HDR1012000170101028971200WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN Released October 28, 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 Weather Summary Volume 84, No. 42 October 19 - 25, 1997 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. U.S. Highlights Wintry weather made a grand entrance this week. The coldest air of the season swept southward out of Canada early in the period, and a huge storm system brought heavy snow to the Great Plains and heavy rain to the South late in the week. The powerful winter storm paralyzed much of the central Plains with up to 2 feet of snow, howling winds, and bitter cold. In the warm sector side of the storm, an influx of Gulf moisture fueled widespread rain and thunderstorms from eastern Texas to the Southeast coast. All told, weekly precipitation totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches across most of the South, while 1- to 3-inch totals covered the central Plains. Drier weather until week's end encouraged farmers to rush harvests to completion across the Midwest. Widespread freezing temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday mornings brought the growing season to an end from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic region. Weekly temperatures averaged 6 to 9 degrees F below normal over the northern half of the continental United States. An Atlantic coastal storm left lingering rain along the mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday, October 19, while a weak cold front crossed the central States. On Monday, a second cold front penetrated the northern Plains, heralding the coldest air of the season. By Tuesday morning, temperatures had dipped into the teens across western North Dakota. As the polar high swept southward and eastward, the cold air ignited the lake-effect snow machine, bringing this season's first significant accumulations to the Great Lakes region from Monday through Wednesday. Marquette, Michigan, recorded 8 inches of snow. Thermometers saw readings dip into the 20's across most of the Corn Belt on Wednesday. On Thursday, the cold air traveled eastward, leaving 20- to 30-degree temperatures across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, mid-Atlantic States, and New England. On Friday, the second cold blast of air infiltrated the High Plains. Low pressure along a front over southeastern Colorado intensified as it tracked eastward during the next 2 days. The result was one of the great October snowstorms of the century across the central Plains States. By Sunday morning, October 26, heavy snow covered the ground from Iowa southwestward to Colorado. Twelve to 18 inches fell across southern Nebraska and northwest Kansas, but the plains and foothills of Colorado felt the brunt of the snow, with full-blown blizzard conditions from late Friday through Saturday. The 22-inch total in Denver made this the snowiest October storm since 1923. Locally, totals reached 2 to 4 feet south and west of Denver, with Palmer Lake reporting 52 inches and 15-foot snow drifts. To the east and south, heavy rains left 1- to 3-inch totals, with some higher amounts, from east Texas to Georgia during Thursday to Saturday. We-1 (10-97) National Agricultural Summary October 20 - 26, 1997 HIGHLIGHTS Dry weather the first part of the week allowed farmers to make good harvest progress throughout the United States. Farmers in the Corn Belt switched to harvesting corn as soybean harvest neared an end. At the end of the week, a major, early-season storm system brought blizzard conditions and snow to the central Plains and western Corn Belt. In the Southeast, heavy rains fell, hampering harvest but bringing much-needed moisture, as the same storm moved across the region. Below-freezing temperatures heralded an end to the growing season in all but coastal and far southern areas. Corn: Dry weather for most of the week allowed Corn Belt farmers to make good harvest progress. Farmers in Illinois harvested their State's crop at a near-record pace. In Iowa and Nebraska, growers made good harvest progress until a late-week, early-season storm brought snow and rain. After delaying harvest to reduce drying costs, Indiana farmers began actively harvesting their