We 1 (12-09) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin Washington, D.C. Released December 8, 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 November 29 - December 5, 2009 Highlights: A series of storms crossed the South and East, hampering late-autumn fieldwork and resulting in some early-season snow. Weekly precipitation totaled at least 2 to 4 inches in numerous locations across the Gulf and Atlantic Coast States. In the Southeast, delayed fieldwork activities included winter wheat planting and cotton, peanut, and soybean harvesting. Wet weather also disrupted fieldwork in the eastern Corn Belt, although precipitation totals were generally an inch or less. In contrast, corn and final soybean harvesting advanced across the western Corn Belt under colder but mostly dry conditions. Farther west, cold air invaded the Nation's mid-section, accompanied by some rain and snow across the southern Plains. Fieldwork slowed due to the damp weather in Texas and parts of Oklahoma, but harvesting of crops such as corn, sorghum, and sunflowers neared completion on the central Plains. Cold weather also overspread the West, although precipitation was mostly confined to the Rockies and the Desert Southwest. Significant snow blanketed mountainous areas in southern portions of Arizona and New Mexico, where weekly temperatures generally ranged from 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit below normal. Elsewhere, readings ranged from as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit below normal on the southern Plains to 10 degrees Fahrenheit above normal in parts of New England. Sub-zero temperatures were common across the Rockies and the northern Plains, while late-week readings dipped to near the freezing mark (32 degrees Fahrenheit) as far south as the lower Rio Grande Valley in Deep South Texas. However, temperatures in southern Texas were not low enough to cause significant concern for winter crops such as citrus and sugarcane. Early in the week, warmth lingered across the North and West. Santa Rosa, CA (76 degrees Fahrenheit), posted a daily-record high for November 29, followed the next day by records for November 30 in locations such as Simpson, Montana (55 degrees Fahrenheit), and Grand Forks, North Dakota (49 degrees Fahrenheit). In early December, warmth shifted into the East, while markedly colder weather overspread the South and West. On December 2, Vero Beach, Florida (87 degrees Fahrenheit), tied a monthly record previously achieved on December 3, 1999, and December 5, 2002. Eastern daily-record highs for December 3 reached 89 degrees Fahrenheit in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; 69 degrees Fahrenheit in Boston, Massachusetts; and 63 degrees Fahrenheit in Albany, New York. Farther west, however, Laramie, Wyoming (-16 and -19 degrees Fahrenheit), notched consecutive daily-record lows on December 2-3. In Montana, Wisdom (-29 degrees Fahrenheit) also collected a record low for December 2. The week ended (on December 4-5) with consecutive daily-record lows in numerous Western locations, including Grand Junction, Colorado (1 and 2 degrees Fahrenheit); Roosevelt, Utah (-10 and -9 degrees Fahrenheit); and the Grand Canyon, South Rim, Arizona (0 and 4 degrees Fahrenheit). In New Mexico, lows on December 4 plunged to -21 degrees Fahrenheit in Eagle Nest and -10 degrees Fahrenheit in Chama. Sub-zero readings were also reported across the central High Plains on December 4, when daily-record lows included -7 degrees Fahrenheit in Alliance, Nebraska, and -4 degrees Fahrenheit in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The following day, readings of 20 degrees Fahrenheit in both Shreveport, Louisiana, and Vicksburg, Mississippi, were among dozens of daily-record lows for December 5 across the South. In Texas, Harlingen (29 degrees Fahrenheit on December 5) registered a daily-record low, while Houston (26 degrees Fahrenheit) reported its coldest day since February 16, 2007 (also 26 degrees Fahrenheit). Early-week rainfall was heaviest across the Mid-South, where Texarkana, Arkansas (2.15 inches), received a daily-record sum for November 29. Meanwhile, snow developed across portions of the southern High Plains and the Southwest. In northern Texas, Amarillo (2.1 inches) received a daily-record snowfall for November 29. The last day of November featured a daily-record snowfall of 2.5 inches in El Paso, Texas. In fact, El Paso received a total of 7.8 inches of snow during two separate storms between November 30 and December 3. In early December, heavy rain erupted in the western and central Gulf Coast States, while some snow skirted the Nation's northern tier. Daily-record rainfall totals for December 1 included 2.71 inches in Houston (Hobby Airport), Texas, and 2.42 inches in New Orleans, Louisiana. Harlingen, Texas, netted consecutive daily-record totals on November 30 and December 1, totaling 