We 1 (4-08) Weekly Weather And Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 8, 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 30 - April 5, 2008 Highlights: Heavy precipitation continued to limit fieldwork across the Mid- South and the Midwest. In fact, some of the areas hardest hit by recent flooding, including the Missouri Bootheel and neighboring areas, received as much as 2 to 6 inches of additional rainfall. Significant rain also fell in the Southeast, slowing fieldwork but boosting moisture reserves for pastures, winter grains, and emerging summer crops. Toward week's end, however, excessive rainfall (locally 4 to 8 inches or more) soaked the central Gulf Coast region from southeastern Louisiana to western Florida. Farther west, conditions remained mixed across the nation's mid-section. Dry conditions persisted on the southern half of the High Plains, leaving jointing winter wheat under increasing levels of stress. Elsewhere, beneficial rain and snow showers fell across much of South Dakota and Nebraska, while wet conditions lingered on the southeastern Plains. In Oklahoma, weekly rainfall ranged from a trace or less across the western one-third of the state to as much 6 inches in southeastern areas. Elsewhere, cool, damp weather continued from the Pacific Northwest to the northern and central Rockies, maintaining substantial high-elevation snow packs but hampering fieldwork and limiting the spring growth of pastures and winter grains. In addition, Northwestern fruit producers monitored the effects of the nearly month-long cold snap on trees and vines. Weekly temperatures ranged from more than 10 degrees F below normal in parts of the Northwest to at least 5 degrees F above normal along and near the Gulf Coast. Early in the week, cold weather prevailed in both the Northeast and Northwest. On March 30, daily-record lows included 5 degrees F in St. Johnsbury, VT, and -19 degrees F in Stanley, ID. Stanley also experienced very cold weather on April 1-3, with lows of -17, -12, and -10 degrees F, respectively. Farther east, record-setting warmth affected parts of Texas, while heavy rain returned to the Mid-South. Record highs in Texas for March 30 included 93 degrees F in Childress and 91 degrees F in Wichita Falls. Elsewhere in Texas, Longview (4.00 inches) netted a daily-record rainfall for March 30. Meanwhile in Missouri, Vichy-Rolla opened the week with consecutive daily-rainfall records (2.10 and 1.60 inches on March 30 and 31, respectively). Heavy precipitation also overspread the upper Midwest, where La Crosse, WI (1.25 inches on March 31), experienced its 12th-wettest March day and wettest since March 13, 1997, when 1.57 inches fell. Late-March snow also blanketed parts of the Plains and upper Midwest, with 8 inches falling in Chadron, NE. Daily-snowfall records for March 31 included 5.0 inches in St. Cloud, MN, and 3.5 inches in Pierre, SD. Snow also lingered for much of the week in the Northwest, where the 6.9-inch weekly total in Spokane, WA, lifted its season-to-date sum to 89.7 inches (199 percent of normal). Spokane's only higher seasonal total occurred in 1949-50, when snowfall reached 93.5 inches. The mid-week period brought another wave of Northwestern record lows. Wisdom, MT (-14 and -12 degrees F), posted consecutive daily-record lows on April 2-3. In Idaho, Stanley's low of -17 degrees F on April 1 edged its monthly record, previously set with a low of -16 degrees F on April 2, 1982. Other monthly records established on April 1 included lows of 6 degrees F (previously, 9 degrees F on April 3, 1975) in Holden Village, WA, and 10 degrees F (tied 10 degrees F on April 2, 1963, April 18, 1972, and April 9, 2001) in Redmond, OR. Dayton, WA (12 degrees F on both April 1 and 2), shattered its former monthly mark, established with a low of 17 degrees F on April 1, 1936. Chilly conditions were prevalent even west of the Cascades, where consecutive daily-record lows were set on April 2-3 in locations such as Astoria, OR (29 degrees F both days), and Olympia, WA (23 and 24 degrees F). Meanwhile, precipitation associated with the early-week storm lingered into early April across the Great Lakes and Eastern States. On April 1, Marquette, MI, received 15.8 inches of snow, while Naples, FL, netted 2.95 inches of rain. Marquette's 2-day (March 31 - April 1) snowfall reached 25.6 inches. Farther west, another storm took shape across the nation's mid- section on April 3, when daily-record rainfall totals included 3.51 inches in Paducah, KY, and 1.73 inches in Vichy-Rolla, MO. On April 3-4, thunderstorms spawned as many as two dozen tornadoes across the South, including eight confirmed twisters (produced by a single parent storm on the evening of April 3) in the vicinity of Little Rock, AR. The North Little Rock airport recorded its second-highest gust (64 m.p.h. on April 3) in the last 30 years behind only 72 m.p.h. on September 1, 2000. April 3-4 (24-hour) rainfall totals topped 6 inches in a few Mid-South and Midwestern locations, including Grand Chain Dam, IL (6.43 inches). By early April 8, the Mississippi River at Greenville, MS, climbed to 7.32 feet above flood stage, the third-highest level there in the last half-century behind 10.20 feet on May 12, 1973, and 7.80 feet on May 25, 1983. Toward week's end, heavy rain shifted into the Deep South, while heavy snow developed in the north-central U.S. Southern daily-record rainfall totals included 2.90 inches (on April 4) in Greenville, MS, and 3.80 inches (on April 5) in Mobile, AL. Mobile's 2-day (April 4-5) total reached 8.32 inches, while as much as 9 to 12 inches drenched nearby locations in southern Alabama. Farther north, April 6 snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in International Falls, MN, and 5.7 inches in Fargo, ND. The 2-day (April 6-7) total in International Falls reached 10.2 inches. Elsewhere in northern Minnesota, April 5-7 snowfall ranged from 20 to 26 inches in locations such as Bemidji and Park Rapids. Across parts of the Midwest, however, late-week temperatures climbed to their highest levels of the year. Rochester, MN, attained 50 degrees F for the first time this year on April 3, followed by highs of 59 degrees F on April 4 and 64 degrees F on April 5. Rochester's latest date of the year's first 50-degree reading occurred on April 7, 1970. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Green Bay's first 50-degree reading of the year occurred on April 3, more than 3 weeks later than the normal date of March 12. Farther east, however, the month opened with 34 inches of snow on the ground in Caribou, ME, tying its record for the date previously established on April 1, 1955. Hawaii experienced another week with little rain, following the driest March on record in locations such as Lihue, Kauai (0.19 inch; previously, 0.30 inch in 1957), and Kahului, Maui (0.01 inch; previously, 0.09 inch in 1957). On the Big Island at Hilo, where April 1-5 rainfall totaled just 0.12 inch (5 percent of normal), there was a daily-record low of 58 degrees F on April 5. Farther north, significantly above-normal temperatures prevailed across the Alaskan mainland. In fact, weekly readings averaged as much as 15 to 20 degrees F above normal in northern Alaska. However, significant precipitation accompanied the Alaskan warmth. In Anchorage, for example, snowfall totaled 8.7 inches on April 5-6, with totals near a foot in neighboring areas. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. National Agricultural Summary March 31 - April 6, 2008 Winter Wheat: Condition of winter wheat nationwide was rated at 45 percent good to excellent, down from 64 percent last year but unchanged from the week ending November 25, 2007, the last available rating for the current crop. In Oklahoma and Texas, heading of winter wheat was evident. Cotton: Planting, at 7 percent, was slightly ahead of last year but the same as the 5-year average. Texas producers had planted 12 percent or their acreage, 1 point behind normal. Producers in Arizona and California were able to get 20 percent of more of their crop in the ground thus far, ahead of the normal pace by 8 and 9 points, respectively. Planting had not begun in the Delta, Southeast, and mid-Atlantic States, due in part to heavy precipitation this spring. However, Alabama and Louisiana producers were the only States to lag behind the normal pace. Sorghum: Nationwide, sorghum producers had planted 20 percent of their acreage, slightly behind last year but ahead of the normal pace by 3 points. Warm and dry conditions for most of Texas allowed producers to get ahead of the 5-year average pace by 11 points. Elsewhere, Arkansas and Louisiana producers were facing delays due to the tremendous amount of moisture during the week, keeping progress behind last year and average by 32 and 19 points, respectively. Rice: Producers planted 11 percent of their intended rice acreage, behind last year and normal by 10 and 4 points, respectively. By week's end, Texas growers had planted 63 percent of their rice acreage compared with 39 percent last year and 46 percent for the 5-year average. Rice planting advanced rapidly in Texas as a result of dry, warm conditions over much of the State. Small Grains: Spring wheat acreage, at 5 percent planted, was seeded slightly ahead of last year but slightly behind normal. Producers in Idaho had planted 19 percent of their crop but lagged last year's pace by 21 points. Washington producers, although only behind last year by 2 points, were behind the 5-year average by 14 points. Barley producers had planted 7 percent of their acreage, behind last year and the 5-year average by 5 and 2 points, respectively. Producers in eastern and northern Idaho were anticipating warmer weather to melt snow cover and allow planting to begin as they were 25 points behind last year and 7 points behind normal. Montana planting progress, at 5 percent, was 5 points behind last year and normal. Thirty-one percent of the Nation's Oat acreage was planted by the end of the week, at the pace of last year but behind normal by 4 points. Planting had begun in all producing States except Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. In these States, however, progress was within 5 points of last year's pace and average. Other Crops: Sugarbeet planting was just getting underway with 2 percent of the acreage planted nationwide. Idaho planting progress was lagging by 41 and 23 points when compared with last year and normal, respectively, due to remaining winter weather. By a smaller degree, Michigan producers were also experiencing delays and were 5 and 9 points behind last year and normal, respectively. Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 2 NA 23 12 CA : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 51 NA 47 46 MS : 1 NA 12 7 MO : 0 NA 5 3 TX : 63 NA 39 46 : 6 Sts : 11 NA 21 15 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 6 States planted 100% of last year's rice acreage. Sugarbeets: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 14 NA 55 37 MI : 0 NA 5 9 MN : 0 NA 0 0 ND : 0 NA 0 0 : 4 Sts : 2 NA 10 7 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States planted 83% of last year's sugarbeet acreage. Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 NA 1 1 AZ : 20 NA 15 12 AR : 0 NA 0 0 CA : 25 NA 32 16 GA : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 0 NA 0 1 MS : 0 NA 0 0 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NC : 0 NA 0 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 SC : 0 NA 0 0 TN : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 12 NA 10 13 VA : 0 NA 0 0 : 15 Sts: 7 NA 6 7 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 15 States planted 99% of last year's cotton acreage. Sorghum: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 NA 33 14 CO : 0 NA 0 0 IL : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 16 NA 35 17 MO : 0 NA 2 1 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NM : 0 NA 0 0 OK : 1 NA 1 1 SD : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 53 NA 51 42 : 11 Sts: 20 NA 21 17 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 11 States planted 95% of last year's sorghum acreage. Oats: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 2 NA 8 27 MN : 0 NA 0 2 NE : 24 NA 27 36 ND : 0 NA 0 0 OH : 4 NA 8 7 PA : 12 NA 8 12 SD : 4 NA 4 12 TX : 100 NA 100 100 WI : 0 NA 1 5 : 9 Sts : 31 NA 31 35 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 9 States planted 66% of last year's oat acreage. Spring Wheat: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 19 NA 40 30 MN : 0 NA 0 1 MT : 8 NA 5 3 ND : 2 NA 0 1 SD : 7 NA 5 15 WA : 35 NA 37 49 : 6 Sts : 5 NA 4 6 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 6 States planted 99% of last year's spring wheat acreage. Barley: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2003- State:Apr 6, :Mar 30,:Apr 6, : 2007 : 2008 : 2008 : 2007 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 17 NA 42 24 MN : 0 NA 0 1 MT : 5 NA 10 10 ND : 1 NA 0 0 WA : 31 NA 27 32 : 5 Sts : 7 NA 12 9 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 5 States planted 82% of last year's barley acreage. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States Week Ending Apr 6, 2008 -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 3 14 39 39 5 CA : 0 1 5 32 62 CO : 10 23 35 25 7 ID : 0 0 10 78 12 IL : 1 6 27 61 5 IN : 2 6 30 50 12 KS : 6 16 34 36 8 MI : 1 4 34 49 12 MO : 4 8 33 49 6 MT : 7 16 47 26 4 NE : 1 8 38 46 7 NC : 0 1 17 66 16 OH : 2 9 34 47 8 OK : 7 12 30 43 8 OR : 0 7 60 30 3 SD : 2 9 37 43 9 TX : 21 26 31 20 2 WA : 2 5 43 38 12 : 18 Sts : 7 14 34 37 8 : Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA Prev Yr : 3 7 26 45 19 -------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2007 planted acres. Crop Progress and Condition Survey and Estimating Procedures Survey Procedures: Crop progress and condition estimates are based on survey data collected each week from early April through the end of November. The non-probability crop progress and condition surveys include input from more than 5,000 reporters whose occupations provide them opportunities to make visual observations and frequently bring them in contact with farmers in their counties. Based on standard definitions, these reporters subjectively estimate progress of farmers' activities and progress of crops through various stages of development. They also provide subjective evaluations of crop conditions. Most reporters complete their questionnaires on Friday or early Monday morning and submit them to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Field Offices in their States by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, or through a secured internet website. A small number of reports are completed on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Regardless of when questionnaires are completed, reporters are asked to report for the week ending on Sunday. For reports submitted prior to the Sunday reference date, a degree of uncertainty is introduced by projections for weekend changes in progress and condition. By the end of the 2001 season, nearly two-thirds of the data were being submitted through the internet website. As a result, about one-half of all data are submitted on Monday morning, significantly reducing projection uncertainty. Reporters are sent written reporting instructions at the beginning of each season and are contacted periodically to ensure proper reporting. Terms and definitions of crop stages and condition categories used as reporting guidelines are available on the NASS website at: www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/National_Crop_Progress/terms_definitions.asp. Estimating Procedures: Reported data are reviewed for reasonableness and consistency by comparing with data reported the previous week and data reported in surrounding counties for the current week. Each State Field Office summarizes the reported data to district and State levels, weighting each county's reported data by NASS county acreage estimates. Summarized indications are compared with previous week estimates, and progress items are compared with earlier stages of development and historical averages to ensure reasonableness. Weather events and reporter comments are also taken into consideration. State estimates are submitted to the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB) along with supporting comments, where they are compared with surrounding States and compiled into a National level summary by weighting each State by its acreage estimates. Revision Policy: Progress and condition estimates in the Crop Progress report are released after 4:00 pm ET on the first business day of the week. These estimates are preliminary and subject to corrections or updates in the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin that is released after 12:00 pm ET on the second business day of the week. These estimates are subject to revision the following week. Crop Progress and Condition tables expected next week: Barley - Planted Corn - Planted Cotton - Planted Oats - Planted, Emerged Rice - Planted, Emerged Sorghum - Planted Spring Wheat - Planted Sugarbeets - Planted Winter Wheat - Headed, Condition 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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