We 1 (10-98) Release October 6, 1998 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agricultural. For information on "Weekly Weather & Crop Bulletin" call Mark E. Miller at (202) 720-7621, office hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary Volume 85, No. 40 September 27 - October 3, 1998 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Hurricane Georges slammed into the Gulf Coast near Biloxi, MS on the morning of September 28, with sustained winds near 105 mph. The storm weakened and drifted eastward during the next 3 days, producing torrential rainfall and flooding. Storm-total rainfall ranged from 8 to locally more than 20 inches in parts of southern Alabama and western Florida, possibly damaging cotton, which was mostly in the open boll stage of development, and halting peanut harvesting. Slightly lesser amounts of rain (2 to 8 inches) soaked southern Georgia. Meanwhile in the Corn Belt, corn and soybean harvesting rapidly progressed until the arrival of late-week showers. Much-needed rain dampened the central and southern Plains, improving prospects for winter wheat establishment. The season's first freeze occurred in the Red River Valley and surrounding areas on October 1 and 2, several days later than normal. Farther west, cool weather prevailed in California, where weekly temperatures were as much as 10 degrees F below normal. In contrast, warm weather across the South resulted in departures ranging from +5 to +12 degrees F. Early in the week, very warm weather continued across the Eastern, Central, and Southern States. During the last 7 days of September, more than 150 daily-record highs were established in these areas. On Sunday, highs soared into the 90's degrees F as far north as Philadelphia, PA (91 degrees F) and Springfield, IL (91 degrees F). Highs reached 98 degrees F in Houston, TX (on Monday) and Liberal, KS (on Tuesday). On Wednesday, a high of 96 degrees F in Little Rock, AR marked their 110th day of 90-degree heat this year, second only to 115 such days in 1954. After passing near Key West, FL on September 25, Hurricane Georges approached the central Gulf Coast. (For a short period on September 25-26, there were four hurricanes--Georges, along with Ivan, Jeanne, and Karl in the eastern Atlantic Ocean--simultaneously in the Atlantic Basin for the first time since August 1893.) An approaching cold front helped to steer the hurricane on a more northward course before landfall, and to turn the storm's remnants eastward across northernmost Florida. In southern Alabama and extreme western Florida, storm surges ranged from 5 to 12 feet, breaching Dauphin Island, AL and several other barrier islands. Major flooding occurred in most basins across western Florida and southern Alabama, including the Perdido, Escambia, Blackwater, and Yellow Rivers. Storm-total rainfall approached 30 inches in a few locations, including Bay Minette, AL (29.66 inches), Gulf Breeze, FL (26.87 inches), and Eglin AFB, near Valparaiso, FL (24.24 inches). At midweek, sharply cooler air overspread much of the Nation. On Thursday, lingering heat across the South resulted in an October-record high of 94 degrees F in New Orleans, LA. Farther north, a hard freeze on October 2 produced lows of 20 degrees F in both Grand Forks, ND and Hayward, WI. Meanwhile, Virginia's Dulles Airport notched a daily-record low of 32 degrees F. Near the boundary of contrasting air masses, frequent showers and thunderstorms occurred across the central and southern Plains. Weekly rainfall totaled generally 1 to 4 inches across most of Kansas, Oklahoma, southeastern Colorado, and northern Texas, with locally higher totals near the Kansas-Oklahoma border. Late-week highs struggled to only 47 degrees F in Dubuque, IA on Friday, and 48 degrees F a day later in North Platte, NE. Snowfall blanketed higher elevations of the West, including a 3-inch depth by Sunday morning (October 4) in