We 1 (10-01) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released October 23, 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. 43 October 14 - 20, 2001 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Cool, showery weather persisted across the eastern Corn Belt through midweek, causing additional fieldwork delays. Meanwhile in the western Corn Belt, cool, dry weather allowed corn and soybean harvesting to proceed. Farther west, cool, mostly dry weather on the Plains favored summer crop harvesting and final winter wheat planting, but slowed wheat development. In addition, dry conditions hampered wheat establishment on the northern and southern High Plains, especially in Montana and western Texas. Across the South, dry weather promoted a return to fieldwork in areas west of the Appalachians. In contrast, early-week showers provided only limited relief from a 2-month dry spell in areas from the Mid-Atlantic region southward into Georgia. Toward week's end, however, heavy showers (locally in excess of 4 inches) overspread southern Florida. In the West, warm, dry weather aided fieldwork operations, but left recently planted winter wheat in need of moisture to ensure proper establishment. Drought remained especially severe across the Northwest, including wheat areas in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Weekly temperatures were near normal in the Northwest and up to 9 degrees F above normal in the western Great Basin and inland portions of California, but averaged as much as 7 degrees F below normal across the Plains, Midwest, and South. Early-week showers accompanied a cold front across the East, ending a period of warm weather. On Sunday, lingering warmth produced a daily-record high of 79 degrees F in Massena, NY, while Virginia's Dulles Airport netted a daily-record rainfall of 1.10 inches. Farther west, however, cool, showery conditions persisted through midweek across the lower Great Lakes region, resulting in a daily-record rainfall (1.14 inches on October 16) in Ft. Wayne, IN. Month-to-date (October 1-20) precipitation in Michigan reached 5.73 inches in Detroit, their third-highest October total behind 7.80 inches in 1954 and 6.52 inches in 1881, and 5.08 inches in Flint, second only to a 5.52-inch total in 1941. In the front's wake, the coldest weather of the season overspread many areas east of the Rockies, including Mason City, IA, where the minimum temperature of 23 degrees F on October 17 was their lowest reading since 10 degrees F on March 27. Meanwhile in Texas, the low of 35 degrees F in Austin (Bergstrom) was just 2 degrees F shy of their monthly record, set on October 30, 1980. The cold weather set more than two dozen daily-record lows from October 16-18. On Tuesday, Liberal, KS (29 degrees F), posted their third record low of the month. Elsewhere on October 16, record lows included 14 degrees F in Valentine, NE, 22 degrees F in Pueblo, CO, and 30 degrees F in Lubbock, TX. Two days later in the East, lows fell to 26 degrees F in Salisbury, MD, and 32 degrees F in Augusta, GA. However, warm weather quickly returned to the High Plains, resulting in several daily-record highs on October 17-18. On Wednesday, Valentine (86 degrees F), notched a daily-record high just 32 hours after Tuesday's record low. A day later, Lubbock's high of 90 degrees F tied their record for October 18. Meanwhile, warm weather prevailed throughout the week in the Southwest, producing a pair of daily-record highs in Douglas, AZ (90 degrees F on Wednesday and 88 degrees F on Saturday). Record warmth was also noted early in the week along and near the California coast, where highs on October 14 soared to 93 degrees F in downtown San Francisco and 90 degrees F in Richmond. Cold, mostly dry weather prevailed in Alaska, except for seasonably heavy precipitation across southern portions of the State. Weekly temperatures averaged 3 to 9 degrees F below normal across central, northern, and western Alaska. On October 17, Barrow, AK, posted a daily-record low of -15 degrees F. Meanwhile, drier weather returned to Hawaii, following 2 weeks of locally heavy, drought-easing rainfall. Nevertheless, weekly totals topped 2 inches in some windward areas, including the Big Island locations of Mountain View (2.32 inches) and Glenwood (2.31 inches). National Agricultural Summary October 15 -21, 2001 Highlights: Row crop harvest accelerated in the western Corn Belt and remained active in adjacent areas of the Great Plains. In the eastern Corn Belt and adjacent areas of the Northeast, showers limited harvest activity. Dry weather prevailed in the lower Mississippi Valley and adjacent areas of the southern Great Plains and Southeast, but lingering wetness prevented harvest work until midweek across most of the region. Harvest progressed with few delays on the Atlantic Coastal Plain and in the Southwest. Cold weather and dry soils hindered winter wheat development in the northern Great Plains. In the central Great Plains and Corn Belt, rain provided adequate moisture to promote winter wheat development, but cool weather slowed growth. Corn: Harvest advanced to 48 percent, more than 2 weeks behind last year's 77-percent pace but less than 1 week behind the 5-year average. Harvest