We 1 (4-09) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 7, 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 29 - April 4, 2009 Highlights: Heavy rain drenched the lower Southeast, curtailing fieldwork and triggering widespread flooding. Weekly rainfall locally exceeded 10 inches in southern Georgia and northern Florida. In stark contrast, extremely dry conditions persisted across Deep South Texas and much of Florida's peninsula. Farther north, a procession of storms maintained unsettled, showery conditions across the Northeast and Midwest. In the latter region, cool, damp soils delayed the start of spring fieldwork operations. Meanwhile on the Plains, the same series of storms produced additional snow--especially in the Dakotas and Nebraska--but largely bypassed southern areas. Flooding persisted in parts of the north-central U.S., while concerns for winter wheat on the southern Plains shifted from the effects of the March 26-28 winter storm to the potential impact of the cold weather that followed. Freezes affected areas as far south as northern Texas on March 29, 31, and April 2-3, with temperatures in the range of 20 to 25 degrees F on the last day of March. Winter wheat that was just beginning to joint weathered the cold snaps without harm, but some of the more advanced wheat may have been susceptible to freeze injury. Another surge of very cold air affected the central and southern Plains from April 5-7. Elsewhere, mild, dry weather promoted fieldwork and crop development in California and the Desert Southwest, while cool, showery conditions prevailed across the remainder of the West. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 4 degrees F above normal across southern Florida and much of the Northeast, but ranged from 4 to 12 degrees F below normal across the northern Plains, the central High Plains, and the West, excluding California and the Desert Southwest. Early in the week, cold air settled across the Plains in the wake of a major spring storm. On March 29, daily-record lows were set in locations such as Salina, KS (18 degrees F); McAlester, OK (28 degrees F); and Waco, TX (30 degrees F). A second surge of cold air reached the Northwest by March 30, when daily-record lows dipped to 14 degrees F in Meacham, OR, and 18 degrees F in Montague, CA. The following day, records for March 31 included 9 degrees F in Roosevelt, UT, and 20 degrees F in Dalhart, TX. Chilly conditions lingered across the Plains into early April. For example, April 1 featured daily-record lows in Rapid City, SD (8 degrees F), and Hill City, KS (15 degrees F). At week's end, another impressive spring cold outbreak arrived in the West. Among several dozen daily-record lows for April 4 were readings of 11 degrees F in Redmond, OR; 14 degrees F in Cedar City, UT; 21 degrees F in Yakima, WA; 28 degrees F in Paso Robles, CA; and 33 degrees F in Salinas, CA. Meanwhile, scattered daily-record highs were mostly confined to southern portions of Texas and Florida. In the latter state, Miami (90 degrees F) collected a daily-record high for April 4. As the week opened, a strong spring storm lifted from the southern Plains into the Midwest. Daily-record snowfall totals for March 29 reached 5.8 inches in Springfield, IL, and 2.0 inches in St. Louis, MO. Meanwhile, another significant weather system arrived in the Northwest. With a 3.9-inch accumulation on March 29, Spokane, WA, attained a new seasonal snowfall record. Through April 4, Spokane's 2008-09 total reached 97.7 inches (218 percent of normal), edging the 1949-50 standard of 93.5 inches. Farther east, heavy snow blanketed the north-central U.S. on March 30, when daily- record amounts reached 12.0 inches in Rapid City, SD, and 11.8 inches in Bismarck, ND. During the last 3 days of March, 17.1 inches of snow fell in Bismarck. Through April 4, Bismarck's season-to-date snowfall of 100.2 inches (214 percent of normal) was second only to the 101.6-inch final seasonal total observed in 1996-97. Bismarck also received a monthly snowfall of 29.7 inches, tying 1950 for its second-snowiest March on record behind 31.1 inches in 1975. On the last day of March, additional daily snowfall records included 12.8 inches in Mitchell, SD, and 6.3 inches in St. Cloud, MN. St. Cloud also received a record-setting sum (2.9 inches) for April 1. In North Dakota, Fargo completed its wettest (4.62 inches) and snowiest (28.1 inches) March on record. Fargo's previous records of 2.83 and 26.2 inches were set in the major flood years of 