Release January 26, 1999 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 86, No. 4 January 17 - 23, 1999 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Heavy precipitation gradually shifted southward from the Northwest into northern and central California, easing flood concerns west of the Cascades and improving the Sierra Nevada snow pack. During the mid- to late-week period, a major storm system delivered heavy precipitation, mostly rain, from the Mississippi Valley eastward. Severe thunderstorms spawned about six dozen tornadoes across the South on January 21-22, more than half of which struck Arkansas on Thursday. In the eastern Corn Belt, the combination of heavy rain and snow melt resulted in widespread flooding, submerging some low-lying soft red winter wheat fields and increasing the risk of soil heaving. Farther east, however, rain further eased long-term moisture deficits along the East Coast. Late-week rains in Peninsular Florida reduced irrigation requirements for winter crops and citrus groves. Meanwhile, hard red winter wheat areas on the Plains benefited from light precipitation, which replenished protective snow cover in northern areas and moistened dry topsoils elsewhere. Although cooler air spread across the Plains and Midwest in the storm's wake, weekly temperatures averaged above normal nationwide. Nationally, nearly 100 daily-record highs were established during the week, and high temperatures exceeded 80 degrees F in parts of the southern Atlantic and Gulf Coast States. Weekly temperatures ranged from slightly above normal along the West Coast to as much as 20 degrees F above normal in the Ohio Valley. Coast-to-coast warmth dominated the Nation for much of the week. On Sunday, daily-record highs included 70 degrees F in Bakersfield, CA and 86 degrees F in Brownsville, TX. A day later, highs soared to daily- record levels as far north as Pueblo, CO (71 degrees F) and Goodland, KS (69 degrees F). On the Texas Plains, highs on Wednesday reached 85 degrees F in San Angelo and 82 degrees F in Abilene. Across southern Texas, Thursday's maxima included 88 degrees F in Corpus Christi and 91 degrees F in McAllen. Warmth spread into the East toward week's end ahead of a strong cold front. In eastern Kentucky, January-record highs were established on Friday in Jackson (77 degrees F) and London (74 degrees F). Meanwhile, highs surged to 86 degrees F in Sarasota, FL and 81 degrees F in Florence, SC. On Saturday, Morgantown, WV recorded 73 degrees F, their highest January temperature since January 21, 1959. Early in the week, a fast-moving storm deposited light snow across the upper Midwest, produced strong winds across the North, and sparked severe thunderstorms in the Southeast. In Iowa (and surrounding areas), strong wind gusts--including 52 mph in Spencer and 48 mph in Des Moines--accompanied the snow, briefly producing near-blizzard conditions. Across New England, gusts were clocked to 56 mph in Windsor Locks, CT and 53 mph in Worcester, MA. Meanwhile, monthly snowfall totals continued to grow across the northern Plains and Great Lakes region. In North Dakota, Williston's total (24.9 inches through January 23) was more than three times their January normal. Through the 23rd, this month was the third-snowiest January on record in locations such as Milwaukee, WI (36.9 inches), Minneapolis, MN (32.6 inches), and Detroit, MI (23.4 inches). Tremendous snows developed across parts of the Intermountain West at midweek. In Utah's Wasatch Range, Alta netted 33 inches in 24 hours on January 20-21. In western Colorado, 96-hour (January 18-22) snowfall reached 28.0 inches in Crested Butte and 27.4 inches in Ouray. Farther west, the water equivalent of the Sierra Nevada snow pack improved to 16 inches (91 percent of normal) on January 25, up from 9 inches (59 percent) just 10 days earlier, according to the California Department of Water Resources. As storminess shifted east of the Rockies after midweek, the rapid development of a low-pressure system across the southern Plains produced the lowest January pressure on record (29.39 inches on January 22) in Brownsville, TX. The storm system also sparked the previously mentioned early-season outbreak of severe We 1 (1-99) thunderstorms. Arkansas' preliminary count of 38 tornadoes on Thursday eclipsed the single-day State record of 34, set on June 5, 1916. Just days earlier, numerous tornadoes had ripped across Tennessee, leaving 10 people dead. After 129 U.S. tornado-related deaths in 1998--the most since 1974--the tornado outbreaks of January 17 and 21-22 resulted in 17 fatalities. According to the Storm Prediction Center, the Nation's monthly total of 150 tornadoes (through the 23rd) easily surpassed the previous January record of 52, set in 1975. Late-week rainfall totaled greater than 1 inch in most areas east of a line from easternmost Texas to Upper Michigan. As much as 4 to 7 inches pelted the Tennessee and lower Ohio River Valleys. Farther north, snow cover in Lansing, MI diminished from 20 inches on January 17 to 3 inches on January 23. In New York, Buffalo noted a drop from 30 inches on the 15th to just an inch 10 days later. During the same period, 15 inches of snow disappeared from Findlay, OH, while a foot melted away in Fort Wayne, IN. Ice jams aggravated high river levels in many areas from the eastern Great Lakes States into the Northeast. Particularly severe flooding was noted in northern Indiana's Wabash River basin, where the Tippecanoe River crested on January 25 at 3.3 feet above flood stage, but 1.9 feet shy of the August 20, 1990, high- water mark. The Wabash River at Lafayette, IN crested approximately 11 feet above flood stage on January 24, the highest level there since April 1994. As of January 25, water levels ranged from 0.4 to 6.3 feet above flood stage (and were rising) on the lower Ohio River, with crests expected to range between 4.0 and 11.7 feet above flood stage from January 26-28. Bitterly cold weather gripped Alaska for much of the week, producing temperatures generally 5 to 13 degrees F below normal. Milder air rapidly overtook the State at week's end, however, resulting in phenomenal temperature swings. For example, McGrath's temperature dropped to -43 degrees F on Wednesday, then climbed to 39 degrees F, a daily-record high, on Saturday. McGrath also posted a 1-day rise of 66 degrees F, from Friday's low of -27 degrees F to Saturday's aforementioned high). Similarly, Fairbanks noted a 2-day rise of 71 degrees F, from a minimum of -43 degrees F on Thursday to a maximum of 28 degrees F on Saturday. National Agricultural Summary January 18 - 24, 1999 Highlights: Most of the United States east of the Mississippi River received precipitation in some form. A few areas around the Great Lakes and northern New England received snow, but most areas received rain due to spring-like temperatures. Tornados ripped through parts of the lower Mississippi Valley early in the week. Later, rain and melting snow caused isolated flooding in parts of the middle and northern Atlantic Coast States. Despite the flooding, most areas welcomed the rain, as reservoirs and soils were recharged. In Florida, soil moisture was adequate in the Panhandle, but remained short in most of the Peninsula. Warm weather boosted vegetable growth, while dry weather aided sugarcane planting and harvesting. The combination of spring-like temperatures and rain aided small grain development in the Southeast. Wheat fields in the southern Plains also benefited from warm weather, but growth was limited due to lack of moisture. The dry weather allowed fruit, vegetable, and pecan growers to proceed with harvest and other field operations. The central and northern Great Plains and most of the western Corn Belt also remained dry, while the higher elevations of the central and northern Rockies received additional snow. Heavy rains continued along coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest and extended southward into California. In northern California, rain and warmer weather promoted development of small grains, winter forages, alfalfa, and emerging sugarbeets. Where conditions were drier, farmers planted wheat, cut alfalfa, harvested fruits and vegetables, sprayed for insects and weeds, and prepared seed beds for row crops. The next "Weekly Weather & Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on February 2, 1999. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities 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). 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