We 1 (3-09) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released March 10, 2009, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Julie Schmidt at (202) 720-7621, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. National Weather Summary March 1 - 7, 2009 Highlights: Precipitation continued to soak the northern half of California for much of the week, further improving high-elevation snow packs and aiding pastures and winter grains. Significant precipitation also fell in the Northwest, ending a period of mostly dry weather that had lasted nearly 2 months. Farther east, however, precipitation in the nation's mid-section was confined to late-week rain showers across the east-central Plains. On the southern Plains, conditions for pastures (rated 75 percent very poor to poor on March 8) and winter grains (63 percent very poor to poor) further deteriorated due to warm, dry, windy weather. Weekly temperatures ranged from at least 5 degrees F below normal on the northern Plains to as much as 15 degrees F above normal on the southern High Plains. Meanwhile, late-week downpours soaked the central and eastern Corn Belt, boosting soil moisture in advance of spring fieldwork but causing widespread lowland flooding. Elsewhere, the East experienced a rapid warming trend, following an unusually severe late-winter storm. The storm, which struck from February 28 - March 2, dumped heavy snow from Georgia into New England, but failed to bring drought relief to Florida's peninsula. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10 degrees F below normal in the southern Atlantic States. By March 8, the average water content of the Sierra Nevada snow pack climbed to 24 inches (90 percent of average for the date), according to the California Department of Water Resources. The water equivalency has more than doubled since February 5, when the snow pack held just 10 inches of liquid. Along I-5 in Shasta County, CA, Sims (elevation 1,650 feet) received 13.84 inches of rain from February 28 - March 4. During the same period, snowfall reached 96 inches near Kingvale (elevation 6,035 feet), Nevada County, CA. Heavy precipitation also spilled across the Sierra Nevada into the western Great Basin, where Reno, NV, received 1.42 inches (19 percent of its normal annual total) from March 1-4. Meanwhile in the nation's mid- section, an early-week chill was replaced by record-setting warmth. Huron, SD (-20 degrees F on March 1), noted its second-lowest March reading since the beginning of the 20th century, behind only -24 degrees F on March 4, 1960. In Nebraska, Valentine's temperature climbed 90 degrees F in less than 84 hours, from a low of -14 degrees F on March 1 to a daily-record high of 76 degrees F on March 4. Across the southwestern and central U.S., readings of 92 degrees F (on March 4) in Gage, OK; 91 degrees F (on March 2) in Tucson, AZ; 88 degrees F (on March 5) in Medicine Lodge, KS; and 76 degrees F (on March 5) in Lincoln, NE, were among several hundred daily-record highs set during the first 5 days of March. Farther north, wet weather lingered for much of the week the Northwest, where daily records were set in Idaho locations such as Mullan Pass (1.03 inches of liquid on March 5) and Boise (0.9 inch of snow on March 6). Toward week's end, Northwestern daily-record lows included 24 degrees F (on March 6) in Walla Walla, WA, and 20 degrees F (on March 7) in Boise. Farther east, the week opened in the midst of a historic Southeastern snow storm. In Jackson, TN, where 13.5 inches fell on February 28 - March 1, only six entire seasons have featured more snow (24.7 inches in 1984-85; 20.3 inches in 1967-68; 17.7 inches in 1978-79; 15.3 inches in 1977-78; 14.9 inches in 1963-64; and 14.0 inches in 1987-88). In Mississippi, snowfall totaled as much as 2 to 3 inches in locations such as Macon, Starkville, and Columbus. Meanwhile, March 1 snowfall locally topped 6 inches in Georgia's Clarke and Madison Counties. To the north, March 1-2 totals of 6 to 12 inches were fairly common from the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain into New England. Official snowfall totals included 11.6 inches in Providence, RI; 11.5 inches in Concord, NH; 10.3 inches in Worcester, MA; 9.7 inches in Bridgeport, CT; 9.0 inches in Philadelphia, PA; 8.6 inches in Portland, ME; 8.3 inches in New York City; and 6.3 inches in Richmond, VA. Bitterly cold air trailed the snow, with monthly record lows established in locations such as Salisbury, MD (1 degree F on March 3 and 4; previously, 3 degrees F