We 1 (2-07) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 21, 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. 8 February 11 - 17, 2007 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: A record-setting storm encased much of the Midwest and Northeast in heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain, and sparked strong thunderstorms across the South. In the storm's wake, bitterly cold air poured southward across the Plains and Midwest, eventually encompassing most areas east of the Rockies. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 15 degrees F below normal across parts of the northern and central Plains, but averaged as much as 10 degrees F above normal at several locations in the West. Farther east, post-storm Midwestern snow depths generally ranged from 6 to 18 inches, while temperatures plunged below 0 degrees F, with some readings near -40 degrees F in the Dakotas. The cold and snow curtailed outdoor activities, hampered rural travel, and severely stressed livestock. Midwestern snowfall was greatest, with more than one foot observed, from central Illinois into northern Ohio, where high winds created blizzard conditions on February 13. High winds and a variety of precipitation types swept into the Northeast on February 13-14, disrupting farm activities and transportation. More than 3 feet of snow blanketed several locations across the interior Northeast. Farther south, strong thunderstorms rolled across the South on February 12-13, spawning at least two dozen tornadoes from Louisiana to South Carolina and claiming one life near New Orleans. Rainfall associated with the storms slowed Southern planting preparations but eased drought across Florida's peninsula. At week's end, frost dotted interior central and southern Florida, necessitating some freeze-protection measures but causing little harm to citrus and sugarcane. Producers continued to evaluate the cold snap's effect on Florida's other winter crops, including vegetables. Meanwhile on the Plains, snow fell in many areas prior to the latest cold snap, helping to insulate winter wheat. Early-week snow was especially beneficial for wheat from Nebraska northward, where coverage had been patchy and shallow during earlier cold outbreaks. However, snow and bitterly cold conditions were also stressful for livestock, especially winter-weary animals on the central High Plains. Elsewhere, beneficial rain and snow subsided across northern and central California but continued from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies. California's precipitation helped to green drought-stressed pastures and provided a slight boost to meager snow packs in the Sierra Nevada. Early in the week, locally heavy showers dotted the Northwest. In Oregon, daily-record totals for February 11 included 0.64 inch in Meacham and 0.49 inch in Pendleton. The following day, snow spread into western Montana, dumping daily-record amounts for February 12 in White Sulphur Springs (6.6 inches) and Shelby (3.0 inches). Farther east, heavy rain erupted across the Mid-South, where West Plains, MO (1.83 inches on February 12), netted a daily-record sum. Conditions deteriorated across the Midwest due to wind and snow on February 13, when snowfall records for the date were established in locations such as Lincoln, IL (9.7 inches), Indianapolis, IN (7.4 inches); Milwaukee, WI (6.5 inches), and Columbus, OH (5.9 inches). With a 5.5-inch total on February 13, Pittsburgh, PA, experienced its snowiest day since February 24, 2005, when 5.6 inches fell. The brunt of the storm struck the Northeast on Valentine's Day, when daily snowfall records for February 14 included 25.3 inches in Burlington, VT, and 14.3 inches in Binghamton, NY. Burlington's total also set a 24-hour snowfall record (previously, 23.1 inches on January 14, 1934) and a daily record for February (previously, 16.8 inches on February 4, 1995). Farther south and east, a substantial portion of the precipitation fell in the form of freezing rain or sleet; nevertheless, precipitation (liquid equivalent) records for February 14 included 2.12 inches in Harrisburg, PA, 1.62 inches in Boston, MA, and 1.46 inches in Bangor, ME. In the South, the first in a series of tornadoes struck near Lafayette, LA, just after midnight on February 13; the last touched down in Bamberg County, SC, on the evening of February 13. By the time the storm ended, February 12-15 snowfall unofficially reached or exceeded 3 feet in several Northeastern locations, including Stratford, Fulton County, NY (42 inches), and Cambridge, Lamoille County, VT (36 inches). Official Northeastern totals included 25.7 inches in Burlington, VT; 23.5 inches in Rochester, NY; 19.0 inches in Binghamton, NY; and 15.5 inches in Scranton, PA. Farther west, Midwestern totals reached 17.0 inches (along with a February 14 wind gust to 45 m.p.h.) in Cleveland, OH; 11.2 inches (along with a February 13 wind gust to 44 m.p.h.) in Springfield, IL; and 10.7 inches (along with a February 13 wind gust to 38 m.p.h.) in South Bend, IN. Elsewhere at mid-week, snow also blanketed parts of the High Plains and the Southwest, resulting in record totals for February 14 in Albuquerque, NM (4.3 inches), and Amarillo, TX (3.1 inches). Albuquerque's season-to-date snowfall climbed to 27.9 inches, second only to a 37.4-inch seasonal sum in 1972-73. Meanwhile, Billings, MT, noted at least one-half inch of snow on 7 consecutive days (totaling 12.9 inches) from February 8-14, tying its all-time record set in April 1997. Bitterly cold air trailed the snow, ice, and rain, setting dozens of daily-record lows from the Plains into the East. From February 13-16, Russell, KS (4, -5, -6, and -4 degrees F) posted four consecutive daily-record lows. Meanwhile in Huntsville, AL (highs of 34, 34, and 34 degrees F from February 14-16), temperatures remained below 35 degrees F on 3 consecutive days for the first time since December 2000. Fort Wayne, IN, collected three daily-record lows (-6, -8, and -8 