accelerated across the northern and western Corn Belt and adjacent areas of the Great Plains, as dry weather supported progress throughout the week. Harvest was only slightly behind the 5-year average in North Dakota, where nearly one-fourth of the crop was harvested during the week. Harvest remained far behind normal in Iowa and Minnesota, despite rapid progress. Harvest also lagged well behind normal in Wisconsin. Rain limited harvest progress in parts of the eastern Corn Belt, especially in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Rain also interrupted harvest in Pennsylvania, but progress remained far ahead of the 5-year average. Harvest neared completion slightly ahead of normal in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Texas, but slightly behind normal in Tennessee. Soybeans: Seventy percent of the acreage was harvested, behind last year and the average of 83 and 78 percent, respectively. Dry weather aided harvest in the western Corn Belt and Great Plains, especially in Iowa and South Dakota, where more than one-fifth of the acreage was reaped during the week. Harvest remained well behind normal in Iowa, despite rapid progress. The harvest pace was only slightly slower in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, rain and slow drying limited harvest in the eastern Corn Belt, especially in Indiana and Ohio. Progress fell behind the 5-year average in Illinois and dropped farther behind normal in Indiana and Michigan. Lingering wetness prevented harvest in the lower Mississippi Valley until after midweek. Harvest progressed with few delays along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Cotton: Forty-eight percent of the crop was picked, well behind last year's 59-percent pace and 3 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Wet soils delayed harvest until midweek or later across most of the Mississippi Delta and adjacent parts of the southern Great Plains and Southeast. At the end of the week, picking was far behind normal in Alabama and Mississippi. Along the Atlantic Coastal Plain, soils were drier and harvest progressed with only brief rain delays. Harvest was most active in the Southwest, where one-fourth of the California acreage was picked during the week. Winter wheat: Eighty-five percent of the winter wheat crop has been seeded, and 67 percent has emerged. Planting and emergence remained far ahead of last year's slow pace of 74 percent planted and 39 percent emerged. Normally by this date, planting and emergence would be at 81 and 58 percent, respectively. Planting progressed without delays and neared completion across most of the Great Plains. In the Corn Belt, planting was delayed by rain and row crop harvest activities. Rain boosted soil moisture supplies and aided emergence in the central Great Plains and Corn Belt, but most of the northern Great Plains and parts of the southern High Plains remained unfavorably dry. Growth of emerged fields was limited by below-normal temperatures throughout the Great Plains and Corn Belt. In the Pacific Northwest, showers provided much-needed moisture in some areas, but most areas remained unfavorably dry. Sorghum: Seventy-eight percent of the crop was harvested, well behind last year's 90-percent progress but ahead of the average of 69 percent. Mostly dry weather aided harvest in the Great Plains, especially in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska. Progress was slow in the southern Great Plains, but progress remained far ahead of normal in Oklahoma. Harvest was also slow in Illinois. Peanuts: Harvest was 73 percent complete, compared with 70 percent last year and the average of 68 percent. Along the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, lifting accelerated after light precipitation softened hard soils. Harvest was also active in the southern Great Plains. Digging was slow along the eastern Gulf Coast, especially in Alabama and Florida. Other Crops: The sugarbeet harvest advanced to 79 percent complete, ahead of last year and the 5-year average of 77 and 72 percent, respectively. Dry weather aided progress in Idaho, Minnesota, and North Dakota, while wet weather curtailed progress in Michigan. The sunflower crop was 52 percent harvested, well behind last year's 65-percent pace. Harvest was most active in North Dakota, where nearly one-fourth of the crop was reaped during the week. Harvest was also active in Kansas and South Dakota, but progress was slow in Colorado. Corn: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 48 33 62 49 IL : 66 55 84 66 IN : 42 38 63 50 IA : 29 14 89 60 KS : 89 80 99 83 KY : 91 89 90 86 MI : 28 20 25 31 MN : 33 13 83 62 MO : 79 72 94 77 NE : 43 28 87 59 NC : 96 92 91 90 ND : 45 21 48 47 OH : 22 18 35 35 PA : 58 47 26 33 SD : 43 30 62 41 TN : 96 91 100 97 TX : 97 96 97 96 WI : 18 10 44 35 : 18 Sts: 48 37 77 59 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States harvested 94% of last year's corn acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 25 15 36 33 CA : 12 10 24 9 CO : 99 98 98 99 ID : 87 76 92 90 IL : 69 55 65 72 IN : 56 44 70 73 KS : 96 93 82 90 MI : 76 60 87 86 MO : 51 35 62 55 MT : 97 96 84 93 NE : 100 98 99 99 NC : 30 25 24 24 OH : 77 67 79 83 OK : 91 88 58 79 OR : 