We 1 (12-05) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released December 20, 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. 51 December 11 - 17, 2005 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Cold conditions prevailed nearly nationwide for the third consecutive week. Chilly weather was most persistent across the interior Northwest, where weekly temperatures averaged as much as 15 degrees F below normal. Elsewhere, weekly readings averaged more than 10 degrees F below normal in much of the Northeast, while an early- to mid-week mild spell boosted temperatures at least 5 degrees F above normal in parts of the upper Midwest. Mostly dry weather prevailed from the Plains westward, although at week's end, rain and snow showers began to overspread northern and central California and the Great Basin. The central Plains also received some late-week snowfall. Dry conditions favored fieldwork in southern California and the Southwest but further stressed pastures and winter grains on the southern Plains. Meanwhile, a widespread blanket of snow helped to insulate most winter grains across the Northwest and the northern half of the Plains, although western Nebraska's snow cover remained shallow and patchy. Most of the Midwest also retained a snow cover, which was replenished by a mid-week storm that accompanied a return to cold weather. Stress on Midwestern livestock continued due to cold, snowy conditions since late November. Elsewhere, a storm system crossed the South on December 14-15, providing drought-easing rainfall from the western Gulf Coast region to the Delta but causing some flash flooding in southeastern Texas. Rain also fell in the Southeast, while frozen precipitation (mostly freezing rain and snow) glazed the central and southern Appalachians and adjacent eastern foothills. Late in the week, mixed precipitation (rain, freezing rain, and snow) affected the Northeast, while additional rain fell across the Deep South. Several daily-record lows were established in the West, especially across the northern half of the region. In Oregon, Elgin collected daily-record lows on December 12 and 15 (-1 and -6 degrees F, respectively). Farther south, Greer, AZ (-3 degrees F), also posted a record low for December 15. In California, daily records were set in locations such as Redding (24 degrees F on December 16) and Blythe (29 degrees F on December 17). Meanwhile, cold air settled into the Northeast in advance of a late-week storm, resulting in daily-record lows for December 14 in locations such as Syracuse, NY (-8 degrees F), and Mt. Pocono, PA (-9 degrees F). In fact, daily average temperatures were below normal on each of the month's first 17 days in Mid-Atlantic locations such as Martinsburg, WV, and Harrisburg, PA. Month-to-date readings averaged 28.9 degrees F (9.1 degrees F below normal) in Martinsburg and 27.4 degrees F (8.9 degrees F below normal) in Harrisburg. Meanwhile in Idaho, Challis reported below-normal daily average temperatures on 30 consecutive days from November 18 - December 17. From December 1-17, the average temperature of 3.5 degrees F in Challis was 19.9 degrees F below normal. Elsewhere in Idaho, Burley's temperatures stayed below the freezing mark (32 degrees F) on 15 consecutive days (December 3-17) through week's end, its fourth longest such streak on record behind 38 days in January-February 1949, 22 days in December 1985, and 17 days in January-February 1985. Pocatello, ID, also remained below 32 degrees F for 15 days in a row (December 3-17), its longest such streak since 19 days of sub-freezing weather in December 1990 - January 1991. The Midwest continued to receive abundant snowfall, including daily-record totals for December 14 in locations such as Rochester, MN, and Wisconsin Rapids, WI (both 7.1 inches). The following day in Michigan, snowfall records for December 15 were established in Alpena (8.4 inches) and Sault Sainte Marie (5.3 inches). Duluth, MN, measured 22.4 inches of snow in 3 days, including daily-record totals on December 14 and 16 (13.2 and 6.6 inches, respectively). Meanwhile in Iowa, December 1-14 snowfall totals of 14.5 inches in Burlington and 16.6 inches in Cedar Rapids were those locations' highest amounts on record for the first 2 weeks of December. The previous December 1-14 record in Burlington was 12.4 inches in 1977; Cedar Rapids recorded 13.2 inches in 1978. Farther east, Indianapolis, IN, received at least a trace of snow on 18 consecutive days (totaling 11.5 inches) from November 29 - December 16, tying its record set during January 1918. In sharp contrast, Flagstaff, AZ, continued to await its first measurable snowfall of the season. In the last