We 1 (1-07) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released January 23, 2007, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Theresa Holland at (202) 720-7621, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary Volume 94, No. 4 January 14 - 20, 2007 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Freezes continued for much of the week across winter agricultural areas of central and southern California and southwestern Arizona, causing additional damage to citrus, strawberries, and vegetables. The region's coldest morning occurred on January 13 or 14, depending upon location. Overall, the 2007 cold outbreak rivaled the Western freezes of December 1990 and 1998. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 10 degrees F below normal in southern California and were more than 20 degrees F below normal across parts of the Intermountain West. Deep South Texas escaped the freeze, with temperatures remaining at or above the freezing mark (32 degrees F). In contrast, downslope winds boosted temperatures to near-normal levels on the northern High Plains, while the East experienced a sixth and final week of unusual winter warmth. Elsewhere, two snow and ice storms struck areas from the southern Rockies and central and southern Plains into the Northeast, disrupting travel and further stressing livestock. Sleet and freezing rain fell during the early- to mid-week period across the South from western and southern Texas to the southern Mid-Atlantic States. In addition, two more rounds of heavy precipitation fell from the western and central Gulf Coast States northeastward into the Ohio Valley, perpetuating lowland flooding and maintaining soggy field conditions. Farther north, however, mild, dry weather prevailed in Montana and South Dakota, where winter wheat's protective snow cover remained patchy and shallow. In other areas, a few rain and snow showers dotted the Northwest, while warm, mostly dry weather increased irrigation requirements in southern Florida. Early in the week, a winter storm brought a variety of weather to the Nation's mid-section, while cold air settled into the West. On January 14, Oklahoma City, OK, noted daily-record totals for both liquid (0.76 inch) and frozen (1.3 inches; mostly sleet) precipitation. In Arkansas, consecutive daily-record rainfall totals were observed on January 13-14 in locations such as Little Rock (4.21 and 2.08 inches) and Texarkana (3.07 and 2.57 inches). January 12-15 rainfall totals climbed above 8 inches in parts of several Arkansas counties, including Garland, Montgomery, and Pike. Meanwhile, the first measurable snow of the season (6.5 inches on January 14) occurred in Norfolk, NE. A day later in Michigan, record snowfall totals for January 15 included 15.8 inches in Marquette and 5.7 inches in Alpena. Farther east, New York's Central Park noted its first snowflakes of the season on January 10 (the previous record was January 4, 1878) and its first measurable snowfall (0.3 inch) on January 19. Several Eastern locations, including New Bern, NC (74 and 76 degrees F), and Beckley, WV (61 and 61 degrees F) opened the week with consecutive daily-record highs on January 14-15. Farther west, however, January 14 was the coldest day in Imperial, CA (21 degrees F), since December 23, 1990, when it was also 21 degrees F. Lancaster, CA (3 degrees F), also experienced its coldest day since December 23, 1990, but additionally noted its lowest January temperature on record (previously, 4 degrees F on January 13, 1963). Lancaster's string of daily-record lows (3, 7, 9, 8, 13, and 13 degrees F) reached 6 consecutive days from January 14-19. Similarly, Roosevelt, UT (-32, -35, -31, -31, and -31 degrees F), endured five consecutive daily-record lows from January 14-18. Meanwhile in California's San Joaquin Valley, temperatures dipped to 23 degrees F in Fresno (on January 13) and Bakersfield (on January 14). For Fresno, it was the coldest day since December 24, 1998; Bakersfield recorded its lowest temperature since January 10, 1999. In Arizona, Yuma's low of 25 degrees F (on January 14) represented its lowest reading since January 8, 1971, when it was 24 degrees F. Lows of 29 degrees F in Phoenix, AZ, on January 14 and 15 marked its first occurrence of two consecutive readings below 30 degrees F since December 1978. It was also the first time Phoenix dipped below 32 degrees F since December 23, 1990. Farther east, temperatures remained at or below the freezing mark on January 16 as far south as San Antonio, TX, where the high was 32 degrees F and daily precipitation totaled 0.39 inch. Late in the week, stormy weather returned to the central and southwestern United States. January 19-20 snowfall totaled 7.0 inches in Roswell, NM, and 8.5 inches in Amarillo, TX. Flagstaff, AZ, received 5.0 inches of snow on January 19-20, following a 9.1-inch total from January 12-14. Farther north and east, January 20-21 snowfall totals included 5.6 inches in Dodge City, KS, and 6.0 inches in Grand Island, NE. Meanwhile, Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW), TX, collected a daily-record rainfall total of 0.76 inch on January 20, securing its second-wettest January on record (5.58 inches, or 454 percent of the January 1-20 normal). DFW's wettest January on record occurred in 1932, when 9.07 inches fell. Elsewhere, more wet weather in the Ohio Valley pushed already swollen rivers higher. For example, the White River above Petersburg, IN, crested approximately 9.4 feet above flood stage on January 21, the ninth-highest crest there since 1913. However, the White River near Petersburg had been higher as recently as March 18, 2006, when the water level surged about 10.4 feet above flood stage. Similarly, the Wabash River at Riverton, IN, crested just shy of 7.4 feet above flood stage on January 21, the 19th-highest level there in the last 95 years. The Wabash River at Riverton was last higher in January 2005, when the river level climbed more than 11.2 feet above flood stage. Warm, mostly dry weather prevailed in Hawaii, except for scattered showers early in the week. Through January 20, month-to-date rainfall reached 12.19 inches (193 percent of normal) in the Big Island location of Hilo, although nearly 80 percent (9.69 inches) of that total fell from January 3-9. On Maui, however, Kahului's month-to-date sum totaled just 0.06 inch (2 percent of normal). Farther north, mild, occasionally stormy weather overspread Alaska. Conditions were especially snowy across western Alaska, where Nome posted consecutive daily-record snowfall totals (3.8 and 7.1 inches) on January 17-18. Through January 20, Nome's month-to-date snowfall of 34.7 inches was nearing its January snowfall record of 40.9 inches, set in 1937. Meanwhile in Valdez, the month-to-date snowfall of 92.6 inches represented its highest January total since 1990, when 148.5 inches fell. Elsewhere, Anchorage's January 1-20 snowfall of 22.3 inches was 384 percent of normal. National Agricultural Summary January 15 - 21, 2007 Highlights: Temperatures declined over much of the country during the week. While temperatures continued to average somewhat above normal in the East, much of the West experienced average temperatures significantly below normal. Agricultural areas of central and southern California and southwestern Arizona continued to experience sub-freezing overnight temperatures. Significant snowfall across the southern Rockies and central and southern Great Plains, with snow, sleet, and freezing rain further east and south, disrupted travel, caused scattered power outages, and stressed livestock. In the northern Plains, conditions remained dry with spotty snow cover in parts of Montana and South Dakota. Lowland flooding persisted in the Ohio Valley and lower Great Lakes Region. In California, cold weather slowed the growth of many crops and put some field activities on hold. Citrus, strawberry, and vegetable growers in California and the Desert Southwest continued to assess the damage caused by recent freezes. In Texas, severe winter weather conditions slowed field work, but the increase in moisture benefitted some crops. In Florida, warmer than normal weather accelerated development of many fruit and vegetable crops, and harvesting of some of these crops was up to two weeks ahead of normal. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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