We 1 (3-02) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 5, 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. 10 February 24 - March 2, 2002 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. HIGHLIGHTS: An abrupt cold outbreak affected areas from the Rockies to the East Coast, followed by a late-week snow and rain storm and a second Arctic blast. Snow blanketed the northern and central Plains, most significantly across Nebraska, helping to protect winter wheat from temperatures that ranged from -25 to -10 degrees F in much of Montana and fell below 0 degrees F as far south as Kansas. However, winter wheat on the southern High Plains was exposed to late-week temperatures as low as 0 to 10 degrees F. Wheat elsewhere on the High Plains continued to face various challenges, including long-term drought, previously hostile winter conditions (high winds and temperature extremes), and locally minimal protection from the recent cold waves due to a shallow snow cover. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 25 degrees F below normal on the northern High Plains. Meanwhile, some of the coldest air of the season overspread the Corn Belt, preceded by rain and snow. Although precipitation boosted Midwestern soil moisture reserves, cold, windy weather and wet or icy field conditions increased livestock stress and hampered rural travel. Farther south and east, beneficial precipitation aided drought-stressed pastures and winter grains in the middle and southern Atlantic States and eased dryness in the central Gulf Coast region. Locally more than 4 inches of rain soaked southern Louisiana, the Florida Panhandle, and southern Georgia. Sharply colder weather also overspread the South, holding weekly temperatures as much as 10 degrees F below normal and resulting in consecutive hard freezes (on February 27-28) in Louisiana's sugarcane area and a light freeze (on February 28) as far south as Florida's northern citrus areas. Meanwhile in the West, mostly dry weather accompanied a cooling trend. Pastures and dryland small grains were in need of moisture across southern California and the Southwest, and high-elevation snow packs remained significantly below normal in the central and southern Rockies and the Southwest. Early in the week, record warmth lingered across the Midwest, where Sunday's high temperatures reached daily-record levels in locations such as Cedar Rapids, IA (67 degrees F), and Madison, WI (62 degrees F). Two days later, records in the Northeast included 68 degrees F in Newark, NJ, and 60 degrees F in Burlington, VT. Meanwhile, snow accompanied the passage of a strong cold front across the northern High Plains, where Great Falls, MT, received a daily-record total (4.2 inches) for February 24. Farther west, record warmth also lingered in California, where more than two dozen daily-record highs were established on February 26-28. On Tuesday, highs soared to 87 degrees F in Long Beach and downtown Los Angeles. Across the Rockies and Plains, however, daily-record lows were established on Tuesday in locations such as West Yellowstone, MT (-39 degrees F), and Denver, CO (-8 degrees F). In the Great Lakes region, Tuesday's lake-enhanced snowfall totaled 19.4 inches in Marquette, MI, helping to propel the city to their snowiest month on record. Marquette's 91.9-inch monthly total exceeded their January 1997 record of 91.7 inches. A day later, 8.5 inches of snow blanketed Buffalo, NY, setting a record for February 27 and becoming the city's first 4-inch snowfall of the year. From February 26 to March 2, more than 200 daily-record lows were set or tied nationwide. On February 27, Austin (Bergstrom), TX, noted a low of 13 degrees F, the lowest reading there since a minimum temperature of 6 degrees F on December 23, 1989. Meanwhile in Kansas, daily-record lows on Wednesday included -5 degrees F in Hays and -3 degrees F in Russell. On the last day of February, Mobile, AL (20 degrees F) noted their latest winter temperature at or below 20 degrees F (previously 19 degrees F on February 24, 1989). Similarly, Tallahassee, FL (18 degrees F on February 28), had their latest reading below 20 degrees F (previously 17 degrees F on February 27, 1974). In the wake of the cold outbreak, heavy rain overspread the Southeast on March 2, totaling 2.49 inches in Tallahassee, followed by an additional 5.98 inches on March 3. March 1-3 snowfall across the Plains and Midwest included 15.6 inches in Grand Rapids, MI, 11.1 inches in Rockford, IL, 11.0 inches in Milwaukee, WI, and 10.0 inches in Grand Island, NE. All of Grand Island's snow fell on March 1, and 13.6 inches of Grand Rapids' snow fell the following day. Grand Rapids' previous record 24-hour snowfall in March was 13.2 inches, measured on March 25-26, 1970. The second round of bitterly cold air trailed the storm system, producing daily-record lows on March 2 in locations such as Crested Butte, CO (-30 degree F), and Laramie, WY (-25 degrees F). Grand Island's temperature fell to -2 degrees F on March 2, their first sub-zero reading of the winter. Heavy rain drenched the Big Island early in the week, followed by a spell of mostly dry weather. Light showers returned nearly statewide toward week's end. Hilo, on the Big Island, received 7.55 inches of rain in a 24-hour period on February 25-26, helping to boost their monthly total to 19.00 inches (195 percent of normal). Hilo also noted a daily record-tying low temperature of 60 degrees F on February 27, helping to hold their weekly readings 3 degrees F below normal. Farther north, mild weather overspread Alaska, where weekly temperatures averaged more than 20 degrees F above normal in some western locations. Significant precipitation was confined to southern Alaska, where Kodiak's weekly total reached 2.27 inches. Kodiak also received 4.0 inches of snow on February 27-28, completing their snowiest February on record (51.6 inches). National Agricultural Summary February 25 - March 3, 2002 Moisture shortages remained in many areas of the Great Plains, especially on the High Plains. In Montana, a snow storm provided much-needed topsoil moisture, but accumulations were light. Bitter cold and blowing soil also contributed to harsh conditions on the northern High Plains. The Southeast received mostly gentle and moderate showers that eliminated topsoil moisture shortages in many areas. Georgia and coastal areas of the south Atlantic States received the greatest drought relief, as moisture soaked in the upper layers of the subsoil. Interior areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plains received enough rain to halt fieldwork, but subsoil moisture reserves remained very low. The rain aided growth of winter grains and forages throughout the Southeast, but the immediate crop response was limited by below-normal temperatures. Most of the Corn Belt received additional moisture in the form of rain and snow. The winter storm pattern abated in the Pacific Northwest, while seasonably mild weather supported crop development in the Southwest. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on March 12, 2002. 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