half-century, Flagstaff noted no measurable snow through December 15 only two other years: 1989 and 1999. Flagstaff's September 1 - December 17 precipitation totaled just 2.26 inches, 33 percent of normal. Meanwhile, the Northeast's wet spell remained on a near-record or record-setting pace. In Maine, Portland's 1.96-inch daily-record total for December 16 lifted its year-to-date precipitation to 63.95 inches. Portland's annual precipitation record was established in 1983, when 66.33 inches fell. Meanwhile in New Hampshire, Concord's year-to-date total of 54.56 inches surpassed its 1888 annual record of 54.33 inches. To the south, rainfall records for December 14 were broken in Houston, TX (5.64 inches), and Vicksburg, MS (2.97 inches). Houston also experienced its wettest December day, shattering the 3.28-inch standard established on December 2, 1971. A day later, Pensacola, FL (3.20 inches), measured a daily-record total, while freezing rain (locally a half-inch or more) glazed areas from northeastern Georgia to the interior Northeast. During a second round of storminess, rainfall records for December 17 were broken in several Florida locations, including Gainesville (4.62 inches) and Jacksonville (3.96 inches). It was also Gainesville's wettest December day on record (previously, 3.80 inches on December 24, 1940). Near-normal temperatures in western Alaska contrasted with mild weather across the remainder of the State. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 15 degrees F above normal across interior Alaska, where Fairbanks posted a daily record-tying high of 41 degrees F on December 16. In southeastern Alaska, daily-record highs were set on consecutive days (December 15-16) in locations such as Yakutat (48 and 50 degrees F) and Gustavus (48 and 52 degrees F). Through December 17, significantly above- normal month-to-date precipitation totals across western and southern Alaska included 0.97 inch (285 percent of normal) in Kotzebue and 11.63 inches (282 percent) in Valdez. Kotzebue also collected daily-record snowfall totals on December 7, 8, and 11 (4.0, 2.9, and 3.5 inches, respectively). Farther south, little rain fell in Hawaii, although winds increased and temperatures rose at week's end in advance of a cold front. On Kauai, Lihue collected consecutive daily-record highs of 83 and 87 degrees F on December 17 and 18, respectively. On the latter date, Lihue clocked a wind gust to 43 m.p.h., while Kahului, Maui, measured a gust to 49 m.p.h. However, December 1-17 rainfall totaled just 0.07 inch (3 percent of normal) in Lihue and 0.09 inch (6 percent) in Kahului. National Agricultural Summary December 12 - 18, 2005 Highlights: Warm, dry weather on the northern and central Great Plains eroded some of the protective snow cover from the winter wheat crop, while dry conditions in the southern Plains continued to stress the crop. Elsewhere in the Nation, below-normal temperatures prevailed. In the Corn Belt, widespread snow cover provided protection for winter wheat but stressed livestock. A high pressure system in the Pacific Northwest held temperatures to as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, but winter grains were protected by a generous snow cover. Across California and the Southwest, dry weather favored late-season fieldwork. A storm system began dropping heavy rainfall along the upper Gulf Coast of Texas and throughout Louisiana around midweek, causing local flooding. The system then moved on into the Southeast and up the Atlantic Coast, bringing freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Vegetable harvest in Florida was aided by dry conditions. Cool weather helped to harden citrus groves. In Georgia, soybean and cotton harvests edged closer to completion, while onion transplanting continued. Texas' winter wheat crop continued to suffer from a lack of precipitation, though most of the crop was entering dormancy. Arizona's cotton crop was 91 percent harvested, 3 percentage points behind normal. Winter wheat has been slow to emerge in California's San Joaquin Valley due to dry conditions, while carrot harvest was underway in Kern County. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet. For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: www.usda.gov/nass/. Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and then Reports Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or Subject. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. Starting with the NASS Home Page at www.usda.gov/nass/, click on Publications, then click on the Subscribe by E-mail button which takes you to the page describing e-mail delivery of reports. 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