We 1 (2-02) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 12, 2002, 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 89, No. 7 February 3 - 9, 2002 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Widespread precipitation returned to the South, maintaining adequate to locally excessive soil moisture for pastures and winter grains west of the Appalachians. On the northern fringe of the precipitation shield, snow blanketed areas from Oklahoma and northern Texas to the southern Appalachians. In the East, however, long-term drought persisted, despite recent rain and snow. Winter wheat benefited from recent soil moisture improvements from southern Nebraska southward into Texas, but continued to suffer from windy, unfavorably dry conditions and a minimal snow cover from western Nebraska northward through Montana. In addition, a late-week storm system raked the northern half of the Plains with high winds and light snow, briefly producing blizzard conditions. Weekly temperatures averaged well above normal from the northern High Plains eastward into the Great Lakes region, with departures ranging from +5 to +15 degrees F. The mild weather melted much of the previous week's snowfall across the Midwest, recharging soil moisture but leaving muddy conditions in some fields and feedlots. Farther west, a 3-week cool snap eased across winter agricultural areas of California and the Southwest, aiding vegetable and winter grain growth. However, chilly conditions persisted across the interior West (more than 15 degrees F below normal in a few areas), where a stagnant weather pattern left cold air trapped in valley locations. In contrast, gusty "Santa Ana" winds swept across southern California at week's end, fanning localized brush fires. Early in the week, a storm system quickly swept across the Northeast, bringing gusty winds and snow. Rochester, NY, received 9.7 inches of snow from February 3-5, accounting for more than one-third of their season-to-date total of 28.8 inches. Storm-total snowfall locally reached 1 foot in Maine's Washington County. Farther south, a wind gust to 61 mph was noted on Monday night on North Carolina's Ocracoke Island. Meanwhile, significant precipitation developed on Monday in a band across Texas, reaching the remainder of the South on February 6 and 7. Weekly precipitation totaled at least 1 inch from western Texas to the Carolinas, surpassing 2 inches in many locations from northern Louisiana to South Carolina. Storm-total (February 5-6) snowfall included 3.4 inches in Lubbock, TX, 3.5 inches in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX, and 5.4 inches in Little Rock, AR, and Nashville, TN. Farther west, cool weather lingered through midweek in southern California, where Ramona notched a seventh consecutive daily-record low (27 degrees F) on February 5. By week's end, however, a change in wind direction brought warm weather to the California coast. In Oceanside, CA, a daily-record high of 80 degrees F on February 9 followed a daily-record low of 36 degrees F on February 7. Farther inland, however, weekly temperatures averaged nearly 14 degrees F below normal in Elko, NV, although a streak of 10 consecutive days (January 28 - February 6) with low temperatures below 0 degrees F ended on Thursday. In contrast, daily-record warmth returned to the upper Midwest during the mid- to late-week period. In Wisconsin, Wausau noted record highs on February 6 (43 degrees F) and 8 (50 degrees F). At week's end, however, a dynamic storm system swept across the Plains with gusty winds but little snow. East of the Rockies, heavy snowfall was confined to the northern Black Hills, where February 9 totals in Lawrence County, SD, included 18.5 inches at Deadwood and 18.0 inches at Lead. Meanwhile, February 8-9 snowfall totaled 3 to 4 inches (0.19 inch liquid) in the Miles City, MT, area, and 2.6 inches (0.13 inch liquid) in Cheyenne, WY. Peak wind gusts included 63 mph (on February 8) in Cheyenne and 61 mph (on February 9) in Grand Island, NE. Mild weather (up to 9 degrees F above normal) prevailed across most of Alaska, including the west-central portion of the State, where bitterly cold weather had dominated the preceding 2 weeks. Significant precipitation was confined to southern Alaska, where Kodiak received 4.30 inches (including 18.5 inches of snow) during the first 9 days of February. Meanwhile in Hawaii, heavy showers swept into Kauai on the morning of February 8 and across the remainder of the State during the ensuing 24-hour period, interrupting an otherwise quiet weather pattern. Wainiha, Kauai, netted 2.90 inches on Friday, and February 8-9 (24-hour) totals elsewhere included 2.41 inches at the Wilson Tunnel on Oahu, and 3.17 inches at Laupahoehoe, on the Big Island. National Agricultural Summary February 4 - 10, 2002 Soil moisture shortages in the southern Great Plains and Southeast were reduced by a storm system that tracked eastward across Texas, through the lower Mississippi Valley, and into the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The heaviest precipitation was centered over Georgia and provided a much-needed boost to moisture reserves. Other parts of the Southeast and Atlantic Coastal Plain received substantial precipitation, but long-term soil moisture supplies remained low. Winter grains and forages throughout the South benefited from the widespread precipitation, but cooler-than-normal weather limited growth. Field and orchard work continued with few delays in Florida, and the cold nighttime temperatures provided beneficial chill hours for dormant fruit trees throughout the Southeast. Elsewhere, unseasonably warm weather continued across most of the Corn Belt and central and northern Great Plains. Light precipitation, mostly in the form of snow, added to the already adequate soil moisture supplies across the Corn Belt, but dry weather contributed to increasing moisture shortages in the central and northern Great Plains. The seasonal storm track resumed after a brief lull in the Pacific Northwest, raising coastal reservoir levels and adding to the mountain snowpack accumulations. In California, dry weather supported field and orchard work, but cold nighttime temperatures slowed growth of winter crops and required protective measures for vulnerable vegetable crops. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on February 20, 2002. 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). 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