on March 21, 1914), Lynchburg, VA (5 degrees F on March 3; previously, 7 degrees F on March 21, 1965, and March 15, 1993), and Richmond, VA (10 degrees F on March 4; previously, 11 degrees F on March 1, 1937, March 4, 1943, and March 14, 1960). In South Carolina, Florence's low of 18 degrees F on March 4 represented its second-lowest March reading behind 11 degrees F on March 3, 1980. Later, much warmer air overspread the East, resulting in several daily-record highs. For example, Wilmington, DE, posted a daily-record low of 9 degrees F on March 3, followed by a daily-record high of 73 degrees F on March 7. Other Eastern daily-record highs for March 7 included 83 degrees F in Roanoke, VA; 81 degrees F in Charleston, WV; and 77 degrees F in Columbus, OH. Heavy rain accompanied a late-week surge of warmth in the central and eastern Corn Belt, where consecutive daily-record rainfall totals were reported on March 7-8 in locations such as South Bend, IN (1.13 and 1.38 inches), and Moline, IL (1.44 and 1.58 inches). Torrential rainfall arrived across Hawaii's windward areas late in the week, when 24-hour Big Island totals (on March 7-8) reached 11.16 inches at Waiakea Uka and 10.99 inches at Piihonua. Elsewhere on the Big Island, Hilo netted consecutive daily-record totals on March 7 and 8 (10.20 and 7.13 inches, respectively). The 10.20-inch sum represented Hilo's second-wettest March day on record, behind 15.66 inches on March 17, 1980. Meanwhile, weekly rainfall reached 12.07 inches on Kauai's Mt. Waialeale. Farther north, mild but stormy weather prevailed in western and interior Alaska, while cold conditions settled across southeastern Alaska. Kotzebue, after completing snowiest February on record (47.4 inches, or 912 percent of normal), received 13.1 inches of snow during the first week of March. Kotzebue's snow depth climbed to 62 inches by March 8. Weekly snowfall reached 11.4 inches in Fairbanks, aided by a 9.0-inch total on March 5. Fairbanks' snow depth of 30 inches on March 6 and 7 marked its greatest accumulation since January 2000, when the peak depth reached 32 inches. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. Agricultural Summary March 2 - 8, 2009 Strong storm systems brought upwards of 4 inches of moisture to locations along the Pacific Coast in California, helping to improve the condition of non-irrigated crops and pastures. Two to 4 inches of moisture fell in several areas of the Corn Belt and the Southeast. Most of the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Tennessee Valley, Delta, and Florida remained dry. Temperatures were well above normal throughout most of the Rocky Mountains, central and southern Great Plains, and the Corn Belt, while areas along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts and in the Northern Great Plains experienced temperatures as much as 9 degrees below normal. California rice growers were busy reshaping berms and applying fertilizer in preparation for spring planting. Citrus fruit harvest continued, while other tree fruits were beginning bud break. Vegetable growers prepared fields for commercial cantaloupe and tomato planting. The spring lettuce crop progressed well as harvest neared. Temperatures in Arizona were mostly above average for the week. Statewide, emergence of the wheat and barley crops was nearly complete. Texas producers continued to irrigate wheat fields in the Plains following another week without any significant rainfall. Cotton growers in the Plains and Trans-Pecos regions, as well as sorghum producers in the Northern Plains continued field preparations. Corn planting was active in the Blacklands, North East Texas, South Central Texas, and South Texas. Vegetable growers in South Texas were busy harvesting spinach and cabbage. Producers continued feeding supplements to livestock because of mostly very poor pasture conditions. In Georgia, corn planting was off to a slow start due to wet conditions and cold temperatures. The wheat crop was progressing well, especially in areas where producers had been able to make fertilizer applications. Florida producers spent the week preparing fields for spring row crop planting. Frost early in the week damaged newly emerging potato plants and some vegetables. Vegetable growers in northern parts of the state continued field preparation for spring crops. Broccoli, cabbage, and strawberry harvest continued, but the volume of product moving through the market was reduced due to drought and cold stress. 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