Release February 23, 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. 8 February 14 - 20, 1999 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: An early-week cool snap in the Southeast lowered temperatures to 32 degrees F or below north of a line from central Louisiana to northern Florida, burning back pastures and winter grains, but beneficially slowing fruit tree bud development. Weekly temperatures in the Southeast averaged near normal, ending a 5-week stretch of unusually warm weather. In contrast, temperatures generally ranged from 3 to 9 degrees F above normal across the Plains, Midwest, and Northeast, despite the arrival of colder air at week's end. Meanwhile, temperatures averaged as much as 5 degrees F below normal in California, continuing a 4-week cool spell along much of the West Coast. In addition, wet conditions persisted in, and west of, the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, padding an already substantial mountain snow pack, but halting fieldwork and maintaining soil saturation in lowland areas. Farther south, however, topsoils remained unfavorably dry across the Southwest and southern Texas. Scattered showers further eased long-term drought in the southern Atlantic States, while dry weather helped moisture to drain from saturated winter grain fields from the Ohio Valley southward to the Delta. On February 14-15, cold weather settled across the Southeast, while record warmth briefly returned to the Plains. On Sunday, Alexandria, LA noted a low of 29 degrees F. Farther west, more than a dozen locations reported daily-record highs, including McCook, NE (78 degrees F) and Huron, SD (60 degrees F). A day later, lows in Florida dipped to 24 degrees F in Tallahassee and 29 degrees F in Gainesville. A series of fast-moving storms delivered frequent precipitation (mostly rain) to the Eastern States and occasional light snow to the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Weekly precipitation topped 2 inches in the southern Appalachians, from northeastern Alabama to western North Carolina. In Omaha, NE, February 17-20 snowfall totaled 8.6 inches, accounting for 46 percent of their season-to-date accumulation. Through February 20, month-to-date rainfall reached 10.26 inches (185 percent of normal) in Astoria, OR and 9.70 inches (271 percent) in Santa Rosa, CA. The average water equivalent of the Sierra Nevada snow pack reached 26 inches (112 percent of normal) by February 20, up from 17 inches (90 percent) at the end of January, according to the California Department of Water Resources. In southern California, meanwhile, however, month-to-date rainfall at the L.A. Civic Center totaled only 0.56 inches (25 percent of normal), far below last year's February-record precipitation of 13.68 inches. Farther east, year-to-date rainfall through February 20 stood at 0.01 inch (1 percent of normal) in Tucson, AZ and 0.09 inch (3 percent) in San Antonio, TX. Dramatically milder air overspread Alaska, boosting weekly temperatures 10 to 17 degrees F above normal across northern and western sections. After periods during which low temperatures were below -35 degrees F on a record-setting 19 consecutive days (January 26 - February 13) and highs were below -20 degrees F on 16 consecutive days (January 26 - February 10), Fairbanks' lowest reading during the week was -12 degrees F, on Thursday. We 1 (2-99) National Agricultural Summary February 15 - 21, 1999 Highlights: Most of the Nation experienced a dry and unseasonably warm week. Temperatures were especially mild in the Corn Belt, Great Plains, northern Atlantic Coast, and Great Lakes. In Texas, winter wheat conditions improved with warmer weather, but a shortage of soil moisture hindered growth in the Plains. Dry weather allowed planting activities to continue in central, southern, and coastal parts of the State, with only brief, isolated rain delays. The Pacific Coast States remained in a cool weather pattern, and storms continued to batter coastal and low-elevation areas from central California northward with heavy rainfall, causing flooding and mud slides. In northern California, the rainy weather hampered fieldwork but aided growth of small grains, winter forages, and sugarbeets. In the higher elevations of the Sierra and Cascade Ranges, additional snow accumulations increased the risk of avalanches. Southern California continued in a cool, dry pattern. Temperatures averaged near normal in the Southeast, as a cold front brought lower temperatures and rain late in the week. The southern Appalachians received the heaviest rainfall, with lesser amounts stretching southwestward into the lower Mississippi Valley. Dry weather aided fieldwork and sugarcane harvest in Florida. As the week ended, low temperatures had not damaged citrus crops. However, many varieties had open and swelling bloom buds that were vulnerable to cold weather. The next "Weekly Weather & Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on March 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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