We 1 (12-06) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released December 19, 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. 51 December 10 - 16, 2006 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: A powerful Pacific storm swept across the Northwest on December 14-15, causing extensive wind damage and bearing another round of rain and snow. Storm effects spread inland as far east as the northern Rockies and southward into central California. Soil moisture for Northwestern winter grains remained abundant to locally excessive, but unusually dry conditions persisted in southern California and the Southwest. Meanwhile on the Plains, mild, mostly dry weather maintained the need for rain or snow in key winter wheat areas, especially from northern and western Oklahoma into western South Dakota. Elsewhere on the Plains, including Montana and areas from northern Texas into southeastern Kansas, wheat continued to benefit from recent topsoil moisture improvements. Farther east, a band of generally light rain (locally an inch or more) fell during the first half of the week from the western and central Gulf Coast States into the Great Lakes region. Although mild weather was generally favorable for Midwestern livestock, wet fields and feedlots remained a concern in parts of the eastern Corn Belt. Elsewhere, warm, dry weather prevailed in the southern Atlantic States, except in peninsular Florida. Southeastern fieldwork included final winter wheat planting and cotton and soybean harvesting. Meanwhile, southern Florida's rain dented long-term precipitation deficits and eased citrus irrigation requirements, but slowed seasonal vegetable harvesting. Abnormally warm weather prevailed nationwide, with temperatures ranging from slightly above normal in the Southwest to as much as 20 degrees F above normal in the upper Midwest. Although warmth was generally beneficial for overwintering grains, some wheat began to lose cold hardiness due to near-record to record-high temperatures. In southern Louisiana, rain and a quick temperature rebound adversely affected any stalks damaged by the freezes of December 5, 8, and 9. Early in the week, chilly weather lingered in the Southeast, where record lows for December 10 were noted in South Carolina locations such as Columbia (20 degrees F) and Florence (22 degrees F). Two days later, however, record warmth overspread the Central States, where records for December 12 included 78 degrees F in Galveston, TX, and 55 degrees F in Miles City, MT. From December 14-16, warmth became more pronounced and reached a national scale, resulting in more than five dozen daily-record highs. On December 14, daily-record highs were established in both Portland, OR (60 degrees F), and Portland, ME (55 degrees F). Elsewhere, the week ended with consecutive daily-record highs on December 15-16 in locations such as Ponca City, OK (70 and 71 degrees F), and Fayetteville, AR (71 and 70 degrees F). Other record highs for December 16 included 84 degrees F in Childress, TX; 76 degrees F in Oklahoma City, OK; 72 degrees F in Joplin, MO; and 65 degrees F in Quincy, IL. Stormy weather increased across the West Coast States early in the week, when 48-hour (December 8-10) rainfall in central California reached 3.71 inches in Big Sur and 2.73 inches in Kentfield. Additional rain fell in central California on December 12, when the Oakland Airport (1.90 inches) netted a daily-record total. Despite wetter conditions in central California, the water equivalent of the Sierra Nevada snow pack stood at just 3 inches (50 percent of normal) on December 15, according to the California Department of Water Resources. Meanwhile, showers spread northeastward from the Gulf Coast. In Michigan, record rainfall totals for December 12 included 0.94 inch in Sault Ste. Marie and 0.69 inch in Houghton Lake. Farther west, a tremendous wind storm swept into the Pacific Northwest on December 14-15. Winds, ranging in direction from southerly to west-southwesterly, gusted to 69 m.p.h. in Seattle, WA, and 67 m.p.h. in Astoria, OR. Gusts topped 100 m.p.h. in some Pacific Northwestern coastal towns, including Newport, OR (106 m.p.h.), and adjacent coastal mountains. Media accounts indicated that more than 1.5 million customers lost electricity at the height of the storm. Farther inland, wind sensors in Glacier National Park, MT, recorded gusts to 164 m.p.h. at Snowslip, near the southern end of the park, and 133 m.p.h. at Logan Pass. Precipitation associated with the storm was not exceptionally heavy, although daily-record totals in Washington for December 14 included 8.4 inches of snow at Winthrop and 2.17 inches of rain at the National Weather Service office in Seattle. Late-week rains also affected parts of southern Florida, where December 14 totals reached 8.22 inches in West Palm Beach and 1.68 inches in Orlando. In contrast, October 15 - December 15 rainfall totaled a trace in Phoenix, AZ, tying 1916, 1917, and 1999 for the driest such period on record. Showers increased toward week's end across Hawaii's windward locations due to strengthening trade winds. Gusts to 55 m.p.h. were clocked on December 15 in locations such as Dillingham Airfield near Waialua, Oahu, and South Point, on the Big Island. Elsewhere on the Big Island, Glenwood netted 3.16 inches of rain in a 72-hour period from December 14-17. In contrast, December 1-16 rainfall totaled just a trace (1.43 inches below normal) in Honolulu, Oahu. Farther north, mostly dry weather prevailed on the Alaskan mainland, accompanied by near- to above-normal temperatures. Cold weather (at least 5 degrees F below normal) was confined to westernmost Alaska. Meanwhile, wet weather persisted in parts of southern Alaska, where December 1-16 precipitation totals climbed to 7.81 inches (207 percent of normal) in Kodiak and 3.70 inches (132 percent) in Juneau. Month-to-date snowfall reached 19.5 inches (201 percent of normal) in Juneau, while Annette Island netted a daily-record snowfall (3.2 inches) on December 15. National Agricultural Summary December 11 - 17, 2006 Highlights: Heavy precipitation fell in the Pacific Northwest, with moderate precipitation in adjacent areas of the Rocky Mountains. Mostly dry conditions prevailed in the Southwest, Great Plains, western Corn Belt, and the Atlantic Coast States. Temperatures were above normal nationwide, averaging over 12 degrees Fahrenheit above normal throughout the Corn Belt. Adequate snow cover existed in the Pacific Northwest and northern and central Rockies, however, no significant snow depth was reported in the northern Great Plains, leaving winter wheat exposed to cold weather. In California, rains encouraged emergence in small grain fields, but at times interrupted harvest of citrus crops. Arizona's cotton harvest was 94 percent complete, while small grain planting was underway and a variety of vegetable and citrus crops was harvested. Rainfall in parts of Florida slowed fieldwork, however, citrus harvest was active, as was harvest of several vegetable crops, including snap beans, sweet corn, and cucumbers. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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