1882 and 1997, respectively. The Red River crest reached Oslo, MN, on April 1 and Drayton, ND, on April 6. At Oslo, the river exceeded flood stage by 12.22 feet and the April 1997 high-water mark by 0.22 foot. At Drayton (11.63 feet above flood stage), it was the third-highest crest on record, behind April 1997 (13.55 feet) and April 1979 (11.66 feet). Meanwhile, heavy rain returned to the Southeast, where record amounts in northern Florida for the first day of April reached 3.34 inches in Apalachicola and 3.13 inches in Tallahassee. The following day, record totals for April 2 included 3.66 inches in Savannah, GA, and 3.57 inches in Charleston, SC. Parts of the Midwest and East also received significant rainfall, with totals reaching 1.34 inches (on April 4) in Watertown, NY, and 0.94 inch (on April 3) in Alpena, MI. In Wisconsin, Madison (6.19 inches; previously, 5.46 inches in 1998) completed its wettest March on record. Farther south, March 26 - April 2 rainfall totals climbed as high as 10 to 20 inches from the central Gulf Coast region into the lower Southeast. During that 8-day period, totals reached 11.97 inches in Albany, GA; 11.75 inches in Dothan, AL; and 11.70 inches in Tallahassee, FL. In the wake of the rain, record crests were established along the Alapaha River at Statenville, GA (more than 7 feet above flood stage and rising on April 7; previously, 5.80 feet on April 6, 1948), and the Withlacoochee River near Pinetta, FL (9.48 feet above flood stage on April 6; previously, 6.85 feet on April 5, 1948). Meanwhile, another storm system arrived on the Plains at week's end, producing additional heavy snow. Snowfall records for April 4 included 12.4 inches in Rapid City, SD; 9.8 inches in Mitchell, SD; and 4.8 inches in Valentine, NE. South of the storm's center, wind gusts on April 4 were clocked to 67 m.p.h. in Pueblo, CO, and 65 m.p.h. in Dimmitt, TX. Prior to reaching the Plains, the storm produced early-April snowfall that reached 50 inches at Alta, in Utah's Wasatch Range. From March 22 - April 4, Alta received 10.83 inches of precipitation in the form of 170 inches of snow. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. Agricultural Summary March 30 - April 5, 2009 Highlights: Much of the country experienced temperatures that were cooler than normal, with average recordings as many as 12 degrees Fahrenheit below average in Wyoming. Extreme minimum temperatures fell into the single digits across areas in the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. In contrast, locations in South Texas pushed the mercury near the century mark, with recorded temperatures as high as 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation dotted the United States during the past week, with substantial accumulations throughout the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Corn Belt, northern Atlantic Coast, and the Southeast. For the second straight week, locations in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia received upwards of 4 inches of rainfall, limiting fieldwork to 1 to 2 days and improving drought conditions throughout the area. The southern Pacific Coast and Southwest were relatively dry. Winter Wheat: Nationwide, 43 percent of the 2009 crop was rated in good to excellent condition, down slightly from a year ago and the week ending November 23, 2008, the last available rating for the current crop. In Kansas, 5 percent of the wheat crop show signs of severe freeze damage while 10 percent show moderate to severe wind damage. Heading was evident in fields in Texas and Arkansas. Cotton: Producers across the United States had planted 4 percent of this year's acreage, down 3 points from 2008 and 4 points below the 5-year average. Texas producers, with 6 percent of their crop in the ground, lagged behind the normal pace due to the inability to cultivate fields because of hard-packed soils. Similarly, California's progress was down 23 points from last year and 7 points below the average. Arizona's progress was 1 point ahead of last year and 6 points ahead of the average. Planting was not yet underway in the Delta, Southeast, or Mid-Atlantic States. Sorghum: Nationally, producers had planted19 percent of their acreage, down 4 points from 2008 and down slightly from the 5-year average. Planting progress in Texas was 9 points behind last year and somewhat below the average. In the Lower Mississippi Valley States of Arkansas and Louisiana, producers experienced delays in planting due to continued rainfall and