We 1 (2-07)a Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released February 27, 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. 9 February 18 - 24, 2007 For additional information, call (202) 720-2397. Highlights: Wintry weather, which earlier in the season had been so harsh across the central Plains, continued to shift into the Midwest. In fact, the latest storm provided some of the worst Midwestern weather of the winter, ranging from heavy snow and high winds across the northern Corn Belt to heavy rain and flooding farther south. Lowland flooding was most widespread in basins where heavy precipitation fell on already saturated soils, mainly in the central and eastern Corn Belt. Midwestern livestock continued to suffer from the combination of snow, ice, mud, and recent temperature swings. At week's end, snow and ice accumulations shifted into the Northeast. Meanwhile, the Plains avoided the worst of the latest storm, although high winds and locally severe thunderstorms briefly affected central and southern portions of the region. Although some new snow fell across the northern Plains, winter wheat protective snow cover virtually disappeared from Kansas southward and remained patchy and shallow farther north. The same storm that affected the Midwest also spawned more than a dozen tornadoes across the South. Most of the severe weather struck Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi on February 23. Elsewhere across the South, late-week rain interrupted spring fieldwork but helped to condition soils for planting. Following light freezes as far south as central and interior southern Florida on February 17 and 19, a rapid Southern warming trend helped to elevate soil temperatures. Elsewhere, mostly dry conditions persisted across the Southwest, but beneficial rain and snow returned to areas farther north. Moisture was especially beneficial across northern and central California for boosting high-elevation snow packs and aiding pastures and winter grains. Early in the week, bitterly cold, breezy conditions briefly subsided across the Midwest and Northeast. In Watertown, NY, the temperature rose 73 degrees F in a 24-hour period on February 19-20, from -35 degrees F to 38 degrees F. Elsewhere in New York, February 20 was the first day without at least a trace of snow in Rochester since January 11. During that 39-day span, Rochester received 63.8 inches of snow. Farther south, chilly weather lingered into February 19 across Florida, where daily-record lows included 30 degrees F in Apalachicola and 37 degrees F in Naples. Farther west, La Crosse, WI, posted an above-normal daily average temperature on February 19 for the first time since January 27. From January 28 - February 18, La Crosse's average temperature of 5.6 degrees F was its lowest for any 22-day span since December 2000. Meanwhile, North Platte, NE (51 degrees F on February 23), reached the 50-degree mark once during the first 55 days of 2007, compared with 31 such days from January 1 - February 24, 2006. By mid-week, mild, breezy conditions spread eastward across the Plains and the South, while unsettled weather prevailed in much of the West. In North Carolina, Raleigh-Durham (73 and 74 degrees F) posted consecutive daily-record highs on February 21-22. Other daily records for February 22 included 81 degrees F in Pensacola, FL, and 80 degrees F in both Apalachicola, FL, and Mobile, AL. Farther north, however, chilly, windy weather returned to the Midwest and Northeast, setting the stage for a late-week winter storm. On February 22, wind gusts were clocked to 59 m.p.h. in Roanoke, VA, and 52 m.p.h. in Milwaukee, WI. In the West, Medford, OR, collected 1.79 inches of liquid equivalent from February 20-24, including 4.0 inches of snow. In California, daily-record rainfall totals included 1.56 inches (on February 19) at Chula Vista's Brown Field and 2.32 inches (on February 21) in Eureka. By February 23, snow overspread Montana, where daily-record totals included 4.3 inches in Great Falls and 3.5 inches in Havre. Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), MN, received 8.7 inches of snow on February 24-25, representing its sixth-highest 2-day total on record. It was MSP's highest 2-day snowfall since February 1-2, 2004, when 10.7 inches fell. In addition, MSP's February 23-26 total of 9.1 inches accounted for 43 percent of its season-to-date snowfall of 21.3 inches. