We 1 (2-03) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 25, 2003, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Terry P. O'Connor at (202)720-4288, office hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary Volume 90, No. 8 February 16 - 22, 2003 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Following last week's beneficial precipitation in southern California and Arizona, mild, mostly dry weather returned to the Southwest. Elsewhere, significant Western precipitation was confined to the Northwest and parts of the northern and central Rockies. Despite recent precipitation, most areas from the Rockies westward continue to suffer from below-normal reservoir levels and mountain snow packs, and face the likelihood of additional water shortages due to forecasts of below-normal spring and summer runoff. Farther east, mild weather prevailed for most of the week across the Plains and Midwest, but some of the coldest air of the winter began to overspread both regions on February 22. However, winter wheat areas as far south as northern Oklahoma benefited from a substantial, protective snowfall in advance of the cold outbreak. By February 24, lows temperatures near 5 degrees F were reported as far south as southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, where cold weather may have burned back emerging winter wheat. Farther north, a significant increase in livestock stress occurred across the northern and central Plains and upper Midwest, where February 24 readings ranged from 0 to -30 degrees F. Meanwhile, widespread, late-week snowfall also blanketed the Ohio Valley and the lower Great Lakes region, insulating winter wheat but hampering rural travel. In the South, the return of wet weather after midweek caused additional fieldwork delays and triggered lowland flooding. The Tennessee Valley, which received as much as 4 to 8 inches of rain from February 13-16, netted another 1 to 4 inches of rain just 1 week later. During the latter rainfall event, many locations from eastern Texas to the southern Appalachians noted at least 4 inches. Farther north, late-week downpours totaled 1 to 3 inches and sparked local flooding from the Mid-Atlantic States into southern New England, only days after the record-setting snow storm of February 15-18. Snowfall lingered into Tuesday from the northern Mid-Atlantic States to southern New England. The February 15-18 storm produced the greatest storm-total snowfall on record in Baltimore, MD (28.2 inches), surpassing the 26.5-inch total observed from January 27-29, 1922. Boston, MA, received 27.5 inches on February 17-18, breaking their 24-hour and storm-total snowfall records (previously, 25.4 inches on March 31 - April 1, 1997, and 27.1 inches on February 6-7, 1978, respectively). New York's Central Park recorded 19.8 inches on February 16-17, the city's fourth-highest storm total behind 26.4 inches on December 26-27, 1947; 21.0 inches on March 12-14, 1888; and 20.2 inches on January 6-8, 1996. Elsewhere in New York, Albany's February 17-18 total of 13.0 inches boosted their season-to-date snowfall to 94.4 inches, less than 20 inches below their snowiest season on record (112.5 inches in 1970-71). Bitterly cold weather lingered across New England early in the week, but mild conditions prevailed across most of the remainder of the Nation. On February 17, daily-record lows in Maine included -22 degrees F in Caribou and -24 degrees F in Houlton. Three days later, however, record warmth overspread the Great Lakes region, where daily records included 44 degrees F in Marquette, MI, and 43 degrees F in Duluth, MN. Toward week's end, very warm air overspread the Southeast in advance of a moisture-laden storm system. On February 22, maxima of 89 degrees F in Vero Beach, FL, 78 degrees F in Wilmington, NC, and 77 degrees F in Norfolk, VA, were among more than a half-dozen daily-record highs. Meanwhile, sharply colder air returned to areas from the northern Plains to the Great Lakes States. By Sunday, highs of -5 degrees F in Glasgow, MT, and 6 degrees F in Marquette were the lowest on record for February 23. On February 20, heavy rain developed across parts of Texas, resulting in daily-record totals in locations such as College Station (4.76 inches), Lufkin (3.06 inches), and El Paso (0.99 inch). College Station's previous highest 1-day total during February was 3.81 inches on February 27 , 1927, while El Paso last received a higher daily total on July 1, 2000, when 1.36 inches fell. Rain swept into the snow-covered northern Mid-Atlantic region on February 22, producing daily-record totals in Baltimore, MD (2.30 inches); Washington, DC (2.27 inches); Roanoke, VA (2.25 inches); and several other locations. Bridgeport, CT, netted consecutive daily-record totals on February 22-23, totaling 2.38 inches. Meanwhile, another significant snowfall blanketed much of the eastern Corn Belt. Indianapolis, IN, measured a daily-record snowfall of 6.3 inches on February 22, helping to boost their February 1-24 total to 21.5 inches. Their previous February record, 21.0 inches, was established in 1910. A February-record snowfall was also attained in Pittsburgh, PA, where the month-to-date total of 25.0 inches surpassed their February 1972 record of 24.2 inches. At week's end, more snow developed in advance of an Arctic front across the Plains and Midwest. The snowfall and the bitterly cold air that trailed it will be covered in more detail in next week's summary. In Hawaii, showers were widespread but mostly light, following last week's brief but soaking rains. A few heavier showers fell across parts of the Big Island on February 21-22, when 24-hour totals reached 3.11 inches in Kamuela and 1.46 inches in Honokaa. Meanwhile, colder air overspread most of Alaska, holding weekly temperatures as much as 6 degrees F below normal. Some warmth lingered, however, across southwestern Alaska, where weekly temperatures averaged at least 4 degrees F above normal and King Salmon posted a daily-record high of 43 degrees F on February 21. Alaska was mostly dry during the week, leaving lower elevations in the southern part of the State uncharacteristically bare for this time of year. February 1-23 snowfall totaled 0.3 inch in King Salmon and Anchorage, despite above-normal precipitation. Elsewhere, month-to-date precipitation varied from a February-record total of 3.11 inches in McGrath (420 percent of their February normal) to the lowest February total since 1989 in Juneau (0.93 inch, or 23 percent of their February normal). National Agricultural Summary February 17 - 23, 2003 Heavy doses of mixed precipitation fell across much of the Nation. Seasonal rains were heavy in the Pacific Northwest, snowfall was heavy in the Northern Rockies, and rain, freezing rain, and snow fell across a wide swath from Texas to New England. In California, wet conditions restricted fieldwork in some areas but were beneficial to dryland grain and hay crops. Many peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, and almond trees were in bloom. Planting preparations continued in melon, pepper, squash, and tomato fields. Dry conditions persisted in a path from New Mexico to the northern Great Plains, Minnesota, and Michigan. Torrential downpours covered a large part Texas, as heavy rain spanned from Austin northeast to the Louisiana border. Soil moisture levels improved or remained adequate in areas where light precipitation was received but were at surplus levels over a large part of the State. Where conditions allowed, producers were deep-breaking and fertilizing for summer crops. In Florida, significant rain fell in most areas, except for some west-central and extreme southern peninsula localities, with most areas receiving at least 1 inch of rain. Statewide, soil moisture supplies were mostly adequate to short. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released at 12 p.m. ET on March 4, 2003. 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