Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 6, 1999, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and 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. 14 March 28 - April 3, 1999 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Beneficial precipitation, accompanied by sharply cooler weather, overspread the Southwest, improving topsoil moisture and spring runoff prospects, but slowing crop development. Weekly temperatures ranged from 2 to 4 degrees F below normal in Arizona and averaged as much as 10 degrees F below normal in California. Widespread snow fell after midweek from the mountains of southern California and Arizona northeastward to the northern Plains. In contrast, warm, mostly dry conditions prevailed across Peninsular Florida, further reducing soil moisture and increasing irrigation demands. Above-normal temperatures dominated the eastern half of the Nation, promoting rapid development of winter grains and spring-sown crops. Temperature departures ranged from +4 to +16 degrees F from the Great Lakes and Midwestern States into the Northeast, favoring spring fieldwork. Late-week showers and thunderstorms, some locally severe, halted fieldwork and spring planting from the Mississippi Valley southwestward into the eastern portions of Oklahoma and Texas. Early in the week, warm weather prevailed across the Southwest. On Tuesday, Safford, AZ logged a daily-record high of 87 degrees F. By midweek, however, warmth shifted eastward as a series of disturbances carved out a stormy pattern in the West. High winds swept across the Southwest on Wednesday in conjunction with the first storm. In eastern Arizona, gusts were clocked to 104 mph in St. Johns and 93 mph in Winslow. Farther north, snowfall on March 31 included 8.1 inches, a daily-record total, in Great Falls, MT and 5.1 inches in Boise, ID. As snow expanded throughout the West and portions of the Plains, April 1-3 totals reached 28.4 inches in Lander, WY, 12.7 inches in Bismarck, ND, and 9.2 inches in Colorado Springs, CO. Freezing rain glazed eastern North Dakota and adjacent areas. Weekly snowfall in Flagstaff, AZ, 28.0 inches, accounted for nearly 49 percent of their season-to-date total. By week's end, snow depths reached 7 inches in Red River, NM; 12 inches on southern California's Mt. Laguna; and 48 inches on Mt. Lemmon, near Tucson, AZ. We 1 (4-99) Tucson netted 1.17 inches of rain on Thursday, their wettest April day on record and greatest single-day total since October 26, 1996, when 1.61 inches fell. The wet weather in Tucson also ended a 115-day period (December 7 to March 31), during which measurable rain fell only once (0.01 inch on January 26). Meanwhile in the Great Lakes region, rain finally returned to Green Bay, WI and Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday, after 24 days (March 10 - April 2) without measurable precipitation. Green Bay's previous longest March dry spell was 18 days in 1949; Grand Rapids last had more consecutive dry days (32, from August 30 to September 30) in 1979. Along the Red River, precipitation and runoff pushed water levels significantly higher. Between March 29 and April 5, the Red River at Pembina, ND rose 10.4 feet, to 2.7 feet above flood stage. The river is forecast to rise another 5 to 6 feet in Pembina before cresting on April 18 more than 4 feet below the record set on April 26, 1997. In East Grand Forks, MN, an area submerged by the record-setting 1997 flood, the Red River stood at 14.8 feet above flood stage on April 5, but was 11.6 feet below the high-water mark. Despite late-week rain, very mild weather prevailed across the Central and Eastern States. On Wednesday, Green Bay's maximum of 73 degrees F was their fifth-highest March temperature on record. A day earlier, highs topped 70 degrees F for the first time this year in locations such as LaCrosse, WI and Des Moines, IA. Daily-record highs were established in nearly two dozen locations on Saturday, including Grand Rapids (80 degrees F), Chattanooga, TN (88 degrees F), and Tampa, FL (90 degrees F). Farther west, late-week thunderstorms swept from the eastern Plains to the Mississippi Valley, producing localized damage. A tornado struck Benton, LA on Saturday, resulting in six fatalities. Paducah, KY received 3.40 inches of rain, a daily-record total. Farther east, weekly rainfall totaled an inch or more in only a few locations, including southern Maine and the southern Appalachians, despite frequent showers. In California's Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, below-normal temperatures and scattered frost slowed crop development. Bakersfield experienced their lowest March average temperature (52.6 degrees F, 4.8 degrees F below normal) since 1952 and notched three daily-record lows (36 degrees F on March 28, 36 degrees F on April 1, and 35 degrees F on April 2) during the week. Farther north, Redding, CA posted daily-record lows (32 and 30 degrees F) on the last 2 days of March. Although bitterly cold weather gripped northern Alaska in late March, weekly temperatures were only 0 to 5 degrees F below normal statewide. Umiat noted consecutive daily-record lows (-47 and -45 degrees F) on March 28 and 29. With a maximum of -32 degrees F on Monday, Prudhoe Bay experienced their latest high temperature on record at or below -30 degrees F (formerly set on March 25, 1969). National Agricultural Summary March 29 - April 4, 1999 Highlights: Heavy rains halted fieldwork and eroded hillsides in the lower Mississippi Valley and adjacent areas of the southern Great Plains and middle Mississippi Valley. Light rainfall moistened soils and temporarily delayed spring tillage and fertilizing in parts of the Southeast, lower Ohio Valley, Corn Belt, and Southwest. The rain in the Southwest and several inches of snow in the northern Great Plains improved soil moisture levels, but soils remained abnormally dry in many areas of both regions. Below-normal temperatures hindered crop development in the central and northern High Plains and California. Coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest remained cold and rainy, hindering crop conditions and promoting diseases. Wildfires began to spread in Florida due to abnormally hot, dry weather. Winter Wheat: Two percent of the Nation's winter wheat was headed, equal to the average for this date. Above-normal temperatures promoted rapid development in the Great Plains, Corn Belt, and Southeast. In the lower Mississippi Valley, rain and cloud cover hindered development, while wheat fields in the southern Plains benefited from light rainfall and sunnier skies. In the northern Plains, crop development benefited from light showers, but continued to be hindered by abnormally dry soils. In the northern Rocky Mountains, mild temperatures and lack of snow cover promoted higher Vole populations, but crop damage has not been severe. Corn: Nationally, 3 percent of the corn acreage was planted, 1 percent ahead of the 5-year average. Progress was aided by dry weather in the Atlantic Coastal Plains and northern Texas. Rain briefly delayed planting in parts of southern and eastern Texas, but stimulated emergence and growth of earlier-planted fields. Dry weather aided field preparation across most of the Corn Belt, but planting was limited to areas along the southern Ohio and middle Mississippi River Valleys and in the central Great Plains. Elsewhere in the Corn Belt, growers waited for the risk of a killing freeze to diminish. Cotton: Planting advanced to 4 percent, slightly behind the normal pace of 6 percent. Cool weather delayed planting in the Southwest, where progress has fallen well behind the normal pace for the second consecutive year. Growers made normal planting progress in the southern Great Plains despite temporary rain delays in eastern and southern Texas. Rain in the lower Mississippi Valley halted field preparations, but aided emergence and growth of earlier-planted fields in eastern and southern Texas. Dry conditions stimulated field preparations along the eastern Gulf Coast and in the Atlantic Coastal Plains, but dry soils discouraged planting. Small grains: Oats planted was 13 percent, ahead of the 5-percent normal pace, due to rapid progress in the Corn Belt, where dry conditions prevailed. Barley planted was 5 percent, compared with 2 percent normally planted by this date. Progress was aided by dry weather in the barley-producing region of the northern Rocky Mountains. Spring wheat planting advanced to 3 percent, slightly ahead of the average due to dry conditions in the northern Great Plains. Other crops: Rice planted, at 12 percent, was 3 percentage points ahead of normal due to rapid progress along the western Gulf Coast. Inland areas of the Mississippi Delta were too wet, and weather in