We 1 (3-04) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 16, 2004, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Brian T. Young at (202) 720-7621, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary Volume 91, No. 11 March 7 - 13, 2004 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: The return of warm, dry weather to the West left many drought-affected river basins across the Intermountain West, central and southern Rockies, and Southwest facing near- to below-normal spring and summer runoff. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 10 degrees F above normal in parts of California and Arizona. Meanwhile, mild weather also prevailed on the Plains, lifting temperatures as much as 10 degrees F above normal. On the southern Plains, winter wheat benefited from recent topsoil moisture improvements and additional rainfall. Farther north, however, drought-stressed wheat began to break dormancy on the central High Plains, where significant subsoil moisture shortages persisted. Farther east, mild weather also overspread the western Corn Belt, but chilly, unsettled conditions lingered elsewhere in the Midwest. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 6 degrees F below normal in the eastern Corn Belt, keeping winter wheat grains dormant in the lower Great Lakes region and slowing wheat development in the Ohio Valley. Generally cool weather also affected the South and East. Despite the Southern cool spell, dry weather permitted a gradual return to spring fieldwork in previously soaked areas across the western and central Gulf Coast States. The late-week arrival of rain in southern Texas slowed spring planting operations but boosted soil moisture reserves. Warmth from the West Coast to the northern High Plains resulted in well over 200 daily-record highs. More than half of the record highs were established on March 8-9. In California, Sacramento (city) set or tied five record highs in 6 days from March 8-13, including a maximum temperature of 82 degrees F on March 13. Covelo, CA, notched four consecutive daily-record highs from March 9-12, including its earliest reading of 85 degrees F or higher (85 degrees F on March 10; previously, 85 degrees F on March 18, 1960). Elsewhere in California, Santa Ana opened the week with a trio of daily-record highs (93, 97, and 88 degrees F) from March 7-9, while Indio posted consecutive records (96 degrees F both days) on March 9-10. Record warmth reached Montana's High Plains on March 8, when daily records included 66 degrees F in Great Falls and 63 degrees F in Cut Bank. Elsewhere in Montana, Billings logged consecutive record highs (66 and 70 degrees F) on March 8-9. Helena, MT, collected a daily-record high (63 degrees F) on March 8 and again toward week's end (65 degrees F on March 12). Similarly, Whitman Mission, WA, tallied record highs on March 8 (74 degrees F) and 13 (68 degrees F). In contrast, daily-record lows in Michigan on March 13 included -12 degrees F in Marquette and -5 degrees F in Gaylord. An early-week storm system clipped the Pacific Northwest, producing a daily-record total (2.03 inches on March 7) in Quillayute, WA. Farther east, a coastal storm brushed the Atlantic Seaboard at midweek, resulting in a daily-record rainfall (0.90 inch on March 10) on Cape Hatteras, NC. Two days later, locally heavy showers in southern and western Texas brought daily-record amounts to locations such as Lubbock (0.75 inch), Midland (0.71 inch), and El Paso (0.62 inch). For El Paso, it was the highest 1-day total since 0.99 inch fell on February 20, 2003. Locally heavy showers dotted Hawaii's windward locations early in the week and again toward week's end. On March 7-8, Kokee, Kauai, netted 4.67 inches of rain in 24 hours. Heavy showers returned to Kokee from March 12-14, when its 48-hour total reached 4.54 inches. Farther east, the Big Island location of Kamuela received 4.97 inches in 24 hours on March 13-14. Meanwhile, mild weather in southeastern and western Alaska contrasted with bitterly cold conditions across the State's northern tier. On March 8, Juneau (46 degrees F) posted a daily-record high. In addition, Juneau received precipitation totaling 2.92 inches (171 percent of normal) during the first 14 days of March, including 9.6 inches of snow. National Agricultural Summary March 8 - 14, 2004 Highlights: Above-normal temperatures melted most of the northern Great Plains' snow cover, while warmer temperatures early in the week raised optimism for planting in the southern Great Plains. Weekend rainfall, in the southern Great Plains, enhanced small grain and pasture conditions. Seasonal rainfall continued in western Washington, while areas east of the Cascade Mountains experienced dry conditions. Cooler-than-normal temperatures were recorded in most areas east of the Great Plains, with reading as much as 6 degrees F below average along the East Coast. Light, widespread showers maintained moisture levels in the Ohio Valley. Most areas along the Atlantic Coast received rain, but amounts were too light to break the recent dry weather pattern in the southern region. Daytime warmth provided some support for crop development in the Southeast and Delta Regions. In Texas, wheat and oat fields benefited from warmer, moist weather. Corn and sorghum planting began in north-central Texas, while planting continued in southern areas. Late-week rain and cool weather limited fieldwork activities in the cotton fields. Corn and vegetable planting was active in Florida. Growth of winter forages and grains remained very slow due to moisture shortages and cool weather that included near-freezing temperatures in the northern half of the State. In Georgia, producers burned fields and fertilized pastures and hay. California's warm weather and adequate soil moisture promoted growth of small grains. Alfalfa fields and winter forage grew rapidly in the warmer weather. Some fields were cut for hay and greenchop. Others were treated with herbicide applications to control weeds. The next "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" report will be released after 12 p.m. ET on March 23, 2004. 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.) 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