We 1 (11-01) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released November 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. 45 October 28 - November 3, 2001 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Warm, dry, breezy conditions reduced soil moisture for winter wheat establishment on the Plains, especially in Montana and from the central High Plains southward into Texas. Weekly temperatures ranged from 6 to 12 degrees F above normal across the Plains' winter wheat areas, aggravating the effects of 6 weeks with little precipitation. Meanwhile across the South, dry, cool weather (temperatures as much as 4 degrees F below normal) promoted fieldwork, including summer crop harvesting and winter wheat planting. However, an intensifying dry spell stretched into its third month from the Mid-Atlantic region southward into northern Florida, hampering winter wheat development and increasing the threat of wildfire activity. On Sunday afternoon, November 4, Hurricane Michelle struck southern Cuba with maximum sustained winds near 135 m.p.h., but only grazed southeastern Florida's citrus and sugarcane areas with rain squalls and gusty winds (generally 50 mph or lower). Farther north, warmer, often dry weather in the eastern Corn Belt permitted an acceleration of fieldwork activities, including corn and soybean harvesting and final winter wheat planting, which were frequently stalled by heavy rain during October. Midwestern temperatures ranged from 4 to 10 degrees F above normal, with the greatest departures across the western Corn Belt. Meanwhile in California, early-week precipitation temporarily slowed fieldwork but boosted topsoil moisture. Although showers aided drought-stressed winter wheat in the Northwest, subsoil moisture reserves and reservoir supplies remained limited. Dry weather prevailed across the West during the second half of the week, accompanied by a return to record warmth (up to 10 degrees F above normal) in the Four Corners region. Cool weather lingered across the East on October 28-29, resulting in about a dozen daily-record lows. Salisbury, MD (25 and 23 degrees F), and Charlotte, NC (26 and 27 degrees F), opened the week with consecutive record lows. Farther south, Macon, GA (27 degrees F), posted a record low on Monday. In contrast, three dozen daily-record highs were set or tied during the week from the High Plains westward. On Sunday in Nebraska, highs reached 88 degrees F in Broken Bow and 86 degrees F in North Platte. Three days later, October ended with daily-record highs in Dodge City, KS (87 degrees F), and Amarillo, TX (86 degrees F). Farther west, temperatures soared above 90 degrees F in the Desert Southwest, producing a pair of daily-record highs in Tucson, AZ (92 degrees F on October 29 and 94 degrees F on October 30). Significant precipitation was confined to the West prior to midweek and areas from the southeastern Plains to the Ozark Plateau on November 2-3. In the Northwest, October precipitation climbed to 2.10 inches (212 percent of normal) in Spokane, WA, 1.86 inches (207 percent) in Lewiston, ID, and 1.54 inches (179 percent) in Pendleton, OR. Farther south, October rainfall in California's Central Valley totaled 0.29 inch (55 percent of normal) in Fresno and 0.83 inch (37 percent) in Redding. Meanwhile in western Texas, the driest October in 9 years came to a close in Lubbock (0.02 inch, or 1 percent of normal) and Midland (0.03 inch, or 2 percent). Elsewhere on the High Plains, October rainfall totaled less than one-tenth of an inch in locations such as Colorado Springs, CO (0.02 inch), and Dodge City, KS (0.01 inch). Similarly, October rainfall totaled less than 0.50 inch in several Eastern cities, including Trenton, NJ (0.42 inch, or 16 percent of normal), Roanoke, VA (0.42 inch, or 11 percent), Greensboro, NC (0.41 inch, or 12 percent), Columbia, SC (0.17 inch, or 6 percent), and Macon, GA (0.12, or 6 percent). Farther west, late-week showers produced a daily-record rainfall total of 2.82 inches in Joplin, MO. Shower activity diminished across Hawaii following a week of widespread heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, weekly rainfall topped 5 inches at a few windward locations on the Big Island, including Mountain View (6.32 inches) and Glenwood (5.86 inches). Meanwhile, a cold weather pattern deepened in its fourth week across southwestern Alaska, where temperatures averaged as much as 14 degrees F below normal. King Salmon noted a daily-record low of -8 degrees F on October 29. In contrast, near-normal temperatures were observed across northern and southeastern Alaska. However, southeastern Alaska also contended with a powerful storm system on November 2-3 that produced peak airport wind gusts to 83 mph in Yakutat and 61 mph in Juneau. National Agricultural Summary October 29 - November 4, 2001 Highlights: Dry weather aided harvest progress across most of the Nation, although parts of the central and eastern Corn