We 1 (2-05) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 23, 2005, 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 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary Volume 92, No. 8 February 13 - 19, 2005 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Showery weather persisted in the Southwest--including southern California and the southern Great Basin--for much of the week, but late-week rainfall intensification caused renewed flash flooding and mudslides. Farther north, unfavorably dry conditions continued in the Northwest, where drought concerns mounted due to meager mountain snow packs and diminishing soil moisture reserves. In addition, cool weather settled into the Northwest, holding weekly temperatures more than 10 degrees F below normal in a few interior valley locations. Dry weather also prevailed on the northern Plains, where winter wheat-related concerns included soil moisture shortages and the lack of a protective snow cover. In contrast, mild weather and abundant moisture reserves maintained generally favorable conditions for wheat on the central and southern Plains. Farther east, several rounds of precipitation affected the southern and eastern Corn Belt, maintaining soggy conditions in feedlots and winter wheat fields. Locally heavy precipitation--mostly rain--fell early in the week across the upper Midwest, followed by some snow at week's end. Precipitation also twice overspread the Southeast, boosting moisture reserves in preparation for spring planting. However, rain again bypassed parts of the southern Atlantic region, including southern Florida, where irrigation demands and the threat of wildfires continued to increase. Spring-like weather prevailed across much of the nation, boosting temperatures to 80 degrees F or higher as far north as Arkansas. During the first half of the week, temperatures briefly peaked above 60 degrees F from Nebraska to Ohio. Weekly readings averaged as much as 10 degrees F above normal from the central and southern Plains into the western Corn Belt. Early in the week, locally heavy rain spread from the Midwest into the Northeast. February 12-13 rainfall reached 2.48 inches in Nebraska City, NE, representing one of its wettest winter storms on record. Nebraska City's normal winter (December to February) precipitation is 3.17 inches. In the Corn Belt, early-week snow was mostly confined to the upper Midwest, where Rochester, MN, collected a daily-record total (2.5 inches) on February 14. Farther east, daily-record rainfall amounts for February 14 were measured in locations such as Atlantic City, NJ (1.30 inches), and Pittsburgh, PA (0.90 inch). Precipitation returned to the Midwest at week's end, when February 19-20 snowfall totaled 4.6 inches in Rochester. Elsewhere, a slow-moving storm system near the West Coast produced occasional showers in California and the Southwest. Precipitation intensified on February 18, resulting in daily-record totals in locations such as Albuquerque, NM (0.50 inch), and Las Vegas, NV (0.41 inch). A day later, rainfall records in southern California for February 19 included 2.74 inches in Burbank and 1.94 inches in Fullerton. In contrast, dry conditions in the Northwest caused large temperature variations. In the Pacific Northwest, Quillayute, WA, posted consecutive daily-record highs (57 and 56 degrees F on February 17 and 18), while Olympia, WA (20 degrees F on February 17), and Astoria, OR (27 degrees F on February 19), collected daily-record lows. Farther inland, daily-record lows on February 17 in Utah dipped to -28 degrees F in Randolph and -32 degrees F in Woodruff. Meanwhile, early-season warmth across southern Texas resulted in daily-record highs for February 14 in locations such as Harlingen (90 degrees F) and Brownsville (89 degrees F). From October 1 - February 21, precipitation totaled just 39 percent of normal in the western Oregon locations of Eugene (12.67 inches) and McMinnville (10.71 inches). Similarly dry conditions were observed during the same period in southern Florida cities of West Palm Beach (5.75 inches, or 29 percent of normal) and Naples (4.83 inches, or 31 percent). In fact, less rain fell in much of southern Florida during the 144-day period than soaked Las Vegas, NV, where the October 1 - February 21 total reached 8.48 inches (412 percent of normal). Las Vegas' winter rainfall (starting December 1) climbed to 6.18 inches, easily surpassing its December 1992 - February 1993 record of 5.86 inches. In southern California, meanwhile, San Diego's monthly rainfall topped 4 inches for the fourth time during the 2004-05 wet season, breaking its 1940-41 record of 3 months. San Diego netted 4.98 inches in October, 4.01 inches in December, 4.49 inches in January, and 4.52 inches from February 1-21. In addition, San Diego's season-to-date (July 1 - February 21) rainfall total of 18.33 inches (265 percent of normal) represented its fifth-highest annual sum on record behind 25.97 inches in 1883-84; 24.74 inches in 1940-41; 18.71 inches in 1977-78; and 18.65 inches in 1921-22. Similarly, July 1 - February 21 rainfall reached 32.51 inches (329 percent of normal) in downtown Los Angeles, CA, marking its fifth-wettest year behind 1883-84 (38.18 inches); 1889-90 (34.84 inches); 1977-78 (33.44 inches); and 1940-41 (32.76 inches). Mild weather prevailed in Alaska, accompanied by occasional rain and snow showers across southern and western parts of the State. Weekly temperatures were near normal in southeastern Alaska but ranged from 10 to 24 degrees F above normal in many central and western locations. Daily-record highs were established in several locations, including King Salmon (41 degrees F on February 15) and Cold Bay (45 degrees F on February 17). Precipitation was especially heavy in western Alaska, where February 1-21 amounts reached 5.88 inches (300 percent of normal) in Cold Bay and 0.99 inch (283 percent) in Kotzebue, where month-to-date snowfall totaled 25.0 inches. Meanwhile, locally heavy showers ended early in the week across Hawaii, following by a spell of mild, mostly dry weather. On the Big Island, Hilo netted a daily-record rainfall total of 3.21 inches on February 13, but received only 0.11 inch for the remainder of the week. National Agricultural Summary February 14 - 20, 2005 Highlights: Above-normal temperatures again prevailed across most of the Nation, with only the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rocky Mountains seeing below-normal temperatures. Storms caused more flooding in southern California but were beneficial in other areas of the Southwest. Dry conditions prevailed in the winter wheat areas of the Pacific Northwest, where lack of snow cover remained a concern for growers. Farther east, snowfall in the northern Great Plains missed most of the winter wheat areas, leaving the crop exposed to arctic air expected to push south from Canada this week. Light to moderate precipitation, including some snow, fell across the Corn Belt and Ohio Valley where soggy conditions and heaving soils remained a problem. Conditions were dry along the southern Atlantic Coast, favoring field preparation but causing moisture shortages in the region. Light to moderate precipitation prevailed elsewhere in the Southeast, increasing soil moisture reserves. Fieldwork progressed normally in Florida under dry conditions. Sugarcane, citrus, and vegetable harvest was active, as was land preparation for summer crops. Georgia growers were also busy with land preparation and other pre-planting activities. The cotton harvest continued in Texas but remained incomplete as some areas were too wet for fieldwork. In Arizona, 95 percent of the durum wheat and barley acreage had emerged, while harvest of citrus and vegetables was active. Rainfall in California slowed fieldwork, but citrus and vegetable harvest progressed in areas where weather allowed. 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