degrees F) from February 14-16. Fort Wayne also notched 11 days (February 4-11 and 14-16) with sub-zero temperatures, placing second behind 16 days in 1978 for its greatest number of February days with readings below 0 degrees F. On February 16 in Illinois, Quincy's minimum of -8 degrees F marked its lowest reading since January 31, 2004, when the temperature was -9 degrees F. Farther west, daily-record lows for February 15 included -28 degrees F in Valentine, NE, and -13 degrees F in Goodland, KS. Bismarck, ND (-34 degrees F on February 15) experienced its coldest day since February 3, 1996, when it was -36 degrees F. A day later, record lows for February 16 included -11 degrees F in Springfield, IL, and -3 degrees F in Freedom, OK. However, the cold air began to erode later on February 16, accompanied by wind gusts to 71 m.p.h. at the NWS office in Riverton, WY, and 60 m.p.h. in Broken Bow, NE. Following the major storm, additional, late-week snow boosted the snow depth to 12 inches in Indianapolis, IN, on Sunday morning, February 18. The last time Indianapolis' snow depth reached or exceeded 1 foot was February 12, 1982. Farther west, however, both Denver, CO, and North Platte, NE, saw long-running streaks of at least a 1-inch snow depth end after the morning observation time on February 19. In both locations, an inch or more of snow covered the ground on 61 consecutive days from December 21 - February 19. North Platte's longer such streaks were noted from November 26, 1978 - February 21, 1979 (88 days), and December 19, 1968 - February 27, 1969 (71 days), while Denver's only longer streak occurred from November 26, 1983 - January 27, 1984 (63 days). Elsewhere, record warmth returned at week's end to the West, where El Cajon, CA, closed the week with consecutive daily-record highs (85 and 86 degrees F on February 16 and 17, respectively). Other daily-record highs for February 17 included 89 degrees F in southern California locations such as Oceanside Airport and downtown Los Angeles. In contrast, very cold air reached northern Florida, where daily-record lows for February 17 included 18 degrees F in Tallahassee and 23 degrees F in Gainesville. Farther south, Tampa's February 17 low of 35 degrees F was its lowest reading since January 24, 2005, when the minimum was 31 degrees F. Elsewhere in central Florida, Lakeland's minimum of 30 degrees F represented its lowest temperature since February 14, 2006, when it was 28 degrees F. Other February 17 Florida lows, provided by the Florida Automated Weather Network, included 32 degrees F at both Belle Glade (Palm Beach County) and Frostproof (Polk County). Showers increased across Hawaii's windward areas toward week's end, accompanied by a statewide increase in northeasterly (trade) winds. On the Big Island, Hilo's February 16-17 rainfall of 1.24 inches boosted its month-to-date total to 2.23 inches (44 percent of normal). Elsewhere on the Big Island, 48-hour totals from February 16-18 reached 2.67 inches in Glenwood and 2.38 inches in Mountain View. On February 17, wind gusts were clocked to 38 m.p.h. in Kahului, Maui, and 37 m.p.h. in Honolulu, Oahu. Farther north, the majority of Alaska experienced dry weather and near- to above-normal temperatures. An exception was southern Alaska, where some rain and snow fell. Meanwhile, weekly temperatures averaged more than 10 degrees F above normal in parts of western Alaska. Through February 17, month-to-date precipitation reached 3.83 inches (104 percent of normal) in Kodiak but totaled less than one-tenth of an inch in locations such as Nome (0.04 inch) and Valdez (0.06 inch). In fact, Valdez did not receive its first measurable precipitation of the month until February 16, barely 2 weeks after the southern Alaskan town capped its second-snowiest January on record (142.7 inches). National Agricultural Summary February 12 - 18, 2007 Highlights: Temperatures averaging near to above normal from the Rocky Mountains westward contrasted sharply with below-normal temperatures from the Great Plains eastward again this week. Bitterly cold weather averaging 10 to 15 degrees F below normal accompanied snow and freezing rain from the northern and central Plains, through the Corn Belt into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Storms supplemented existing snow cover across these regions, better insulating winter wheat from harsh conditions, but increasing stress on livestock and causing major travel disruptions. Beneficial rain and snow showers spread inland across the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies, while warm, dry weather continued from California into Arizona and the Great Basin. Cool, breezy weather prevailed across the South, where preparations for spring planting continued. In California, rains and warmer weather stimulated growth and improved conditions of winter pastures and forage crops, as well as wheat and other small grains. Citrus harvest picked up slightly, while almonds, peaches, nectarines and apricots were blooming in some areas. Damage from the January freeze was still not fully assessed, but little recovery was expected for citrus that had not been irrigated prior to the freeze. In Arizona, growers continued harvesting alfalfa, and shipped a variety of vegetables and citrus. In Texas, high winds and cold temperatures in the north, as well as dry conditions in the south, hindered the growth of small grains and pastures. Growers continued to harvest sugarcane, citrus, cabbage, broccoli, spinach and other vegetables. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued in most areas. In Florida, temperatures at or near freezing caused some damage to sugarcane, corn, tomatoes and other vegetables in some areas. Citrus escaped serious damage due to the short duration of sub-freezing temperatures. Harvesting of sugarcane and vegetables continued, as did preparations for spring planting. 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. 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