We 1 (3-00) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 28, 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. 13 March 19 - 25, 2000 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Heavy rain soaked the central and southern Plains, further improving soil moisture and generally benefiting winter wheat, but causing some lowland flooding and leaving some areas in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas unfavorably wet. For most of the southern High Plains, the March 21-23 rainfall represented the region's most significant precipitation since September 1999. Meanwhile, widespread rain benefited pastures and recently planted summer crops across the South, although very dry conditions persisted in much of Florida and southern Georgia. Very warm, dry weather returned to southern Texas, following the previous week's much-needed rainfall. Farther north, showers further improved topsoil moisture and eased long-term drought in the southeastern Corn Belt, while only light precipitation fell in the drought-affected western Corn Belt. Early- to mid-week rainfall locally exceeded 4 inches in parts of the Mid-Atlantic region. Above-normal temperatures returned to most areas east of the Rockies, especially across the North (as much as 15 degrees F above normal). Warm weather (weekly readings up to 7 degrees F above normal) favored winter wheat development on the central and southern Plains. Meanwhile, temperatures averaged as much as 5 degrees F below normal in the southern Rockies, where the season's most significant precipitation improved high-elevation snow packs and spring runoff prospects. In California, a second consecutive week of warm (up to 5 degrees F above normal), dry weather promoted fieldwork, including initial summer crop planting. On Sunday, Monroe, LA noted a daily-record rainfall (1.23 inches), lifting their March 18-19 total to 3.54 inches. Early-week rainfall totaled 2 to 4 inches in much of the interior Southeast, but significant amounts bypassed southern Texas, Florida, and most areas along the Gulf Coast. Nevertheless, March rainfall remained near to below normal in much of the South, maintaining large long-term moisture deficits. In Mississippi, Jackson's March 1-25 rainfall was 3.59 inches (77 percent of normal), following their driest December-February period (5.93 inches, or 37 percent of normal) on record. In Texas, Houston's August 1 - March 25 precipitation totaled 10.86 inches (43 percent of normal), on target to become their driest August-March period on record. Houston's former August-March record low, 11.42 inches, was established in 1917-18. During the period from January 1, 1999 - March 25, 2000, Houston's rainfall totaled 32.96 inches (60 percent of normal), 21.74 inches below normal. Heavy rain spread into the Mid-Atlantic region on Tuesday, resulting in record totals. March rainfall records for a 24-hour period were established in locations such as Atlantic City, NJ (3.24 inches on March 21-22, eclipsing their standard of 2.80 inches on March 2-3, 1994) and Philadelphia, PA (more than 3 inches on March 21-22, bettering the mark of 2.79 inches on March 15, 1912). Wilmington, DE reported a 2-day total of 5.17 inches. Meanwhile, snowfall reached 1 foot in higher elevations of the central Appalachians. Farther west, heavy precipitation overspread the Southwest and the central and southern Plains at midweek. On March 20, the first day of astronomical spring, snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 feet at some high-elevation locations in the Four Corners region. In Arizona, Flagstaff's month-to-date snowfall reached 45.8 inches, accounting for nearly two-thirds of their seasonal total (69.2 inches, or 22.8 inches below normal). In western Texas, Lubbock's 1.16-inch rainfall on March 22 represented their highest 1-day total since 1.98 inches fell on September 15, 1999. The rain helped to boost Lubbock's precipitation since October 1, 1999, to 3.74 inches (75 percent of normal). Due to the rainfall's intensity, however, rapid runoff resulted in some lowland flooding. The Colorado River at Colorado City, TX crested near 28.6 feet on the night of March 23-24, 20.6 feet above flood stage. Farther north, March 1-25 precipitation in Wichita, KS reached 5.27 inches (270 percent of normal), boosting their year-to-date total to 8.91 inches (241 percent). A handful of daily-record high were set during the week, primarily in the Great Lakes States and along the West Coast. Brookings, OR posted a record high of 72 degrees F on Tuesday, followed a day later by a record of 77 degrees F in Mountain View, CA. On Friday, daily-record highs included 69 degrees F in Flint, MI and 73 degrees F in South Bend, IN. Only scattered, generally light showers dampened Hawaii, as the State's dry spell stretched beyond the 2-month mark. The recent dryness, superimposed on long-term moisture deficits that in many cases date to late 1997, has caused drought intensification, especially in leeward areas of the central and eastern Hawaiian islands. Meanwhile, cooler air overspread western and northern Alaska, resulting in weekly temperatures as much as 7 degrees F below normal. Mild weather (up to 10 degrees F above normal) continued, however, for the 10th consecutive week in parts of interior southern Alaska. National Agricultural Summary March 20 - 26, 2000 Highlights: Heavy rain soaked dry soils in the southern Great Plains and improved winter wheat conditions in northern Texas, western Oklahoma, and central Kansas, but strong winds and hail damaged a few fields. Rain in parts of the Southeast and Atlantic Coast States halted fieldwork late in the week, but recharged soil moisture levels in the southern Appalachians and Piedmont. Lighter showers maintained soil moisture levels across most of the Corn Belt, although many areas remained short of moisture, especially west of the Mississippi River. Adjacent areas of the northern Great Plains and upper Mississippi Valley also received light precipitation, but the northern High Plains was dry throughout the week. Fieldwork, including soil tillage, fertilizer and herbicide applications, and small grain seeding, gradually gained momentum in the Corn Belt and the central and northern Great Plains. Corn planting continued in the central and southern Great Plains, and a few fields were planted in the Corn Belt late in the week. A dry weather pattern returned to the Southwest and extended northward along the Pacific coast into the Pacific Northwest. In northern California, winter grains slowly recovered from excessive wetness, while warm weather promoted rapid crop development where soils were drier. Dry weather also prevailed along the Gulf Coast, where growers continued planting corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and rice. In southern Texas, adequate moisture and above-normal temperatures aided development of emerged row crops, but some plants were damaged by wind-blown sand. Above-normal temperatures east of the Rocky Mountains stimulated winter wheat growth in the Corn Belt and Great Plains. 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