : 0 0 20 72 8 :: Prev Yr: 4 16 32 41 7 NH : 0 5 23 72 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 9, 1997. 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