Telluride, CO. National Agricultural Summary September 28 - October 4, 1998 Highlights: Crops continued to rapidly mature across most of the southern United States, as parts of the southern Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, and Southeast experienced record-high temperatures. The harvest pace gained momentum in the Corn Belt and Great Plains due to dry weather. Heavy rains from Hurricane Georges damaged crops and halted fieldwork along the eastern Gulf coast. Late-week rains also halted fieldwork in the central Great Plains, but the moisture aided germination and growth of winter wheat. Temperatures were unseasonably cool in the Southwest, but crops continued to quickly mature. Below-normal temperatures slowed crop development across the northern Great Plains and western Great Lakes region. Corn: Ninety-five percent of the Nation's corn has reached maturity and 31 percent has been harvested, more than 1 week ahead of normal for both categories. Normally by this date, 80 percent would be mature and 16 percent would be harvested. Cooler weather slowed crop maturation across the northern Corn Belt and adjacent areas of the Great Plains. However, the crop continued to rapidly develop in the eastern Corn Belt and central High Plains. Scattered late-week rains interfered with harvest progress in the western Corn Belt, but caused little or no delays in the eastern Corn Belt. Farmers made good harvest progress in the central Great Plains before heavy rains halted combines in most of Kansas and Oklahoma. Soybeans: Eighty-eight percent of the Nation's soybeans were dropping leaves, compared with the previous week's 80 percent and the average rate of 79 percent. The crop continued to rapidly progress in the Mississippi Delta region and, to a lesser extent, across the Southeast. Cooler weather contributed to slower progress across most of the Corn Belt, but most fields were approaching maturity anyway. Harvest progress advanced 21 percentage points, to 41 percent, nearly 1 week ahead of the 5-year average for this date. Dry weather for most of the week aided harvest efforts across the Corn Belt, especially in Ohio and Minnesota. Growers in the Southeast were just beginning to harvest their soybeans. Cotton: Fields with bolls opening reached 87 percent, 1 week ahead of normal. Development slowed in the southern Plains and Southeast, where progress was nearly complete. In California, development rapidly advanced in spite of below-normal temperatures. Nationally, 34 percent has been harvested, compared with 23 percent normally harvested by this date. Harvesting accelerated early in the week, but was halted along the eastern Gulf coast when Hurricane Georges came ashore. Farmers in the lower Mississippi Valley, unhindered by Georges' heavy rains, made excellent progress, especially in Louisiana, where growers harvested nearly half of their cotton. Heavy rain and severe flooding damaged cotton fields along the eastern Gulf coast. Winter Wheat: Seeding advanced 14 percentage points, to 47 percent, but remained behind average as late-week rains slowed momentum. Most farmers welcomed the rain in spite of the planting delays, as moisture was needed to germinate seeds. Emergence reached 25 percent, up from 15 percent the previous week, but below the 29 percent average. Rice: Harvest progressed to 80 percent complete, compared with the normal pace of 75 percent. Harvest activity continued at a steady rate in the Delta rice-producing areas. In California, the pace accelerated but remained well behind normal. Sorghum: Eighty-five percent of the crop has matured, compared with 76 percent a week ago and 72 percent normally mature by this date. Warm weather aided development in the Great Plains and southern Corn Belt. Harvest accelerated, advancing 7 percentage points, to 41 percent, less than 1 week ahead of the 5-year average. Harvest activity slowed in most areas of the Delta States and