We 1 (3-01) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 20, 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. 12 March 11 - 17, 2001 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Dry weather overspread California and the Southwest, favoring fieldwork and crop development. The Sierra Nevada also experienced dry weather, following a 2-month wet spell that added approximately 17 inches of liquid equivalent to the high-elevation snowpack, according to the California Department of Water Resources. However, the snowpack's water content, 22 inches, stood at only about 83 percent of the mid-March normal. Meanwhile, beneficial showers provided limited drought relief in the Northwest. Nevertheless, snowpack water equivalents in key watershed areas from the Cascades to the northern Rockies remained well below normal (generally 45 to 75 percent of normal). Farther east, back-to-back storm systems produced more heavy rain across the South, halting fieldwork and causing some additional lowland flooding. More than 4 inches soaked areas from southern Mississippi into Georgia. Although significant rain fell as far south as northern Florida, very warm, mostly dry weather maintained heavy citrus irrigation requirements and further depleted freshwater reserves across southern Florida. Weekly temperatures averaged up to 9 degrees F above normal in southern Florida, peaking above 90 degrees F in some areas on March 13. Widespread precipitation also fell in the central Plains, Corn Belt, and Northeast, exceeding 2 inches from eastern Kansas to southeastern Iowa. Some additional wet snow fell in the deeply snow-covered northwestern Corn Belt, where weekly temperatures averaged as much as 5 degrees F below normal. According to National Weather Service outlooks, parts of the upper Midwest including eastern South Dakota's James River basin and several Mississippi River tributaries in southern Minnesota and eastern Iowa face major flooding during the upcoming snow-melt season. Winter wheat continued to break dormancy as far north as the central Plains and Ohio Valley, and lose winter hardiness across the North. Warm weather and recent soil moisture improvements spurred rapid wheat development in the southern Atlantic States. Record warmth continued across Florida's peninsula for most of the week. On Tuesday, highs soared to 93 degrees F in West Palm Beach and 91 degrees F in Miami. West Palm Beach's previous earliest high at or above 93 degrees F was observed on March 22, 1977, when the high reached 94 degrees F. Similarly, Miami's high represented their earliest reading above 90 degrees F (previously 92 degrees F on March 22, 1977). Elsewhere in southern Florida, the average surface elevation of Lake Okeechobee fell to 10.14 feet on March 18, a record low for the date. Okeechobee's lowest level on record, 9.75 feet, was observed on July 29, 1981. Widespread showers and thunderstorms reached northern and western Florida on March 12-13 and 15-16, but bypassed most southern portions of the State. Daytona Beach netted 2.00 inches on March 13, a record rainfall for the date. Farther north, copious rains soaked the remainder of the South, boosting March 1-18 precipitation totals to 8.10 inches (242 percent of normal) in Jackson, MS, 8.85 inches (259 percent) in Columbus, GA, and 9.95 inches (254 percent) in Mobile, AL. Lowland flooding, locally severe, continued across much of the South. In northwestern Louisiana, the Bayou Bodcau Reservoir crested near 197.39 feet on the morning of March 18, the highest level since the reservoir's completion in 1949. The previous record of 196.67 feet was set on May 11, 1958. Major flooding also persisted along the Red River at Grand Ecore, LA, near Natchitoches, where the river crested at week's end more than 6 feet above flood stage. Heavy snow fell in the western Corn Belt on March 12, producing daily-record totals in locations such as Rochester, MN (8.6 inches) and LaCrosse, WI (7.5 inches). Later in the week, 5.1 inches blanketed Des Moines, IA on March 15-16, prolonging the city's record-setting duration with at least 1 inch of snow cover. Des Moines' streak reached 97 days (December 11 - March 17) by week's end, well ahead of their previous record of 90 days, set in 1977-78. Additional snow also fell from the Great Lakes region into the Northeast, boosting near-record seasonal snowfall totals to 260.0 inches in Marquette, MI and 186.4 inches in Syracuse, NY. Elsewhere in New York, Binghamton's month-to-date snowfall reached 39.2 inches, breaking their March record of 37.9 inches, set in 1993. High winds swept across parts of the Plains and Intermountain West, especially during the mid- to late-week period. On Wednesday in Colorado, Grand Junction's peak wind gust to 60 mph set their March record (previously 53 mph in 1994). A day later in Kansas, winds gusted to 49 mph in Wichita and 47 mph in Goodland. Meanwhile, cool air briefly spread into the Northwest, resulting in daily-record lows on Friday in Yakima, WA (22 degrees F) and Redmond, OR (13 degrees F). Water-year precipitation (since October 1, 2000) remained well below normal in the Northwest, including Oregon, where Eugene's October 1 - March 18 rainfall totaled 12.89 inches (35 percent of normal). National Agricultural Summary March 12 - 18, 2001 A wide band of heavy precipitation boosted moisture reserves in the lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast. The moisture was beneficial along the Gulf Coast, but interior areas experienced flash floods. In Florida's Peninsula, and along the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, rainfall was lighter and moisture shortages remained. Another line of precipitation provided additional moisture for parts of the central Great Plains and Corn Belt. California experienced favorably warm, dry weather, while the Pacific Northwest received much-needed rain and snow. Snow, ice, rain, and high winds slowed field preparation across most of Texas. High winds eroded soils across the Plains and produced sand storms in some locations. Small grains slightly improved, despite below-normal temperatures. However, some fields were drowned due to extremely wet conditions. Corn, cotton, and sorghum planting continued in southern and coastal areas, but the pace was slowed by muddy fields. Fruit and nut trees were blooming, and some peach trees were setting fruit in southern Texas. Much-needed rain arrived in Florida's citrus region near the end of the week, but most of the week was hot, dry, and windy. Moisture shortages remained in the peninsula, and irrigation continued most of the week. The citrus bloom was in all stages. Some trees lost leaves and a portion of their recent bloom due to moisture shortages. The early- and mid-season orange harvests neared completion. Producers prepared fields for spring crops and a few began planting corn. The sugarcane harvest neared completion and mills were closing for the season. In California, producers cultivated and applied herbicides to cotton fields, but planting was limited by cool soil temperatures. Sugar beets responded to above-normal temperatures with vigorous growth. Irrigated wheat, oat, and barley fields also benefited from the warm weather, with some wheat fields beginning to develop heads. Dryland grain crops progressed well, but need more moisture to continue progress. Warm, sunny weather accelerated growth and pollination in orchards and vineyards. Most fruit and nut trees were in full bloom, and early varieties were setting fruit. Bud swell began in vineyards. Petals were falling from almond trees. Grapefruit and orange harvests continued. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12:00 p.m. ET on March 27, 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.) 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