Belt were too wet for harvest early in the week. Winter wheat seeding also progressed with few delays. However, moisture shortages increased in most areas of the Great Plains and Atlantic Coastal Plains, hampering seed germination in recently planted fields and stunting crop growth in emerged fields. Warm weather stimulated growth where moisture supplies were available. In the Corn Belt, ample moisture supplies and warm weather supported winter wheat development in most areas, but excessive moisture lingered around the Great Lakes. Storms continued to replenish moisture reserves in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. Also, adjacent areas of the interior Rocky Mountains received much-needed precipitation, but soil moisture reserves remained low. Beneficial precipitation also extended into California. Corn: Harvest progressed to 81 percent complete, more than 1 week behind this date last year, when 92 percent was harvested. However, progress was only slightly behind the 5-year average of 83 percent. Harvest rapidly progressed in most areas of the Corn Belt, aided by warm, dry weather. Growers in Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio picked about one-fourth of their crop during the week. About one-fifth of the acreage was harvested during the week in the Dakota's and Wisconsin. In the central Corn Belt and Great Lakes region, harvest activity resumed after excess moisture drained from fields. However, progress remained well behind the average in Indiana. Progress was slow in Michigan most of the week. Harvest was nearly finished in Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Soybeans: Harvest advanced to 90 percent complete. Progress was 1 week behind last year's 95-percent pace but only 2 days behind the 92-percent average for this date. Warm, dry weather aided progress in the Corn Belt, lower Mississippi Valley, and Atlantic Coastal Plain. However, lingering wetness limited progress in parts of the eastern Corn Belt early in the week. Harvest was most active along the Ohio and Missouri River Valleys, where about one-fifth of the Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee acreage was reaped during the week. Harvest remained behind normal in many parts of the Corn Belt, but mainly around the Great Lakes. Progress was far behind normal in Michigan and well behind normal in Indiana and Wisconsin. On the Atlantic Coastal Plain, harvest progressed far ahead of normal. Harvest neared completion in the Great Plains and northwestern Corn Belt. Winter wheat: Ninety-four percent of the crop has been planted, and 81 percent has emerged. Planting and emergence remained more than 1 week ahead of last year's slow pace of 85 percent planted and 70 percent emerged. Normally, 91 percent would be seeded and 78 percent would be emerged by this date. Seeding progressed with few rain interruptions, but dry soils limited planting in parts of the southern Great Plains. More than one-fifth of the acreage was seeded in Arkansas during the week, and nearly one-fifth was sowed in Indiana and Missouri. Planting was also active in North Carolina, even though the topsoil was too dry to germinate seeds in most areas. Temperatures were favorable for development across most of the Great Plains, but topsoil moisture shortages hindered emergence and reduced crop conditions in many areas, especially in Kansas and Oklahoma. Topsoil moisture shortages also hindered germination and reduced conditions in North Carolina. Ample moisture aided development across most of the Corn Belt. In Michigan, the weather was beneficially warm and dry, but many fields remained saturated and a few still had standing water. Cotton: Seventy-one percent of the crop was picked, slightly behind last year's 73-percent but ahead of the 68 percent average for this date. Picking steadily advanced in most areas, but progress remained behind normal across most of the Southeast and lower Mississippi Valley, especially in Alabama. However, harvest progressed ahead of normal along the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Missouri Bootheel, and in the Southwest. Progress was more than 1 week ahead of normal in Virginia and California. Sorghum: Harvest progress, at 92 percent, slightly trailed last year's 94-percent pace but exceeded the average of 85 percent. Harvest progressed with few rain delays in the Great Plains and Corn Belt. Harvest was most active in Nebraska and progressed far ahead of normal in Colorado. Harvest neared completion earlier than normal in Illinois and Kansas. Peanuts: Harvest was 91 percent complete, compared with 85 percent last year and the average of 86 percent. Warm, dry weather aided rapid harvest progress in the southern Great Plains, especially in Texas. In the Southeast and along the Atlantic Coastal Plain, harvest activity diminished as progress neared completion. Other Crops: Sugarbeets were 95 percent harvested, slightly ahead of last year's 91 percent. About