We 1 (3-08) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 18, 2008, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Dawn Keen at (202) 720-7621, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary March 9 - 15, 2008 Highlights: A series of fast-moving, relatively disorganized storms brought generally light precipitation to the West, South, and East, although late-week thunderstorms produced large hail and high winds across the Mid-South on March 14 and more than three dozen tornadoes from Alabama and Georgia into the Carolinas on March 14-15. Western precipitation was heaviest west of the Cascades, where frequent rain and snow showers resulted in 2- to 5-inch weekly totals. Moisture spread as far east as the northern and central Rockies, padding already impressive mountain snow packs. At week's end, a late-winter storm gathered strength over the Southwest, bringing rain showers to southern California and an onset of heavy snow in higher elevations of the Four Corners States. Farther east, light showers dotted the nation's mid-section, but weekly totals in excess of an inch were confined to the southeastern Plains. In Texas locations such as Austin and San Antonio, more than 40 percent of the year-to-date precipitation fell on March 10. Mostly dry conditions persisted, however, on the southern High Plains, where rangeland and winter grains continued to suffer. Meanwhile, warmer weather in the Midwest reduced the extent and depth of a widespread snow cover. By week's end, substantial Midwestern snow depths were confined to Wisconsin and northern portions of Minnesota and Michigan. However, muddy conditions persisted across much of the central and eastern Corn Belt due to melting snow and the effects of an unusually wet winter. Elsewhere, the aforementioned storms swept across the South late in the week, preceded by an earlier batch of rainfall. Weekly totals exceeded 2 inches at a few locations in the western Gulf Coast region, the Mid-South, and the southern Appalachians. Late-week temperatures soared to record-setting levels along and near the Gulf Coast, with highs topping 100 degrees F in Deep South Texas. Early in the week, cold weather lingered in the East. London, KY (12 degrees F), posted a daily-record low on March 9, followed by a record for March 10 in Watertown, NY (-14 degrees F). Meanwhile, unusually mild air spread across the northwestern and north-central U.S., where records for March 10 included 69 degrees F in Redmond, OR, and 64 degrees F in Bismarck, ND. In Minnesota, Rochester's snow cover finally melted after 105 days (November 30 - March 13). The last time Rochester had at least 1 inch of snow on the ground for a longer period was 1992-93, when coverage lasted 116 days from December 4 to March 29. In Wisconsin, however, La Crosse's snow cover persisted through week's end, increasing its streak with at least a 1-inch snow cover to 107 days (November 30 - March 15). La Crosse's record-setting period with snow cover spanned 122 days, from November 25, 1942 - March 26, 1943. Early-week rainfall was briefly heavy in parts of Texas, where daily-record totals for March 10 included 1.80 inches in Austin (Bergstrom), 1.51 inches in College Station, and 1.01 inches in San Antonio. After mid-week, precipitation intensified across the Northwest, where Olympia, WA (1.21 inches on March 13), collected a daily-record rainfall. Meanwhile, summer-like heat developed along and near the Gulf Coast, where McAllen, TX, posted a daily-record high of 104 degrees F on March 14. Elsewhere in Texas, Austin (Mabry) noted a high of 96 degrees F, tying its second-highest March temperature on record behind 98 degrees F on March 28, 1971. The following day, March 15, McAllen (103 degrees F) posted another daily-record high, while Galveston (87 degrees F) eclipsed its monthly record high of 85 degrees F, previously established on March 30, 1879. Record-setting warmth also spread across the remainder of the Gulf Coast region, resulting in daily-record highs for March 15 in locations such as Lake Charles, LA, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL (both 90 degrees F). Elsewhere across the South, a rare urban tornado slammed into downtown Atlanta, GA, on March 14, cutting a 6-mile path of damage between 9:38 and 9:50 p.m. EST. The following day, just after noon, a tornado tore 16 miles across three counties in northwestern Georgia, claiming two lives (one in northern Polk County and one in southeastern Floyd County). Short-term dryness intensified across Hawaii, where locations such as Lihue, Kauai (1.76 inches below normal from March 1-15), and Honolulu, Oahu (1.02 inches below normal), continued to await their first measurable rainfall of the month. On the Big Island, Hilo's March 1-15 rainfall totaled just 0.57 inch (9 percent of normal). Farther north, cold weather returned to western Alaska, but weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10 degrees F above normal across the interior. In western Alaska, Kotzebue collected a daily-record snowfall of 3.3 inches on March 11, followed by lows of -23 degrees F on March 13 and 14. Meanwhile in southern Alaska, a relatively mild, dry period allowed the snow depth in Valdez to drop from 52 to 44 inches between March 5 and 15. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. National Agricultural Summary March 10 - 16, 2008 Small grain herbicide applications were winding down in California, while emergence of small grains in Arizona was nearly complete. Farther east in Oklahoma, winter wheat was 16 percent jointed by week's end, behind last year by 20 points. Rye was also at the jointing stage in Oklahoma, and was ahead of normal progress by 6 points. Oat planting was nearly complete in Oklahoma. Wet weather in Florida was negatively impacting small grains in some areas. Row crop seed bed preparations were ongoing in multiple States. In Arizona, cotton planting was underway, while in Texas, cotton planting continued in the Lower Valley and Coastal Bend regions. Corn and sorghum planting were also ongoing in Texas, however recent rains slowed progress. Sugarcane harvest continued in Texas, while in Louisiana, producers were destroying old stubble. Louisiana corn planting was slowed due to moisture, and was behind the previous year's pace by 41 points. In California, almond trees had nearly completed bloom and development of stone fruit continued. Spring strawberries were blooming and forming berries and new blueberry bushes continued to be planted. California grapes were experiencing bud break. Strawberry harvest and spraying continued in Louisiana. Minimal storm damage was reported in Georgia after recent tornadoes, however, a few commercial pecan trees were blown down. Harvest continued on multiple vegetables in California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. In California, bell pepper and tomato transplanting continued and multiple green house vegetables were growing well. Florida citrus growers reported new growth flush with full, open blooms on orange trees. Grapefruit and tangerine trees were slower to reach bloom. Fertilizer and pesticide applications, as well as hedging and topping activities, were ongoing while harvest continued on multiple citrus crops. Tangelo harvest neared completion. Elsewhere, California and Texas citrus continued to be harvested. 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. Starting with the NASS Home Page at www.nass.usda.gov, under the right navigation, Receive reports by Email, click on National or State. 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