California was too cold to plant rice. Thirteen percent of the sorghum acreage was planted, 2 percentage points behind normal. Planting was delayed by dry soils in the southern High Plains and wet weather in the Mississippi Delta . Corn: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4, :Mar 28,:Apr 4, : 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 0 NA 0 0 GA : 74 NA 54 63 IL : 1 NA 0 0 IN : 0 NA 0 0 IA : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 1 NA 0 1 KY : 1 NA 0 1 MI : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 0 NA 0 0 MO : 4 NA 4 5 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 12 NA 11 10 OH : 0 NA 0 0 PA : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 51 NA 40 44 WI : 0 NA 0 0 : 17 Sts: 3 NA 2 2 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 17 States planted 90% of last year's corn acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Headed, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 NA 7 5 CA : 30 NA 26 21 CO : 0 NA 0 0 GA : 22 NA 7 17 ID : 0 NA 0 0 IL : 0 NA 0 0 IN : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 0 NA 0 0 MI : 0 NA 0 0 MO : 0 NA 0 0 MT : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 15 NA 6 4 OH : 0 NA 0 0 OK : 1 NA 0 1 OR : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 7 NA 7 7 WA : 0 NA 0 0 : 19 Sts: 2 NA 2 2 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 19 States planted 91% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 1 NA 1 1 AZ : 10 NA 14 24 AR : 0 NA 0 0 CA : 2 NA 4 9 GA : 1 NA 1 1 LA : 0 NA 0 0 MS : 0 NA 0 0 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NM : 0 NA 0 1 NC : 0 NA 1 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 SC : 0 NA 0 0 TN : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 9 NA 9 10 : 14 Sts: 4 NA 5 6 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 14 States planted 98% of last year's cotton acreage. Spring Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 20 NA 20 24 MN : 0 NA 0 0 MT : 2 NA 1 1 ND : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 17 NA 3 1 : 5 Sts : 3 NA 1 1 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 5 States planted 96% of last year's spring wheat acreage. Sorghum: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 3 NA 0 5 CO : 0 NA 0 0 IL : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 1 NA 1 3 MS : 0 NA 0 0 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NM : 0 NA 0 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 35 NA 37 40 : 12 Sts: 13 NA 14 15 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 12 States planted 99% of last year's sorghum acreage. Barley: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 0 NA 0 0 MT : 5 NA 2 1 ND : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 10 NA 1 0 WA : 30 NA 50 20 : 6 Sts : 5 NA 6 2 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 6 States planted 83% of last year's barley acreage. Oats: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 57 NA 1 20 MI : 0 NA 0 0 MN : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 30 NA 14 22 ND : 0 NA 0 0 OH : 23 NA 16 11 PA : 9 NA 17 10 SD : 12 NA 2 1 WI : 14 NA 1 1 : 9 Sts : 13 NA 3 5 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 9 States planted 57% of last year's oat acreage. Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1994- State:Apr 4,:Mar 28 , :Apr 4,: 1998 : 1999 : 1999 : 1998 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 NA 0 0 CA : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 46 NA 37 32 MS : 3 NA 4 7 TX : 30 NA 31 25 : 5 Sts : 12 NA 10 9 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 5 States planted 96% of last year's rice acreage. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 1 13 62 24 CA : 0 0 0 100 0 CO : 2 8 29 51 10 GA : 1 7 32 52 8 ID : 0 2 12 66 20 IL : 1 2 29 61 7 IN : 0 3 23 55 19 KS : 0 4 24 51 21 MI : 1 4 33 52 10 MO : 1 5 31 54 9 MT : 2 15 45 36 2 NE : 0 3 30 62 5 NC : 0 3 18 72 7 OH : 1 2 14 56 27 OK : 0 0 16 73 11 OR : 0 21 45 33 1 SD : 0 3 17 55 25 TX : 5 11 34 45 5 WA : 2 5 51 39 3 : 19 Sts : 1 5 26 55 13 : Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA Prev Yr : 0 4 20 57 19 -------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 1998 planted acres. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" will be released at noon ET on April 13, 1999. 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