wet field conditions. New Mexico producers had matched last year's and the 5-year average pace, with 2 percent of their crop planted. Rice: Producers had planted 11 percent of their acreage, behind last year and the normal pace by 1 and 4 points, respectively. By week's end, producers in Texas had 68 percent of their seed in the ground compared to only 59 percent in 2008 and 46 percent for the 5-year average. Arkansas and Louisiana producers were behind last year and the average pace, while Missouri producers were on par with last year but behind the average pace because of wet conditions. Planting had not begun in California, where producers were busy tilling fields. Small Grains: Across the United States, producers had seeded 32 percent of this year's oat acreage. Texas producers were finished planting and heading was evident in half of the fields. Planting progress was 2 weeks ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average in Ohio. Nebraska producers had 21 percent of their crop in the ground, slightly behind last year and 11 points below the 5-year average. Planting had yet to begin in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Other Crops: Sugarbeet planting was just underway, with only 2 percent of the Nation's acreage planted. Producers in Minnesota and North Dakota, the two largest producing States, had yet to begin planting, with progress in North Dakota estimated to be two weeks behind normal. Producers in Idaho and Michigan had planted 9 and 6 percent of their acreage, respectively. Idaho's progress lagged 21 points behind the 5-year average. Cotton: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2004- State:Apr 5, :Mar 29,:Apr 5, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 NA 0 1 AZ : 20 NA 19 14 AR : 0 NA 0 0 CA : 9 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 : 6 NA 11 13 VA : 0 NA 0 0 : 15 Sts: 4 NA 7 8 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 15 States planted 99% of last year's cotton acreage. Sorghum: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2004- State:Apr 5, :Mar 29,:Apr 5, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 NA 1 11 CO : 0 NA 0 0 IL : 0 NA 0 0 KS : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 3 NA 14 18 MO : 0 NA 0 0 NE : 0 NA 0 0 NM : 2 NA 0 0 OK : 0 NA 0 0 SD : 0 NA 0 0 TX : 43 NA 52 45 : 11 Sts: 19 NA 23 20 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 11 States planted 96% of last year's sorghum acreage. Rice: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2004- State:Apr 5, :Mar 29,:Apr 5, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 1 NA 2 9 CA : 0 NA 0 0 LA : 41 NA 49 45 MS : 1 NA 1 5 MO : 0 NA 0 3 TX : 68 NA 59 46 : 6 Sts : 11 NA 12 15 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 6 States planted 100% of last year's rice acreage. Oats: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2004- State:Apr 5, :Mar 29,:Apr 5, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 8 NA 2 17 MN : 0 NA 0 1 NE : 21 NA 22 32 ND : 0 NA 0 0 OH : 27 NA 3 6 PA : 24 NA 12 12 SD : 0 NA 3 9 TX : 100 NA 100 100 WI : 0 NA 0 4 : 9 Sts : 32 NA 31 34 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 9 States planted 65% of last year's oat acreage. Sugarbeets: Percent Planted, Selected States 1/ -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 2004- State:Apr 5, :Mar 29,:Apr 5, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent : ID : 9 NA 13 30 MI : 6 NA 0 7 MN : 0 NA 0 0 ND : 0 NA 0 0 : 4 Sts : 2 NA 2 5 -------------------------------------- 1/ These 4 States planted 84% of last year's sugarbeet acreage. Winter Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States Week Ending Apr 5, 2009 -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AR : 0 7 37 51 5 CA : 0 2 21 34 43 CO : 2 11 34 43 10 ID : 0 0 20 73 7 IL : 0 3 23 64 10 IN : 0 1 25 57 17 KS : 4 13 44 36 3 MI : 2 3 27 58 10 MO : 1 6 42 45 6 MT : 1 5 36 51 7 NE : 0 6 30 55 9 NC : 1 3 28 58 10 OH : 1 5 23 54 17 OK : 16 21 38 24 1 OR : 1 13 48 31 7 SD : 1 5 36 51 7 TX : 40 24 24 11 1 WA : 7 13 35 39 6 : 18 Sts : 10 12 35 37 6 : Prev Wk : NA NA NA NA NA Prev Yr : 7 14 34 37 8 -------------------------------------- VP-Very Poor, P-Poor, F-Fair, G-Good, EX-Excellent. National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2008 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 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. For free 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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