acreage. Nationwide, corn harvest advanced to 66 percent (%) harvested, well ahead of 44% harvested at this time last year and the 5-year average of 49%. Harvest proceeded well ahead of the normal pace in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Soybeans: Harvest of the national soybean acreage was 85% complete, compared with 72% harvested in 1996 and the average of 77%. Harvest was winding down in most Corn Belt States as all but late-planted or double-crop soybeans remained unharvested. Late-week rains slowed harvest in the Southeast. In Kansas and Nebraska, soybean growers actively harvested fields until a late-week snowstorm halted fieldwork. Michigan soybean growers took advantage of perfect harvest weather and harvested 20% of their State's acreage during the week. Cotton: Bolls were opening on virtually all of the Nation's cotton acreage. Only a few fields in the Southeast had yet to reach this stage. Harvest passed the half-way mark, 2 percentage points behind 1996 and the average. In Texas, growers made some harvest progress before midweek rains caused delays. Despite wet, cool weather in Tennessee, farmers continued to harvest cotton fields between rainfalls. Harvest progressed ahead of the normal pace in California, Louisiana, and Mississippi, but lagged behind normal elsewhere. Sorghum: Nearly all of the sorghum acreage was mature. Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma were the only major sorghum-producing States with a significant amount of acreage yet to reach maturity. Sorghum harvest advanced to 72% complete, ahead of 59% harvested in 1996 and the average of 65%. Farmers in the central Plains made rapid harvest progress until a late-week snowstorm halted activity. Harvest in Illinois and Nebraska progressed well ahead of the normal pace. In the Texas plains, harvest was slowed by wet conditions later in the week. Peanuts: Peanut harvest was 81% complete, 6 points ahead of harvest last year. Peanut harvest neared an end in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Virginia. Harvest was most active in Oklahoma, where growers harvested 19% of their State's acreage during the week. Rainfall slowed harvest activities in the other major peanut-producing States. Winter Wheat: Planting of the 1998 winter wheat crop reached 88% complete, 1 point behind 1996 but equal to the average. Farmers were able to finish planting in Colorado and Nebraska before a late-week blizzard halted fieldwork. The storm also brought snow to Kansas, where 95% of the State's acreage was planted, 2 points behind 1996 and the average. Planting was most active in the Corn Belt, where farmers immediately planted winter wheat after harvesting fall crops. Seventy-two percent of the crop was emerged, equal to 1996 but 2 points ahead of the average. Emergence was active in Illinois and Indiana after rapid planting last week. In Washington, emergence and condition were generally good throughout the State. However, some areas reported weed infestations severe enough to require producers to plow under established stands of wheat. These fields will be seeded to spring wheat next year. Corn: Percent Harvested, Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 66 53 63 45 AL : 46 37 47 36 GA : 98 97 96 97 AR : 53 34 49 47 IL : 79 59 48 59 GA : 19 16 23 17 IN : 49 25 31 46 IL : 97 89 72 87 IA : 76 49 32 43 IN : 93 87 65 84 KS : 91 78 79 79 IA : 98 94 90 93 KY : 77 75 79 81 KS : 82 59 71 74 MI : 9 7 20 26 KY : 51 32 33 43 MN : 78 59 49 40 LA : 95 86 86 74 MO : 82 69 69 64 MI : 80 60 61 64 NE : 63 45 42 44 MN : 99 97 98 91 NC : 91 87 91 91 MS : 76 69 73 62 OH : 27 13 21 35 MO : 75 60 58 64 PA : 30 25 34 34 NE : 91 79 97 93 SD : 58 32 34 32 NC : 13 12 12 13 TX : 98 93 97 98 OH : 91 84 57 81 WI : 28 13 23 31 SC : 9 6 9 7 : SD : 94 82 93 83 17 Sts: 66 48 44 49 TN : 39 25 22 31 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 92% of the 19 Sts: 85 76 72 77 1996 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1996 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 42 30 40 42 AR : 24 11 20 23 CA : 5 3 14 8 CA : 0 0 4 2 CO : 100 99 99 99 CO : 94 89 92 93 GA : 6 3 9 10 GA : 2 1 6 6 ID : 94 86 94 91 ID : 66 54 64 60 IL : 93 85 74 81 IL : 67 45 44 53 IN : 92 81 75 82 IN : 63 41 48 55 KS : 95 92 97 97 KS : 84 77 79 82 MI : 96 86 91 91 MI : 74 64 62 68 MO : 75 61 63 64 MO : 50 33 39 40 MT : 98 96 98 93 MT : 78 74 69 67 NE : 100 99 100 100 NE : 99 95 96 98 NC : 27 18 29 31 NC : 0 0 15 13 OH : 94 88 79 88 OH : 53 37 49 58 OK : 87 83 93 92 OK : 65 53 70 66 OR : 87 81 89 80 OR : 61 53 61 51 SD : 100 99 100 100 SD : 96 95 84 93 TX : 82 73 94 82 TX : 62 52 86 66 WA : 99 99 98 96 WA : 93 90 92 81 : : 19 Sts: 88 83 89 88 19 Sts: 72 63 72 70 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 92% of the These 19 States produced 92% of the 1996 winter wheat crop. 1996 winter wheat crop. Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Cotton: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 98 97 98 93 AL : 45 37 66 58 AZ : 100 100 100 100 AZ : 56 45 43 58 AR : 97 95 100 98 AR : 62 41 78 69 CA : 100 100 100 100 CA : 60 40 49 50 GA : 92 89 94 93 GA : 42 35 53 47 LA : 100 100 100 100 LA : 96 92 92 85 MS : 100 100 100 100 MS : 78 61 87 75 MO : 100 100 100 99 MO : 64 43 68 69 NM : 100 100 100 99 NM : 15 10 31 25 NC : 95 93 100 99 NC : 27 18 48 45 OK : 93 73 78 79 OK : 14 12 18 26 SC : 95 91 99 97 SC : 30 22 63 47 TN : 100 100 100 100 TN : 58 42 76 63 TX : 94 90 90 86 TX : 38 30 27 40 : : 14 Sts: 96 93 95 93 14 Sts: 51 40 53 53 -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- These 14 States produced 99% of the These 14 States produced 98% of the 1996 cotton crop. 1996 cotton crop. Sorghum: Percent Mature, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 100 100 100 100 CO : 82 74 94 87 IL : 98 95 94 94 KS : 99 96 96 94 LA : 100 100 100 100 MS : 100 100 100 100 MO : 100 95 96 97 NE : 99 96 95 98 NM : 88 80 61 76 OK : 90 86 89 85 SD : 100 99 100 96 TX : 97 93 99 97 : 12 Sts: 97 94 96 95 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1996 sorghum crop. Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 98 95 97 97 CO : 30 7 54 39 IL : 79 52 29 52 KS : 73 52 56 56 LA : 100 100 100 99 MS : 100 97 100 99 MO : 74 59 65 67 NE : 79 54 26 49 NM : 27 20 6 24 OK : 41 35 28 33 SD : 70 47 75 58 TX : 76 70 74 84 : 12 Sts: 72 58 59 65 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 99% of the 1996 sorghum crop. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1992- State:Oct 26,:Oct 19,:Oct 26,: 1996 : 1997 : 1997 : 1996 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 95 93 80 NA FL : 98 97 89 NA GA : 94 88 87 NA NC : 64 50 66 NA OK : 62 43 60 NA SC : 76 69 80 NA TX : 51 40 49 NA VA : 94 88 91 NA : 8 Sts : 81 73 75 NA -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1996 peanut crop. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 3 27 63 7 CA : 0 0 55 45 0 CO : 3 7 20 46 24 GA : 0 0 28 68 4 ID : 0 0 2 89 9 IL : 0 3 26 60 11 IN : 2 8 37 48 5 KS : 0 2 15 68 15 MI : 0 3 37 55 5 MO : 0 2 31 59 8 MT : 7 16 39 37 1 NE : 1 6 30 54 9 NC : 0 1 17 74 8 OH : 2 8 36 49 5 OK : 0 1 23 74 2 OR : 0 0 10 87 3 SD : 0 1 7 63 29 TX : 2 7 26 55 10 WA : 0 4 23 68 5 : 19 Sts : 1 4 23 62 10 : Prev Wk : 1 3 26 60 10 Prev Yr : 0 3 26 58 13 -------------------------------------- Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 3 23 31 42 1 :: NJ : 0 20 70 10 0 AZ : 9 9 28 40 14 :: NM : 1 3 23 68 5 AR : 3 16 40 39 2 :: NY : 0 25 50 25 0 CA : 5 35 25 35 0 :: NC : 2 6 39 50 3 CO : 2 5 42 42 9 :: ND : 15 32 36 17 0 CT : 0 3 46 51 0 :: OH : 5 16 40 35 4 DE : 1 23 58 18 0 :: OK : 1 11 45 41 2 FL : 5 5 30 60 0 :: OR : 0 2 47 42 9 GA : 2 15 44 37 2 :: PA : 8 23 35 32 2 ID : 0 12 15 58 15 :: RI : 0 0 50 50 0 IL : 6 14 49 29 2 :: SC : 3 13 38 45 1 IN : 10 30 39 20 1 :: SD : 0 3 22 60 15 IA : 6 21 37 31 5 :: TN : 1 11 33 47 8 KS : 2 6 29 58 5 :: TX : 2 14 44 33 7 KY : 15 34 32 17 2 :: UT : 0 4 16 64 16 LA : 2 20 50 28 0 :: VT : 0 15 50 35 0 ME : 0 0 50 50 0 :: VA : 8 20 47 23 2 MD : 3 16 34 36 11 :: WA : 5 10 50 35 0 MA : 0 20 60 20 0 :: WV : 8 15 42 32 3 MI : 2 30 37 24 7 :: WI : 0 10 35 46 9 MN : 3 20 36 38 3 :: WY : 2 4 12 69 13 MS : 3 14 31 46 6 :: : MO : 2 11 34 51 2 :: 48 Sts : 4 15 35 41 5 MT : 6 14 35 40 5 :: : NE : 6 17 29 44 4 :: Prev Wk: 4 14 36 41 5 NV : 0 0 0 97 3 :: Prev Yr: 3 14 35 42 6 NH : 0 23 41 36 0 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12:00 p.m. ET on November 4, 1997. 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