accelerated in the central and northern Great Plains. Crop development and harvest progress fell behind normal in the southern Plains. Peanuts: Harvesting advanced 7 percentage points, to 28 percent, well behind the 39 percent normal pace. Progress fell further behind normal in the major peanut-producing States in the Southeast due to heavy rains and flooding from hurricane Georges. Harvest was active in the middle Atlantic Coast States, allowing progress to remain near normal. In the southern Plains, the harvest pace was slow, but remained nearly a week ahead of the 5-year average. Corn: Percent Mature, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 86 70 78 68 GA : 100 100 100 100 IL : 95 85 82 87 IN : 95 85 81 84 IA : 99 97 94 84 KS : 99 93 95 91 KY : 98 92 80 89 MI : 94 88 23 51 MN : 99 97 85 74 MO : 96 91 97 91 NE : 97 92 83 84 NC : 100 95 99 100 OH : 84 68 30 57 PA : 60 40 47 51 SD : 96 88 81 74 TX : 100 97 95 97 WI : 95 91 46 59 : 17 Sts: 95 89 79 80 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 17 States planted 90% of last year's corn acreage. Corn: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 13 6 9 9 GA : 96 95 94 93 IL : 33 22 12 15 IN : 19 14 5 12 IA : 19 13 7 9 KS : 66 53 44 39 KY : 69 59 32 44 MI : 23 11 2 7 MN : 29 18 5 7 MO : 52 42 47 36 NE : 31 21 10 10 NC : 90 75 70 73 OH : 15 9 1 7 PA : 18 7 10 11 SD : 23 14 6 6 TX : 88 84 85 84 WI : 17 10 4 7 : 17 Sts: 31 22 14 16 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 17 States harvested 92% of last year's corn acreage. Soybeans: Percent Dropping Leaves, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 71 58 66 54 AR : 56 42 38 36 GA : 50 40 74 61 IL : 84 77 89 84 IN : 96 92 93 91 IA : 98 88 96 87 KS : 94 90 88 83 KY : 69 60 53 54 LA : 91 81 88 73 MI : 91 81 67 79 MN : 99 98 99 89 MS : 88 79 76 70 MO : 80 60 79 65 NE : 98 92 97 92 NC : 35 25 28 32 OH : 97 90 86 90 SC : 15 12 23 14 SD : 100 96 98 92 TN : 78 55 55 56 : 19 Sts: 88 80 84 79 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 19 States planted 93% of last year's soybean acreage. Cotton: Percent Bolls Opening, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 90 85 70 79 AZ : 95 93 100 100 AR : 93 86 88 87 CA : 75 60 100 99 GA : 85 79 76 83 LA : 100 100 96 97 MS : 100 100 88 95 MO : 100 100 95 89 NM : 80 74 83 87 NC : 95 90 77 92 OK : 97 96 60 58 SC : 88 85 76 84 TN : 100 99 91 97 TX : 81 77 74 68 : 14 Sts: 87 82 81 81 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 14 States planted 98% of last year's cotton acreage. Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 16 6 7 7 AR : 20 11 13 10 GA : 4 1 6 4 IL : 37 17 41 30 IN : 45 20 24 25 IA : 51 24 49 29 KS : 20 13 27 18 KY : 22 10 10 7 LA : 65 47 57 38 MI : 29 10 7 12 MN : 68 36 61 24 MS : 62 49 45 32 MO : 19 7 22 12 NE : 36 14 26 28 NC : 2 0 3 2 OH : 55 20 17 22 SC : 1 0 2 1 SD : 43 21 32 20 TN : 15 2 5 5 : 19 Sts: 41 20 33 22 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 19 States harvested 93% of last year's soybean acreage. Cotton: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 42 20 8 18 AZ : 13 9 29 23 AR : 31 15 14 20 CA : 1 0 14 9 GA : 18 15 9 18 LA : 71 24 37 44 MS : 59 35 19 34 MO : 27 15 18 21 NM : 3 0 3 2 NC : 25 10 3 13 OK : 16 5 1 6 SC : 30 23 8 17 TN : 38 22 12 21 TX : 39 34 23 26 : 14 Sts: 34 23 18 23 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 14 States harvested 98% of last year's cotton acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 3 1 4 6 CA : 0 0 0 1 CO : 88 76 91 85 GA : 1 1 1 3 ID : 48 27 56 49 IL : 7 1 11 10 IN : 24 7 19 18 KS : 42 21 56 54 MI : 48 24 37 36 MO : 12 3 18 15 MT : 49 40 75 59 NE : 91 80 90 88 NC : 15 10 10 14 OH : 34 6 17 21 OK : 32 17 55 54 OR : 27 13 46 40 SD : 88 74 94 88 TX : 52 45 58 57 WA : 73 70 88 77 : 19 Sts: 47 33 57 54 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 19 States planted 91% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Sorghum: Percent