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, La Crosse endured its largest snow storm on record. From February 23-25, La Crosse's 21.0-inch snowfall eclipsed its standard of 19.1 inches set from March 12-14, 1997. Official Wisconsin snowfall totals from February 23-26 included 21.1 inches in La Crosse, 16.5 inches in Madison, and 15.0 inches in Green Bay. Other 4-day Midwestern snowfall totals included 16.2 inches in Duluth, MN; 11.7 inches in Milwaukee, WI; 7.1 inches in Des Moines, IA; and 4.7 inches in Chicago, IL, with unofficial amounts topping 2 feet in locations such as Winona (Winona County), MN, and Galesville (Trempeleau County), WI. In addition, ice accumulations were particularly devastating in eastern Iowa and vicinity, where as much as 0.5 to 1.5 inches of freezing rain caused widespread damage and power outages. High winds accompanied the storm, with gusts topping 40 m.p.h. on February 24 in Milwaukee, WI (44 m.p.h.), and several other Midwestern locations. By storm's end, monthly snowfall totals reached February-record proportions in locations such as Rochester, MN (19.6 inches; previously, 19.4 in 1959), and Grand Rapids, MI (33.1 inches; previously, 29.6 inches in 1994). Farther south, a few tornadoes were spotted on the High Plains, from southwestern Kansas to northern Texas, late February 23, followed by an outbreak of more than a dozen tornadoes across Mississippi, northern Louisiana, and southern Arkansas on February 24. One particularly devastating tornado, rated EF3 (winds of 136 to 165 m.p.h.) on the enhanced Fujita Scale, struck Dumas, AR, just before 3 p.m. local time, causing more than two dozen injuries during a 29-mile rampage across portions of Drew, Lincoln, and Desha Counties. Elsewhere in Arkansas, daily-record rainfall totals for February 24 included 1.69 inches in Jonesboro and 1.47 inches in North Little Rock. Meanwhile, heat intensified across southern Texas, where daily-record highs for February 24 included 96 degrees F in McAllen and 90 degrees F in Corpus Christi. Bitterly cold weather encompassed much of Alaska, sending temperatures to -40 degrees F or lower across parts of the interior. Fairbanks posted a low of -44 degrees F (not a daily record) on February 23. The following day, a daily-record low was established in Valdez (1 degree F on February 24). Mostly dry weather accompanied Alaska's cold snap. As a result, Alaskan monthly totals remained below one-tenth of an inch in locations such as Nome (0.04 inch, or 6 percent of normal) and Valdez (0.06 inch, or 1 percent). Farther south, Hawaii experienced an increase in shower activity, primarily in windward locations. Rainfall was especially heavy on Kauai on February 23-24, when 24-hour totals included 5.42 inches at Hanalei River and 4.39 inches at Wailua. On the Big Island, Hilo netted 3.57 inches on February 22-23 en route to a weekly sum of 5.48 inches. For the month to date, Hilo's rainfall reached 7.71 inches (104 percent of normal). However, February 1-24 totals remained as low as 0.40 inch (20 percent of normal) in Honolulu, Oahu, and 0.93 inch (45 percent) in Kahului, Maui. National Agricultural Summary February 19 - 25, 2007 Highlights: Temperatures during the week averaged above normal over much of the Nation's mid-section, from the Rocky Mountains eastward to the Mississippi River and upper Great Lakes, and into most of the Southeast. Averages 5 to 10 degrees F above normal were recorded throughout the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley. In contrast, weekly averages were as much as 5 degrees F below normal along the Pacific Coast into Nevada and Arizona, throughout Florida, and from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Significant rains and snow showers fell over the Pacific Northwest and northern and central California, and spread inland through the northern and central Rockies, bringing beneficial moisture to pastures and winter grains. Late-week storms in the Midwest brought heavy snow and high winds across the northern Corn Belt, and heavy rain and flooding further south. Snow, ice, mud, and recent temperature swings maintained stress on Midwestern livestock. Across much of the Gulf Coast and the Southeast, shower activity interrupted spring fieldwork, but improved soil moisture conditions. In California, rainfall accelerated the growth of small grains and grasses. Stone fruit and almond bloom continued, and field preparations for spring planting were ongoing. The extent of damage to citrus crops from the January freeze became more visible as warm weather caused a large amount of the damaged fruit to drop. In Arizona, alfalfa harvest was active, and cotton planting got underway. Durum wheat and barley had emerged on well over three-quarters of the area planted. In Texas, mild, dry weather allowed producers to begin planting corn, sorghum, onions, and potatoes, while harvest of cabbage, spinach, and broccoli continued. High winds forced some replanting of cotton. Range and pasture conditions improved due to warmer temperatures, but producers continued supplemental feeding of livestock. In Florida, clear, dry conditions allowed field work to progress at a normal pace. Harvesting of citrus, sugarcane, and vegetables continued, as did preparations for spring planting. ACCESS TO REPORTS!! 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