one-third of the acreage was harvested during the week in Michigan, where digging resumed after warm, dry weather reduced excessive soil moisture. Harvest was also active in Idaho, where rain delays were brief. The sunflower crop was 90 percent harvested. At this time last year, 85 percent of the crop was harvested. Harvest continued without delay in the four major sunflower-producing States. Harvest was most active in Colorado, where growers reaped more than one-fourth of their crop during the week. Harvest neared completion in Kansas. Corn: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 90 76 89 81 IL : 88 74 97 88 IN : 65 50 90 77 IA : 76 53 98 87 KS : 99 95 100 96 KY : 97 95 97 94 MI : 47 39 57 55 MN : 89 64 96 91 MO : 91 85 98 89 NE : 83 67 95 83 NC : 99 98 98 96 ND : 92 73 84 86 OH : 61 33 70 63 PA : 74 60 54 55 SD : 84 64 86 77 TN : 99 99 100 100 TX : 99 98 100 99 WI : 56 36 73 65 : 18 Sts: 81 64 92 83 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States harvested 94% of last year's corn acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 65 43 72 65 CA : 30 20 34 23 CO : 100 100 100 100 ID : 99 97 98 97 IL : 94 80 94 95 IN : 88 70 97 95 KS : 99 97 91 96 MI : 97 86 100 99 MO : 82 64 88 82 MT : 99 98 94 98 NE : 100 100 100 100 NC : 62 45 40 42 OH : 94 86 97 97 OK : 95 94 63 88 OR : 100 86 99 91 SD : 100 100 97 99 TX : 92 87 77 85 WA : 100 99 100 99 : 18 Sts: 94 90 85 91 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States planted 90% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Soybeans: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 83 70 83 75 IL : 93 82 98 95 IN : 85 69 96 94 IA : 95 88 99 98 KS : 97 88 97 89 KY : 85 65 84 74 LA : 97 93 100 97 MI : 63 56 86 89 MN : 99 97 100 99 MS : 95 89 97 91 MO : 81 63 92 85 NE : 98 94 99 97 NC : 47 30 29 25 ND : 99 98 100 99 OH : 92 80 92 91 SD : 98 95 99 97 TN : 66 47 79 67 WI : 85 73 98 96 : 18 Sts: 90 81 95 92 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States harvested 96% of last year's soybean acreage. Winter Wheat: Percent Emerged, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 42 23 40 41 CA : 15 5 24 10 CO : 97 94 96 96 ID : 79 64 81 79 IL : 75 62 78 79 IN : 70 53 78 78 KS : 93 88 79 88 MI : 73 62 84 87 MO : 56 40 69 60 MT : 80 74 68 81 NE : 100 98 99 99 NC : 30 24 22 23 OH : 79 69 83 82 OK : 80 75 55 73 OR : 67 52 80 66 SD : 91 88 64 90 TX : 73 66 50 68 WA : 94 91 99 96 : 18 Sts: 81 74 70 78 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 18 States planted 90% of last year's winter wheat acreage. Cotton: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 58 49 87 77 AZ : 63 55 64 58 AR : 89 78 97 89 CA : 80 65 73 62 GA : 61 50 68 62 LA : 93 88 100 99 MS : 89 76 99 95 MO : 91 75 97 83 NC : 60 45 58 55 OK : 55 41 63 54 SC : 57 48 64 63 TN : 86 79 98 89 TX : 62 48 57 54 VA : 70 53 40 48 : 14 Sts: 71 59 73 68 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 14 States harvested 98% of last year's cotton acreage. Sorghum: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 100 100 100 100 CO : 81 65 73 56 IL : 96 81 97 84 KS : 96 88 98 87 LA : 100 100 100 100 MO : 90 84 96 88 NE : 91 72 98 84 NM : 51 39 55 41 OK : 76 72 75 63 SD : 94 88 94 84 TX : 91 87 93 87 : 11 Sts: 92 85 94 85 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 11 States harvested 97% of last year's sorghum acreage. Peanuts: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 88 85 91 93 FL : 98 95 95 96 GA : 98 93 93 94 NC : 94 90 96 82 OK : 84 72 83 82 TX : 73 55 51 62 VA : 100 100 100 98 : 7 Sts : 91 84 85 86 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 7 States harvested 97% of last year's peanut acreage. Sugarbeets: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 91 77 72 85 MI : 82 48 79 NA MN : 99 99 100 99 ND : 100 100 100 100 : 4 Sts : 95 87 91 NA -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States harvested 74% of last year's sugarbeets acreage. Sunflowers: Percent Harvested, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1996- State:Nov 4, :Oct 28,:Nov 4, : 2000 : 2001 : 2001 : 2000 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : CO : 84 55 76 NA KS : 96 85 92 NA ND : 91 75 82 87 SD : 89 75 92 89 : 4 Sts : 90 75 85 NA -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States harvested 90% of last year's sunflowers acreage. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 6 41 46 6 CA : 0 0 20 60 20 CO : 1 5 25 62 7 ID : 2 4 15 68 11 IL : 0 1 31 63 5 IN : 4 7 33 48 8 KS : 1 6 30 48 15 MI : 1 12 29 50 8 MO : 0 1 36 62 1 MT : 8 23 55 12 2 NE : 1 2 24 65 8 NC : 4 10 35 49 2 OH : 3 8 29 51 9 OK : 14 31 32 20 3 OR : 3 27 50 20 0 SD : 0 6 33 52 9 TX : 10 30 44 15 1 WA : 0 5 65 30 0 : 18 Sts : 5 14 35 39 7 : Prev Wk : 4 12 34 43 7 Prev Yr : 2 8 36 47 7 -------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2000 planted acres. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on November 14, 2001. 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