Mature, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 98 96 95 97 CO : 51 30 13 34 IL : 61 42 66 66 KS : 90 78 70 65 LA : 100 100 100 99 MS : 100 100 95 99 MO : 89 81 82 74 NE : 94 89 85 73 NM : 20 8 13 28 OK : 61 35 65 39 SD : 91 76 84 74 TX : 85 82 85 87 : 12 Sts: 85 76 75 72 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 12 States planted 99% of last year's sorghum acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 0 1 2 CA : 0 0 0 0 CO : 65 45 72 59 GA : 0 0 0 1 ID : 16 8 24 18 IL : 1 0 1 2 IN : 2 1 5 3 KS : 23 9 26 27 MI : 15 3 9 12 MO : 2 0 3 3 MT : 16 4 37 19 NE : 67 46 65 60 NC : 0 0 0 0 OH : 2 0 1 2 OK : 7 3 20 19 OR : 10 2 19 14 SD : 66 40 68 64 TX : 25 17 33 33 WA : 63 55 70 60 : 19 Sts: 25 15 31 29 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 19 States planted 91% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 94 83 80 82 CO : 3 1 2 5 IL : 7 3 4 6 KS : 31 20 21 18 LA : 100 98 98 93 MS : 100 97 91 90 MO : 43 38 34 32 NE : 13 5 11 9 NM : 0 0 2 4 OK : 20 18 11 13 SD : 31 15 11 9 TX : 63 61 61 70 : 12 Sts: 41 34 35 36 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 12 States harvested 99% of last year's sorghum acreage. Rice: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 86 72 74 75 CA : 30 20 69 40 LA : 99 99 95 96 MS : 93 86 81 79 TX : 97 96 92 94 : 5 Sts : 80 71 79 75 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 5 States harvested 96% of last year's rice acreage. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1993- State:Oct 4, :Sep 27,:Oct 4, : 1997 : 1998 : 1998 : 1997 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 27 24 73 58 FL : 26 22 76 27 GA : 32 23 63 56 NC : 20 5 9 16 OK : 11 5 11 15 SC : 29 20 43 38 TX : 26 20 26 15 VA : 38 15 24 41 : 8 Sts : 28 19 47 39 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 8 States harvested 99% of last year's peanut acreage. Cotton: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 15 18 46 20 1 AZ : 3 15 45 27 10 AR : 6 19 37 31 7 CA : 0 10 45 45 0 GA : 12 25 36 23 4 LA : 17 26 33 21 3 MS : 4 12 39 42 3 MO : 15 25 41 19 0 NM : 1 7 23 48 21 NC : 1 6 20 68 5 OK : 9 15 12 58 6 SC : 7 20 43 30 0 TN : 4 12 36 37 11 TX : 24 30 29 15 2 : 14 Sts : 14 22 34 27 3 : Prev Wk : 13 19 36 28 4 Prev Yr : 2 9 32 47 10 -------------------------------------- Peanut: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 6 25 44 24 1 FL : 0 2 43 55 0 GA : 6 15 37 34 8 NC : 0 1 5 86 8 OK : 5 15 38 42 0 SC : 14 28 42 16 0 TX : 12 12 33 34 9 VA : 3 16 27 54 0 : 8 Sts : 6 14 34 40 6 : Prev Wk : 8 14 31 41 6 Prev Yr : 7 17 43 30 3 -------------------------------------- Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 9 22 42 26 1 :: NJ : 0 35 35 30 0 AZ : 4 9 22 51 14 :: NM : 9 28 37 24 2 AR : 10 32 41 17 0 :: NY : 0 16 25 59 0 CA : 0 15 20 65 0 :: NC : 28 23 29 19 1 CO : 1 7 31 54 7 :: ND : 6 21 42 30 1 CT : 0 0 32 68 0 :: OH : 7 20 36 32 5 DE : 0 40 35 25 0 :: OK : 22 25 40 13 0 FL : 0 0 30 65 5 :: OR : 2 10 53 34 1 GA : 11 17 40 27 5 :: PA : 15 35 35 14 1 ID : 0 12 28 44 16 :: RI : 0 0 38 56 6 IL : 6 17 34 39 4 :: SC : 2 8 47 41 2 IN : 12 30 42 14 2 :: SD : 5 9 28 44 14 IA : 10 14 33 34 9 :: TN : 22 36 31 11 0 KS : 1 12 36 45 6 :: TX : 18 24 33 19 6 KY : 27 34 27 11 1 :: UT : 0 6 25 55 14 LA : 8 22 39 28 3 :: VT : 0 0 18 53 29 ME : 6 35 36 23 0 :: VA : 30 39 20 11 0 MD : 16 24 32 27 1 :: WA : 0 18 47 35 0 MA : 0 47 24 25 4 :: WV : 20 23 29 23 5 MI : 23 20 35 20 2 :: WI : 3 13 35 44 5 MN : 12 25 35 25 3 :: WY : 1 7 23 58 11 MS : 6 26 34 32 2 :: : MO : 2 10 34 46 8 :: 48 Sts : 9 19 33 34 5 MT : 10 26 50 13 1 :: : NE : 3 13 36 45 3 :: Prev Wk: 9 18 34 34 5 NV : 0 0 22 70 8 :: Prev Yr: 4 15 34 41 6 NH : 0 3 24 59 14 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 1997 planted acres. The next "Weekly Weather & Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on October 14, 1998. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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