We 1 (1-00) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released January 4, 2000, 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 87, No. 1 December 26, 1999 - January 1, 2000 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Dry weather prevailed nearly nationwide, while near-record to record warmth spread as far east as the Plains. By week's end, cold conditions eased significantly across the Midwest and East. Weekly temperatures averaged 7 to 25 degrees F above normal in the Plains and western Corn Belt. The unusual warmth eliminated snow cover on the northern Plains, where temperatures averaged above normal for a 10th consecutive week and highs occasionally exceeded 60 degrees F as far north as Montana. In contrast, weekly readings averaged as much as 6 degrees F below normal in Florida and the Pacific Northwest. In the latter region, persistent fog cloaked many interior valleys. Florida's early-week cool snap resulted in temperatures as low as 35 degrees F in northernmost citrus and vegetable areas. Toward week's end, light precipitation developed across the Southwest, providing limited relief from extremely dry autumn and early-winter conditions. For the second consecutive week, more than 100 daily-record highs were set or tied nationally. However, the core of record warmth shifted from California to the Plains and upper Midwest. Early in the week, warm conditions lingered in California, where Bakersfield notched consecutive record highs on December 26-27 (71 degrees F both days). Meanwhile in North Dakota, Minot posted six record highs in a row from December 24-29 (47, 48, 44, 50, 51, and 52 degrees F). More than 50 record highs were established on Wednesday, including 80 degrees F in Austin (Bergstrom), TX, 75 degrees F in Larned, KS, 64 degrees F in Lincoln, NE, and 62 degrees F in Yankton, SD. Another surge of record warmth arrived on New Year's Day, when highs peaked at 76 degrees F in Midland, TX and 75 degrees F in Ashland, KS. In contrast, cold weather and snow showers lingered in the Great Lakes region. On Tuesday, a daily-record snowfall (5.4 inches) blanketed Grand Rapids, MI, helping to lift their monthly total to 18.4 inches. December snowfall reached 29.7 inches in Erie, PA. However, as late-week temperatures rose above normal, snow quickly melted across the Ohio Valley and much of the Great Lakes region. At week's end, light precipitation in parts of the Southwest ended record-setting dry spells. In Arizona, Flagstaff netted 0.21 inch (6.3 inches of snow) on Saturday, halting their streak without measurable precipitation at 99 days (September 24 - December 31). Their previous record, 93 days, had been set in April-July 1974. Phoenix, AZ received no rain (2.31 inches below normal) during the last 3 months of 1999, breaking their record of a trace, set in October-December 1917. On New Year's Day, however, Phoenix received 0.01 inch of rain, ending their record-breaking rainless streak at 100 days (September 23 - December 31). In southern California, enough rain (0.29 inch) dampened San Diego on December 31 to boost the seasonal total (0.38 inch through December) slightly above their July-December record of 0.24 inch, set in 1962. Downtown Los Angeles, CA also netted their first measurable rainfall of the month (0.40 inch) on December 31. Meanwhile, locally heavy snow developed in the Rocky Mountain region. In southwestern Colorado, 24-hour snowfall on January 1-2 reached 28 inches at Wolf Creek Pass. Bitterly cold weather persisted across western Alaska and returned to the eastern interior. Cold Bay registered their coldest December on record with an average temperature of 21.2 degrees F, 9.8 degrees F below normal. Their previous standard, 25.8 degrees F, had been set in 1959. McGrath noted consecutive daily-record lows (-53 and -59 degrees F) on December 30-31. Meanwhile in Fairbanks, the temperature plunged to -53 degrees F on December 31, just 9 days after a high of 45 degrees F. New Year's Eve featured Fairbanks' lowest daily average temperature (-49 degrees F) since January 1975. In sharp contrast, Juneau tallied their sixth and seventh consecutive daily-record highs (53 and 48 degrees F) on December 26-27. Juneau also received 7.52 inches of rain from December 20-28, including a December calendar-day record of 2.67 inches on the 27th, lifting their monthly total to 10.30 inches (232 percent of normal). Meanwhile in Hawaii, very cool conditions (as much as 3 degrees F below normal) prevailed. On the Big Island, Hilo posted daily-record lows on Sunday (60 degrees F), Wednesday (59 degrees F), and Thursday (59 degrees F). National Agricultural Summary December 27, 1999 - January 2, 2000 Highlights: During the week, well-above-normal temperatures and mostly dry weather continued across the country. The wheat crop lacked snow cover across much of the Corn Belt and Great Plains, but with the mild conditions during December, very little freeze damage has occurred thus far. Spotty stands of wheat are due to a lack of moisture. With the warm, dry weather, there are concerns about insect activity. Reports of greenbug activity in the Kansas wheat crop were common. Sugarbeets stored outside are in need of colder weather to prevent damage in North Dakota. Rain was needed badly in California where some wheat fields required irrigation in order to germinate and emerge. Field activities made good progress in California, including seeding of wheat, barley, and oats. Florida producers were running their irrigation systems to maintain good tree conditions. Cool weather early in the week caused no significant damage to the vegetable crop in Florida, where vegetable harvest continued. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12:00 p.m. ET on January 11, 2000. 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.) 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