We 1 (3-01) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 6, 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. 10 February 25 - March 3, 2001 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Torrential rainfall (4 inches or more) left winter grain fields saturated and halted spring fieldwork from eastern Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley. Heavy rain also soaked the Southeast, slowing field activities but easing long-term drought. Weekly rainfall approached 12 inches at a few locations in southern portions of Mississippi and Alabama. Meanwhile in drought-affected Florida, where record warmth pushed weekly temperatures as much as 15 degrees F above normal, late-week (March 3-4) showers curbed the wildfire threat and temporarily eased citrus, sugarcane, and vegetable irrigation requirements. Farther north, mostly dry weather across the southern and eastern Corn Belt allowed lowland flooding to subside, except in areas affected by ice jams. Meanwhile, very cold weather maintained livestock stress in the deeply snow-covered northwestern Corn Belt, where weekly temperatures averaged 6 to 16 degrees F below normal. Bitterly cold conditions (as much as 15 degrees F below normal) also affected northern New England, lowering late-week temperatures to -30 degrees F or below in a few areas. On the southern Plains, an early- to midweek storm system produced generally light snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Meanwhile on the northern Plains, a late-week warming trend eroded some of the winter wheat crop's protective snow cover. In California and the Southwest, showery weather slowed spring fieldwork but further improved high-elevation snow packs and spring runoff prospects. Mostly dry weather prevailed, however, in the northern Rockies and Northwest, where summer water-supply concerns are mounting. Record warmth continued across Florida for most of the week. On Sunday, daily records included 86 degrees F in Daytona Beach and 85 degrees F in Jacksonville. Heat intensified at week's end in advance of a strong storm system, lifting highs on March 3 to daily-record levels in Miami (87 degrees F) and Jacksonville (86 degrees F). On the same day, highs soared to 89 degrees F in Orlando and Ft. Pierce. In contrast, bitterly cold weather gripped the upper Midwest before shifting into northern New England. On February 27, Aberdeen, SD posted a daily-record low of -23 degrees F, aided by a 24-inch snow cover. Farther north, Embarrass, MN registered -34 degrees F. After midweek, cold weather swept into northern New England, where Eagle Lake, ME recorded -37 degrees F on Friday and -36 degrees F on Saturday. Elsewhere in Maine on March 2, lows of -28 degrees F in Caribou and -16 degrees F in Bangor set record lows for March (previously -21 degrees F in Caribou on March 1, 1992, and -13 degrees F in Bangor on March 4, 1938 and March 13, 1941). Changeable weather prevailed in the Corn Belt, where the week opened with a wind storm and ended with a warming trend. On February 25, peak wind gusts included 58 mph in Milwaukee, WI, 59 mph in Springfield, IL, and 60 mph in Detroit, MI. Five days later, on March 2, the high temperature reached 41 degrees F in Minneapolis, MN, their first reading at or above 40 degrees F since a high of 50 degrees F on November 7, 2000. Minneapolis' 114-day span without 40-degree warmth was their longest such streak since 1978-79 (116 days). Meanwhile in Iowa, preliminary data indicated that the State experienced its coldest winter since 1978-79, and second-wettest winter on record (5.49 inches of precipitation, or 180 percent of normal) behind only 6.00 inches in 1914-15. Although lowland flooding diminished across most of the southern and eastern Corn Belt, an ice jam on the Rock River in northwestern Illinois triggered major flooding from Barstow to Joslin. The Rock River at Joslin crested 6.02 feet above flood stage on February 27, the fifth-highest level on record and just 9 inches below the February 1997 high-water mark. Meanwhile, heavy precipitation continued across the South. In southern California, downtown Los Angeles netted a daily-record rainfall (2.05 inches) on February 25, en route to a monthly total of 8.87 inches (289 percent of normal). Two days later, heavy rain spread eastward, resulting in daily-record totals in locations such as Texarkana, AR (4.29 inches) and Monroe, LA (3.45 inches). In Natchez, MS, 24-hour rainfall reached 6.99 inches on March 1-2, lifting their 6-day total to 11.26 inches. Meanwhile in the Northwest, October-February precipitation averaged generally 45 to 70 percent of normal in key watershed basins from the Cascades to the northern Rockies. Farther south, however, significant precipitation continued across the Sierra Nevada, where the early-March water content of the high-elevation snow pack improved to about 20 inches (82 percent of normal). Generally dry weather prevailed in Hawaii, following recent drought-easing rainfall. In addition, temperatures climbed well above normal in many areas, peaking at daily-record levels (85 degrees F on February 27) in Honolulu. Meanwhile in Alaska, temperatures remained above normal statewide, despite a cooling trend across western areas. Nome's temperature, which remained above 10 degrees F all of last week, fell to -20 degrees F on February 26. National Agricultural Summary February 26 - March 4, 2001 A powerful storm produced heavy rainfall and halted fieldwork in eastern Texas, most of the lower Mississippi Valley, and a large portion of the Southeast. Northern Florida received beneficial precipitation, but most of the State remained drought stricken. Another storm system entered California that delivered heavy rainfall in the valleys and large accumulations of snow in the Sierra Nevada. Precipitation was light and scattered in the Pacific Northwest, northern Great Plains, upper Mississippi Valley, and Corn Belt. Below-normal temperatures hindered vegetative growth in the southern Great Plains and Southwest. Exposed winter wheat fields were susceptible to cold weather in the central and northern Great Plains. Above-normal temperatures stimulated growth of winter grains and forages in the Southeast. In Texas, field preparations and early planting were halted in most central and eastern locations due to wet weather. Some low-lying areas were flooded in portions of East Texas, while drier conditions prevailed in the Lower Valley and Coastal Bend areas. Corn, cotton, and sorghum planting progressed slowly in southern regions of the State. Winter wheat growth was hampered by cold over-night temperatures in the northern regions. In Florida's citrus groves, new growth and bloom buds progressed well due to the recent warm weather. Caretakers continued irrigating groves where adequate usable water was available. However, in some groves, salt water intrusion limited the amount of irrigation water that could be applied. Fruit, vegetable, and sugarcane harvests continued without delays. In California, field preparations continued, but progress was hampered by rain and muddy fields. A few cotton fields were fumigated and others were treated with herbicides. Corn fields were prepared and planting will resume when warmer weather returns. Sugar beets and alfalfa fields produced good growth. Most wheat, oat, and barley fields responded well to soil moisture provided by recent rains, but cold morning temperatures hindered growth in some fields. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12:00 p.m. ET on March 13, 2001. 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.) 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). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). 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