67 58 79 73 SD : 96 92 88 96 TX : 83 77 60 74 WA : 98 92 100 96 : 18 Sts: 85 80 74 81 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States planted 90% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 58 47 56 48 IL : 71 65 85 80 IN : 60 55 80 78 IA : 78 56 97 92 KS : 76 57 91 70 KY : 47 37 53 50 LA : 84 71 93 90 MI : 40 26 49 60 MN : 89 78 99 96 MS : 79 73 88 80 MO : 47 29 78 63 NE : 84 64 92 88 NC : 23 10 11 13 ND : 96 86 96 91 OH : 71 67 71 75 SD : 86 65 93 84 TN : 31 22 52 41 WI : 48 30 85 80 : 18 Sts: 70 57 83 78 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States harvested 96% of last year's soybean acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 11 3 12 12 CA : 3 1 14 3 CO : 89 81 81 88 ID : 46 33 60 53 IL : 48 20 25 35 IN : 30 14 31 38 KS : 85 71 34 65 MI : 50 21 44 56 MO : 33 19 30 28 MT : 60 52 48 66 NE : 94 83 88 92 NC : 17 10 12 8 OH : 54 13 40 48 OK : 69 63 24 48 OR : 41 34 46 43 SD : 81 68 56 82 TX : 57 48 21 51 WA : 87 76 91 88 : 18 Sts: 67 55 39 58 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States planted 90% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Cotton: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 36 29 75 58 AZ : 43 29 46 38 AR : 63 52 82 70 CA : 40 15 37 31 GA : 39 27 44 41 LA : 83 78 97 91 MS : 62 50 93 84 MO : 64 55 88 68 NC : 34 20 26 32 OK : 26 24 58 38 SC : 37 27 40 43 TN : 70 59 88 73 TX : 42 34 50 40 VA : 47 30 23 30 : 14 Sts: 48 37 59 51 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 14 States harvested 98% of last year's cotton acreage. Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 100 100 98 98 CO : 54 37 52 32 IL : 76 74 75 54 KS : 79 63 95 66 LA : 100 100 100 100 MO : 72 65 90 72 NE : 50 35 90 58 NM : 24 16 40 19 OK : 69 61 72 44 SD : 77 66 77 60 TX : 85 82 90 79 : 11 Sts: 78 68 90 69 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 11 States harvested 97% of last year's sorghum acreage. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 75 71 71 76 FL : 85 80 88 87 GA : 83 71 75 78 NC : 75 50 66 57 OK : 61 45 75 56 TX : 44 27 44 41 VA : 90 74 95 87 : 7 Sts : 73 60 70 68 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 7 States harvested 97% of last year's peanut acreage. Sugarbeets: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 45 31 44 44 MI : 38 32 34 27 MN : 98 80 97 92 ND : 100 87 99 90 : 4 Sts : 79 64 77 72 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States harvested 74% of last year's sugarbeets acreage. Sunflowers: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Oct 21,:Oct 14,:Oct 21,: 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 38 30 44 NA KS : 75 55 86 NA ND : 49 25 55 53 SD : 54 39 80 63 : 4 Sts : 52 32 65 NA -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States harvested 90% of last year's sunflowers acreage. Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 2 7 27 51 13 :: NJ : 0 0 46 54 0 AZ : 2 9 41 42 6 :: NM : 27 35 27 11 0 AR : 8 21 41 29 1 :: NY : 1 26 34 35 4 CA : 20 20 35 25 0 :: NC : 3 9 38 48 2 CO : 6 15 49 28 2 :: ND : 8 20 40 29 3 CT : 0 32 34 34 0 :: OH : 3 13 34 41 9 DE : 3 11 29 57 0 :: OK : 13 27 34 23 3 FL : 5 5 25 60 5 :: OR : 12 38 43 7 0 GA : 6 15 45 33 1 :: PA : 35 40 14 11 0 ID : 20 51 26 3 0 :: RI : 0 53 40 7 0 IL : 1 5 37 51 6 :: SC : 6 17 37 39 1 IN : 2 14 30 47 7 :: SD : 6 15 35 38 6 IA : 6 18 39 31 6 :: TN : 0 8 26 55 11 KS : 10 25 37 27 1 :: TX : 15 21 31 27 6 KY : 6 14 33 39 8 :: UT : 16 35 32 17 0 LA : 1 6 44 44 5 :: VT : 6 40 41 13 0 ME : 3 36 46 15 0 :: VA : 15 29 39 16 1 MD : 2 15 49 29 5 :: WA : 20 60 15 5 0 MA : 0 5 52 43 0 :: WV : 0 18 36 39 7 MI : 1 8 44 37 10 :: WI : 1 15 33 47 4 MN : 3 18 40 35 4 :: WY : 30 34 25 11 0 MS : 1 4 29 56 10 :: : MO : 11 15 41 29 4 :: 48 Sts : 11 21 33 31 4 MT : 31 35 24 9 1 :: : NE : 8 14 35 38 5 :: Prev Wk: 11 21 32 32 4 NV : 5 15 35 40 5 :: Prev Yr: 22 26 31 19 2 NH : 7 12 43 38 0 :: : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on October 30, 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, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet. For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: http://www.usda.gov/nass/. Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and then Reports by Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or Subject. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION There are two options for subscribing via e-mail. All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. 1) Starting with the NASS Home Page at http://www.usda.gov/nass/, click on Publications, then click on the Subscribe by E-mail button which takes you to the page describing e-mail delivery of reports. Finally, click on Go to the Subscription Page and follow the instructions. 2) If you do NOT have Internet access, send an e-mail message to: usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu. In the body of the message type the word: list. AUTOFAX ACCESS NASSFax service is available for some reports from your fax machine. Please call 202-720-2000, using the handset attached to your fax. Respond to the voice prompts. Document 0411 is a list of available reports. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-605-6220 FAX: 703-605-6900 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov.