We 1 (3-06) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 21, 2006, 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 93, No. 12 March 12 - 18, 2006 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: A pair of major, late-winter storms generated a variety of conditions, including severe thunderstorms, heavy snow, and flooding. However, conditions worsened on the southern Plains before precipitation arrived. On March 12, high winds drove wildfires across hundreds of thousands of acres in eastern New Mexico, western Texas, and Oklahoma. The wildfires were blamed for at least 10 human fatalities, mostly traffic-related. Toward week's end, however, rain soaked the previously parched southern Plains, curbing the threat of fires and helping to begin reviving pastures and rangeland. However, the moisture arrived too late to significantly improve prospects for the southern Plains' winter wheat crop. In contrast, winter grains on the northern and central Plains greatly benefited from widespread rain and snow, especially late in the week. Meanwhile, the Corn Belt received much of its precipitation from the earlier storm, which produced a band of heavy snow across the upper Midwest and sparked strong thunderstorms and caused flash flooding across the lower Ohio, middle Mississippi, and lower Missouri Valleys. According to preliminary reports, the March 11-12 severe weather outbreak included well over 100 tornadoes the highest two-day March total in U.S. history which caused at least 10 deaths. Farther south, late-week rainfall sparked local flooding in previously drought-affected areas across the Arkatex region. In the Southeast, warm weather for much of the week promoted the development of winter grains and blooming fruit trees, despite diminishing soil moisture reserves. Elsewhere, Southwestern rangeland continued to benefit from the previous week's topsoil moisture improvements, followed by a second round of much-needed precipitation. Meanwhile, cool, unsettled conditions persisted in much of California, where Central Valley producers monitored the effects of a month-long spell of showers and below-normal temperatures on blooming nut trees and other weather-sensitive crops. Weekly readings ranged from more than 10 degrees F below normal in parts of the Southwest to as much as 10 degrees F above normal in the southern Mid-Atlantic States, although cool air encompassed much of the Nation by week's end. The March 11-12 severe weather outbreak smashed the Nation's 2-day record for tornadoes in March (previously, 68 tornadoes on March 19-20, 1976). In Missouri alone, the March 11-12 outbreak was responsible for nine deaths and approximately 42 tornadoes. Even outside of the tornado-affected areas, high winds caused damage. In Moline, IL, a gust to 107 m.p.h. was measured on March 12. Meanwhile on the southern High Plains, an explosion of wildfires on March 12 charred several hundred thousand acres of grassland and other vegetation. Fires were fanned by winds as high as 73 m.p.h. in Artesia, NM, and 62 m.p.h. near Hart, TX. By March 20, the Nation's year-to-date wildfire acreage climbed to 1.77 million acres, up from 0.54 million acres on March 6. Meanwhile, heavy snow spread from the Southwest to the upper Midwest. Flagstaff, AZ, received 10.3 inches of snow on March 12-13, boosting its 4-day total to 30.0 inches and its season-to-date sum to 32.8 inches. Farther north, daily-record totals for March 12 included 8.3 inches in Casper, WY, and 7.9 inches in East Rapid City, SD. Upper Midwestern storm totals topped 10 inches in locations such as Minneapolis, MN (10.7 inches on March 12-13), and Marquette, MI (20.8 inches on March 13-14). Elsewhere in Michigan, Muskegon received a daily-record rainfall of 2.92 inches on March 13, while Grand Rapids clocked a wind gust to 55 m.p.h. A second, smaller storm crossed the Midwest on March 15-16, dropping another 8.6 inches of snow on Minneapolis. Chilly weather trailed the early-week storm across the West. On March 12, daily-record lows in southern California included 33 degrees F in Thermal and 28 degrees F in Ojai. A day later, Southwestern daily-record lows for March 13 dipped below 0 degrees F in locations such as Window Rock, AZ (-7 degrees F) and Utah's Bryce Canyon (-19 degrees F). In contrast, record warmth prevailed prior to midweek across the South and East. Record highs for March 12 included 93 degrees F in Del Rio, TX, 87 degrees F in Jackson, MS, and 86 degrees F in Little Rock, AR, followed the next day by records in Eastern locations such as Norfolk, VA (84 degrees F), and Elkins, WV (82 degrees F). Late in the week, another major storm took aim on the southern United States. In northeastern Texas, March 17-19 rainfall topped 5 inches in several locations, including Dallas' Love Field (7.89 inches) and Arlington (7.27 inches). March 19 totals alone reached 6.90 inches at Love Field and 6.08 inches in Arlington. Farther east, Texarkana, AR, marked its first observance of at least 5 inches of rain in a 3-day period since December 15-17, 2001, when 5.00 inches fell. Texarkana's March 18-20 total reached 5.07 inches. Meanwhile in Texas' northern panhandle, Amarillo's March 18-20 precipitation of 1.25 inches exceeded its August 28 - March 17 (202-day) total of 1.10 inches. At week's end, heavy snow overspread the northern and central Plains. On March 18, Great Falls, MT, netted a daily-record snowfall of 4.2 inches en route to a 2-day total of 11.0 inches. Farther south, selected March 19 daily-record snowfall totals for the storm-in-progress included 10.0 inches in Valentine, NE, and 6.8 inches in East Rapid City, SD. Periods of torrential rain continued across Kauai, where a dam holding back the Kaloko Reservoir burst on March 14, leaving seven people missing and presumed dead. On Mt. Waialeale, Kauai, rainfall totaled 114.38 inches for the 27-day period ending 8 a.m. HST on March 19. During the first 18 days of March, Mt. Waialeale's rainfall topped 70 inches, more than twice its monthly normal of 34.70 inches. Elsewhere on Kauai, Lihue's month-to-date rainfall through March 18 reached 25.01 inches (1,180 percent of normal), easily surpassing its previous record-high totals for March (14.54 inches in 1951) and any month (22.91 inches in December 1968). Elsewhere, March 1-18 rainfall at Hawaii's major observing stations varied significantly, ranging from 0.08 inch (6 percent of normal) in Kahului, Maui, to 20.60 inches (257 percent) in Hilo, on the Big Island. Farther north, very cold, mostly dry weather prevailed for much of the week in Alaska, although heavy snow arrived at week's end across the southern part of the State. Weekly temperatures generally ranged from 10 to 30 degrees F below normal across interior and eastern Alaska. Northway collected four daily-record lows from March 12-16, including readings of -43 degrees F on March 13 and 14. Farther south, Juneau closed the week with four consecutive daily-record lows (2, -2, -3, and 0 degrees F) from March 15-18. Meanwhile in Yakutat, a daily-record snowfall (19.4 inches on March 19) followed consecutive daily-record lows (-2 degrees F on both March 16 and 17). National Agricultural Summary March 13 - 19, 2006 Highlights: Moderate rainfall in the southern Great Plains improved soil moisture in most of the region but missed the Panhandle area of Texas and Oklahoma. Light precipitation overspread most of the remainder of the Great Plains, including some snow in South Dakota and Nebraska. Meanwhile, across the much of the Corn Belt, light to moderate precipitation continued to boost soil moisture levels. Mostly dry conditions across the Mississippi Delta and Southeast were favorable for planting, but soil moisture shortages were a problem along the southern Atlantic Coast. Snowfall in the Rocky Mountains increased snowpack, boding well for springtime moisture reserves. Precipitation was moderate in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest but light in the crop-producing areas further inland. Mostly dry conditions returned to the Southwest following the rainfall of the previous week. Temperatures were above normal across the southern Great Plains, Delta, Southeast, Atlantic Coast, and most of the Corn Belt, while below-normal temperatures prevailed in the northwestern Corn Belt, northern Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and Pacific Coast States. Wet weather in California delayed fieldwork, and some recently-planted fields were damaged by flooding. Arizona growers, under mostly dry conditions, harvested a variety of vegetable and citrus crops. In Texas, winter wheat condition improved in some areas due to beneficial rainfall, but most of the crop was still rated as very poor. Planting was underway for most summer crops, with the State's corn acreage 42 percent planted. Warm weather in Georgia improved pastures across the State, but most areas needed moisture. In Florida, fieldwork progressed on schedule, but dry conditions were less than favorable. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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