We 1 (12-05) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released December 28, 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. 52 December 18 - 24, 2005 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Stormy weather returned to the Northwest following a brief lull, maintaining favorable moisture reserves for winter grains and boosting high-elevation snow packs. Early in the week, cold air trapped east of the Cascades resulted in widespread snow and freezing rain across the interior Northwest. However, warmer weather gradually accompanied the onslaught of Pacific storminess, eroding Northwestern winter wheat's protective snow cover. Farther south, warm, dry weather promoted winter fieldwork in southern California and the Southwest, where weekly temperatures averaged as much as 12 degrees F above normal. Mild weather also returned to the nation's mid-section, easing livestock stress across the Plains and Midwest. However, mid- to late-week warmth also further stressed pastures and winter grains on the southern Plains and reduced the coverage of snow cover across the northern and central High Plains. Toward week's end, mild weather briefly reached the Great Lakes States, although weekly temperatures averaged as much as 6 degrees F below normal and an extensive snow cover persisted. On December 24-25, rain and snow showers overspread areas from the Midwest to New England in conjunction with a developing storm. Elsewhere, cool, dry weather prevailed for much of the week across the South, although early-week showers lingered in the southern Atlantic States and mixed precipitation (freezing drizzle and light rain and snow showers) affected areas west of the Delta. The chilly weather generally benefited Southeastern orchards by providing chill hours and helping to cold harden trees. At week's end (December 24-25), locally heavy showers and thunderstorms developed across the Southeast. Early in the week, very cold weather lingered across the interior Northwest. On December 18, daily-record lows were set in locations such as Wisdom, MT (-37 degrees F), and Olympia, WA (13 degrees F). In Idaho, Challis reported below-normal daily average temperatures on 31 consecutive days from November 18 - December 18. Elsewhere in Idaho, Burley's temperatures stayed below the freezing mark (32 degrees F) on 16 consecutive days (December 3-18) 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, remained below 32 degrees F for 17 days in a row (December 3-19), its longest such streak since 19 days of sub-freezing weather in December 1990 - January 1991. Meanwhile, mild, showery weather arrived along the West Coast. In California, daily-record rainfall totals for December 18 included 2.29 inches in Ukiah and 1.76 inches in Sacramento. Elsewhere in California, 24-hour rainfall totals on December 17-18 reached 6.77 inches in Uvas Canyon Park, Santa Clara County, and 7.46 inches in Big Sur. On the 18th in Nevada, Reno achieved a daily-record precipitation total (0.85 inch, including 3.6 inches of snow), while Winnemucca netted a daily-record snowfall (5.5 inches). Two days later, Reno notched a daily-record high of 63 degrees F, while records for December 20 in California included 70 degrees F in Fresno and 85 degrees F in La Mesa. In fact, more than 150 daily-record highs were set during the week across the western half of the nation. In southern California, Riverside notched a high of 90 degrees F on December 21. Toward week's end, warmth expanded across the Plains and the Midwest, resulting in daily-record highs in locations such as Goodland, KS (69 degrees F on December 22), and Eau Claire, WI (45 degrees F on December 23). It was the warmest Christmas Eve on record in locations such as Yuma, AZ (81 degrees F), and Glenwood, NM (72 degrees F). In many places, gusty winds accompanied the warming trend. In eastern Colorado, December 23 wind gusts peaked at 69 m.p.h. in Cheyenne Wells and 62 m.p.h. in Burlington. A day later, a storm arriving along the Pacific Coast resulted in western Oregon wind gusts to 93 m.p.h. at Sea Lion Caves and 76 m.p.h. in Florence. Farther east, however, chilly, occasionally wintry weather stubbornly clung for several days. South Bend, IN, recorded a high temperature of 10 degrees F on December 19, followed the next day by a 1.6-inch snowfall in Oklahoma City, OK. By December 23, though, Louisville, KY, noted its first warmer-than-normal day since November 28. Meanwhile in northern Florida, a lingering dose of chilly air produced December 23 lows of 21 degrees F in Cross City and 23 degrees F in Tallahassee. At week's end, milder, showery conditions also arrived in the South, where rainfall totals for the 24 hours ending 7 a.m. EST on December 25 ranged from 1 to 2 inches in locations such as Lafayette, LA, Tupelo, MS, and Albany, GA. Warm, breezy, and mostly dry weather prevailed in Hawaii. December 18 featured the month's highest wind gusts in Hawaiian locations such as Kahului, Maui (49 m.p.h.), and Lihue, Kauai (43 m.p.h.). On the Big Island, Hilo clocked its highest wind gust (33 m.p.h.) of the month to date on December 23. A daily-record high (87 degrees F on December 18) was reported in Lihue, where the December 1-24 rainfall of 0.07 inch (2 percent of normal) remained on a pace to break its December 1985 record low of 0.51 inch. Elsewhere, month-to-date rainfall totaled just 0.12 inch (5 percent of normal) in Kahului and 0.37 inch (17 percent) in Honolulu, Oahu. Farther north, mild but frequently stormy weather prevailed in much of Alaska, where weekly temperatures averaged as much as 15 degrees F above normal. Daily-record highs were set in several Alaskan locations; both Wrangell (50 degrees F) and Petersburg (48 degrees F) posted records for December 21. Elsewhere in southern Alaska, month-to-date (December 1-24) precipitation totaled 12.56 inches (213 percent of normal) in Valdez, 10.04 inches (173 percent) in Kodiak, and 6.29 inches (149 percent) in Juneau. However, in part due to persistent warmth, Juneau's December 1-24 snowfall totaled just 3.7 inches (24 percent of normal). National Agricultural Summary December 19 - 25, 2005 Highlights: Above-normal temperatures prevailed from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains and western Corn Belt, while temperatures averaged below normal from the Mississippi Delta and central Corn Belt to the Atlantic Coast. Heavy rain and snowfall in the Pacific Northwest maintained abundant snow cover for winter wheat in the region, while warm, dry conditions in the Southwest aided fieldwork, including cotton harvest. Dry weather in the southern Great Plains further worsened the condition of winter wheat and pastures. In the northern Great Plains, a week of warm, dry conditions eroded much of the snow cover protecting winter wheat in the region. Cool weather in the Southeast benefited fruit orchards by providing chill hours and helping to harden trees against cold weather. Across the Midwest, the winter wheat crop maintained its protective snow cover despite warm weather during the week. In Florida, cool weather slowed growth of vegetable crops but helped citrus crops achieve dormancy, with harvest of both progressing rapidly. Arizona's cotton harvest advanced to 96 percent complete, while vegetable growers shipped a variety of produce. Wet weather in California hindered small grain planting but was favorable for acreage already planted. Sugarbeet planting and citrus and vegetable harvests were active. 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.nass.usda.gov. 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.nass.usda.gov, under the right navigation, Receive reports by Email, click on National or State. Follow the instructions on the screen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-605-6220 FAX: 703-605-6900 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.