We 1 (1-01) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released January 3, 2001, 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 88, No. 1 December 24 - 30, 2000 For additional information, call (202) 720-7919. Highlights: A major winter storm struck the South, the region's second such system in 2 weeks. Heavy snow fell on the southern High Plains, while significant ice accumulations caused electrical disruptions in much of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Mostly rain fell in the Southeast, but only light showers dampened drought-affected Peninsular Florida. After midweek, snow returned to the Midwest, capping a month of near-record to record accumulations that stressed livestock and disrupted transportation. Heavy snow shifted into the Northeast by week's end. Weekly temperatures ranged from 6 to 18 degrees F below normal in the Midwest, concluding a two-month period of unusually cold conditions. Cold weather (as much as 15 degrees F below normal) also prevailed on the central and southern Plains, although snow cover protected winter wheat in many areas. In contrast, temperatures averaged up to 7 degrees F above normal on the northern High Plains. In the West, continued mostly dry weather left mountain snow packs well below normal in most areas. From October-December, high-elevation precipitation generally ranged from 35 to 65 percent of normal in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. Mild weather favored fieldwork in California and Arizona, where near- to above-normal temperatures prevailed for the fifth consecutive week. (Temperatures fell below 32 degrees F in most of Florida's citrus areas on December 31 and January 1, with most locations noting slightly lower readings on the latter date. Durations of temperatures at or below 28 degrees F--the citrus damage threshold--for 4 or more hours were mainly confined to northern citrus areas, but the full extent of fruit damage will not be known for several weeks. Additional details will be provided in next week's summary.) Early in the week, the latest in a series of bitterly cold airmasses overspread the eastern half of the Nation. On the 25th, December-record lows were set in Flint, MI (-13 degrees F), breaking a 1989 record, and tied in Waterloo, IA (-29 degrees F), equalling a record established on December 10, 1919. Lows of -25 degrees F in Rochester, MN and -26 degrees F in LaCrosse, WI were the stations' lowest readings since February 3, 1996. In northeastern Iowa, lows dipped to -30 degrees F in Decorah and Fayette. Meanwhile, heavy rain erupted across parts of Texas on December 25, producing daily-record rainfalls in locations such as Dallas-Ft. Worth (1.94 inches) and Tyler (1.68 inches). Shortly thereafter, heavy snow developed on the southern High Plains, while freezing rain spread across much of Oklahoma, Arkansas, northeastern Texas, and northwestern Louisiana. Amarillo, TX logged a 24-hour snowfall record for the month (19.7 inches on December 26-27), en route to a storm-total snowfall of 20.5 inches. Farther east, ice accumulated as much as 1 to 3 inches from east-central Oklahoma to western and southern Arkansas. According to media reports, as many as 600,000 homes and businesses lost power during the storm. At midweek, a dynamic storm system drove southeastward across the northern Plains and Midwest, producing another round of snowfall and blizzard conditions. On Wednesday evening, Glasgow, MT clocked a December-record wind gust to 66 mph. A day later, Rochester, MN received 8.1 inches of snow, contributing to their snowiest month on record (35.3 inches, breaking the record of 35.1 inches set in March 1951). For the month, numerous locations in the Great Lakes and Midwestern States noted December-record cold or snowfall. A few, including Rockford, IL and Moline, IL, experienced both. Rockford's December temperatures averaged 11.4 degrees F below normal, while snowfall totaled 30.1 inches (307 percent of normal). July-December snowfall reached 95.9 inches in Buffalo, NY (besting the 1976 record of 92.2 inches) and 139.6 inches in Marquette, MI (a seasonal total typically reached on March 10). Toward week's end, additional cold air poured southward behind the aforementioned Midwestern storm, which reintensified near the northern Atlantic Coast. On Saturday, Lubbock, TX notched a daily-record low of 7 degrees F. Cold air spilled into the Southeast, including Florida's citrus areas, as the year ended. In contrast, record warmth reached parts of southern California, where Simi Valley (87 degrees F on Friday) posted a daily-record high and Cuyama closed the week with consecutive record highs (77 and 75 degrees F). Downtown Los Angeles, CA received no rainfall in November and December, their first such observance since 1962. In the Sierra Nevada, the year-end water equivalent of the high-elevation snow pack generally ranged from 20 to 50 percent of normal, according to sources in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and California Department of Water Resources. Farther east, New Orleans, LA concluded their driest year (38.88 inches, or 63 percent of normal) since 1899. From Philadelphia, PA northward and eastward, heavy snow developed on Saturday morning. Storm-total snowfall reached 26 inches in East Jewett, NY and 25 inches in Sussex, NJ. Albany, NY netted 12.6 inches on December 30-31, their greatest December snow storm since an identical amount fell on December 18-19, 1986. Peak wind gusts reached 61 mph in eastern Massachusetts at Falmouth and Chatham. Meanwhile, another storm dived southeastward across the High Plains and into the South. New Year's Eve featured a 2.2-inch snowfall in Shreveport, LA, their highest single-day total since 4.4 inches fell on February 1, 1985. Another mild week in Alaska (readings averaged up to 19 degrees F above normal in western areas) pushed November-December temperatures 4 to 12 degrees F above normal across most of the State. Light precipitation fell in western Alaska, while locally heavy amounts were observed across southern areas. Meanwhile in Hawaii, another week of scattered showers brought an unusually dry December to a close. National Agricultural Summary December 25 - 31, 2000 Cold weather persisted east of the Rocky Mountains, with freezing temperatures pushing as far south as Florida at the end of the week. Overnight temperatures remained below freezing for several hours in the Florida Peninsula, but did not significantly damage citrus trees or remaining unharvested fruit. The freezing temperatures damaged some sugarcane fields, but the extent of damage was not known. All of the Florida citrus producing region received precipitation, but rainfall amounts varied, with most groves receiving less than one inch. Despite the precipitation, moisture shortages remained across much of the State. The sugarcane harvest continued in southern Florida with few delays. Farther north, across the Southeast, lower Mississippi Valley, and adjacent parts of the southern Great Plains, rain and freezing rain substantially boosted moisture supplies. The freezing rain downed power lines and damaged trees, with the greatest damage centered on Arkansas. In Louisiana, the sugarcane harvest neared completion despite brief rain delays. Precipitation was scattered and light along the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plains. Dry weather prevailed in the Southwest, where California cotton growers completed their harvest. The dry weather also aided fieldwork, as most cotton fields were disced and shredded in compliance with the plow-down requirements. California cotton producers continued with pre-emergent herbicide and soil fumigant applications for the 2001 cotton crop. Alfalfa hay cutting ceased in most areas, but a few fields were cut for green chop. Wheat, oats, and barley were planted and fertilized. Warm weather aided germination and growth of fields planted earlier, but rain was needed for optimal growth and development. Growers irrigated small grain fields where possible. The sugar beet harvest continued. Orchards and vineyards were pruned and dormant sprays were applied. Due to moisture shortages, caretakers irrigated orchards to maintain tree health. Citrus picking remained active. The end of the broccoli and cauliflower harvest season rapidly approached in the San Joaquin Valley. 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