1.52 inches. Farther north, International Falls, Minnesota (5.6 inches), received a daily-record snowfall for December 1. By December 2, torrential rains arrived in the Southeast, where record-setting daily totals included 5.34 inches in Tallahassee, Florida; 3.63 inches in Columbus, Georgia; and 3.11 inches in Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina. In Florida, Ft. Myers ended with week with consecutive daily-record totals on December 4-5, totaling 2.99 inches. Meanwhile, snow squalls in the vicinity of the Great Lakes resulted in December 1-5 totals of 8.9 inches in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and 6.4 inches in Buffalo, New York. On December 4, the earliest measurable snowfall on record arrived in Houston, Texas (1.0 inch), and Lake Charles, Louisiana (0.2 inch). Previous records had been set just last year on December 10 in Houston and December 11 in Lake Charles. Accumulating snows were also reported on December 4 in Jackson, Mississippi (0.7 inch); Alexandria, Louisiana (0.2 inch), and Victoria, Texas (0.2 inch). Unofficial totals reached 4.0 inches in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi, and Lane City and Boling, Texas. Interestingly, the Deep South snowfall occurred prior to the season's first accumulation in parts of New England. For example, Burlington, Vermont, received its first measurable snow on December 7, tying a 1937 record for its latest first accumulation. At week's end, widespread 4- to 8-inch snowfall totals were reported on December 5 in the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic piedmont, with official amounts reaching 5.7 inches in Beckley, West Virginia, and 3.9 inches in Blacksburg, Virginia. Mild weather prevailed in Alaska, where temperatures averaged more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit above normal at some interior locations. Bettles (25 degrees Fahrenheit) tallied a daily record-tying high on December 1, followed at week's end by records for December 5 in locations such as Cold Bay (46 degrees Fahrenheit) and McGrath (37 degrees Fahrenheit). McGrath's warmth followed a 3.3-inch snowfall from December 1-3. Meanwhile in Valdez, weekly precipitation totaled 3.31 inches, including 12.8 inches of snow. Farther south, cool, occasionally showery conditions covered Hawaii. On December 3, Kahului, Maui, posted a daily record-tying low of 58 degrees Fahrenheit, along with rainfall totaling 0.94 inch. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. Agricultural Summary November 30 - December 6, 2009 Highlights: Cool temperatures prevailed across much of the country during the past week, falling to as many as 15 degrees below average in western Texas. In contrast, areas from the Great Lakes eastward to the Atlantic Coast and southward into Florida experienced warmer than normal temperatures, with locations in New England as many as 10 degrees above average. While much of the western half of the Nation was dry, allowing producers to continue their late-season crop harvest, regions stretching from Texas through the Delta and Southeast and up the Atlantic Coast received above average precipitation. Corn: Nationally, corn harvest advanced to 88 percent complete by week's end. Harvest was most active in the Great Lakes, Corn Belt, and northern and central Great Plains. Mostly dry weather promoted fieldwork and allowed producers in the Dakotas to combine 13 percent or more of their crop during the week; however, overall progress in these States remained over 3 weeks behind normal. Winter Wheat: Emergence advanced 4 points during the week, to 93 percent complete by December 6. Emergence was complete or nearly complete in all estimating States except California, Illinois, Missouri, and North Carolina. Overall, 63 percent of the winter wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week. Cotton: Producers had harvested 88 percent of the Nation's cotton crop by week's end. Harvest was most active in Kansas during the week, where producers utilized 6 days suitable for fieldwork to harvest 15 percent of their crop. Sorghum: Harvest advanced 7 points during the week to 94 percent complete by December 6. With the exceptions of Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico where harvest was complete, harvest was active across the major sorghum-producing regions. Other Crops: Peanut harvest crept forward during the week as producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma continued to slowly harvest their 2009 crop. Nationally, 94 percent of the crop was dug and combined by week's end. Sunflower producers harvested 4 percent of their crop during the week, leaving overall progress at 94 percent complete by December 6. Harvest was most active in Kansas where dry conditions provided ample time for fieldwork. 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. 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