We 1 (3-10) Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin Washington, D.C. Released March 23, 2010, 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 14 - 20, 2010 Highlights: Relatively quiet weather prevailed between two significant storms, which bookended the week with flooding rains in the Northeast and widespread rain and snow in the south-central U.S. West of the Rockies, mostly dry weather and a warming trend promoted spring fieldwork and rapid crop development. During the mid- to late-week period, however, snow blanketed the central and southern Rockies. Snow also fell across parts of the central and southern Plains. By Sunday morning, March 21, official snow depths included 8 inches in Kansas City, MO, and 3 inches in Oklahoma City, OK. Meanwhile, favorably dry weather covered the upper Midwest, although lowland flooding intensified due to runoff from last week's rain and melting snow. Record flooding was observed at a few locations in eastern South Dakota (along the James River) and northwestern Iowa (along the Little Sioux River and its tributaries). Elsewhere, previously delayed fieldwork and early-season planting accelerated across the South, despite a continuation of cooler-than-normal conditions. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 5 degrees F below normal in some locations from the southern Rockies into the lower Southeast, but ranged from 10 to 20 degrees F above normal from the upper Great Lakes region into New England. Sharply colder air trailed a late-week storm into the Rockies and Plains, and by March 20-21, temperatures fell to the freezing mark (32 degrees F) as far south as central Texas. Widespread readings below 20 degrees F were noted at week's end on the central High Plains. Early in the week, warmth from the Midwest into the Northeast contrasted with a lingering chill in the Northwest. Daily-record lows for March 14 included 5 degrees F in Meacham, OR, and 19 degrees F in Glenwood, WA. A few days later, however, highs climbed to daily-record levels for March 16 in Northwestern locations such as Pullman, WA (65 degrees F), and Pendleton, OR (72 degrees F). Record-setting warmth also reached Montana, where March 17 highs soared to 71 degrees F in Miles City and 73 degrees F in Billings. Meanwhile in southern California, records for March 17 included 85 degrees F in Oxnard and 91 degrees F at Wild Animal Park, near Escondido. Farther east, unusual warmth prevailed from the Great Lakes States into the Northeast. In northern Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie posted a trio of daily-record highs (63, 62, and 58 degrees F) from March 15-17. Caribou, ME, collected four consecutive daily-record highs (51, 54, 57, and 54 degrees F) from March 14-17. Temperatures topped 60 degrees F in locations such as Wausau, WI (62 degrees F on March 18), and Montpelier, VT (64 degrees F on March 19), and surpassed 70 degrees F in Hartford, CT (73 degrees F on March 19), and Georgetown, DE (76 degrees F on March 20). Portland, ME (70 degrees F on March 20), recorded its second-earliest reading of 70 degrees F or higher (previously, 70 degrees F on March 14, 1946). In contrast, chilly weather returned to the Northwest and Intermountain West after mid-week. Northwestern daily-record lows for March 18 included 17 degrees F in Glenwood, WA, and 28 degrees F in Troutdale, OR. Two days later, Utah's Bryce Canyon Airport (-1 degree F) posted a daily-record low for March 20. Heavy rain and high winds continued early in the week across the Northeast. In addition, the combination of melting snow and 4- to 10-inch rainfall totals contributed to significant flooding. For example, a record crest was observed on the Pawtuxet River at Cranston, RI (5.98 feet above flood stage on March 15), where the former record of 5.50 feet above flood stage had been set on June 7, 1982. In northern New Jersey, the highest water levels since April 1984 were measured at gauging points such as the Pompton River at Pompton Plains (6.78 feet above flood stage on March 14) and the Passaic River at Little Falls (4.97 feet above flood stage on March 16). Farther north, Boston, MA, netted 6.98 inches of rain from March 13-15, along with a wind gust to 54 miles per hour on the middle date. With a 3.40-inch total on March 14, Boston also experienced its second-wettest March day behind a 3.49-inch sum on March 18, 1968. It was also Boston's wettest day since May 14, 2006, when 3.77 inches fell. Meanwhile, heavy precipitation affected southern portions of the Rockies and Plains, where Lubbock, TX (1.60 inches), netted a daily-record rainfall for March 15. Toward week's end, a more widespread and significant storm arrived across the western and central U.S. March 18-19 snowfall totaled 29.6 inches in Ouray, CO, and 12.9 inches in Lander, WY. Later in Missouri, March 19-20 snowfall reached 8.8 inches in Kansas City and 4.0 inches in St. Joseph. Other official snowfall totals (for March 20-21) included 7.5 inches in Ft. Smith, AR; 5.7 inches in Tulsa, OK; 5.0 inches in Joplin, MO; and 1.6 inches in Wichita Falls, TX. Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas-Ft. Worth (1.3 inches on March 20-21) experienced its latest snow of an inch or greater since March 29, 1937, when 2.0 inches fell. In Des Moines, IA, where 6.7 inches of snow fell on March 19-20, the season-to-date total of 69.0 inches moved within 3.0 inches of its 1911-12 seasonal snowfall record. Temperatures remained at near- to below-normal levels across the Alaskan mainland. Meanwhile, mild, showery weather returned to southeastern Alaska. With a high of 47 degrees F, Valdez posted a daily-record high for March 19. Farther south, scattered Hawaiian showers failed to provide significant drought relief. Through March 20, year-to-date rainfall totals included 1.91 inches (30 percent of normal) in Honolulu, Oahu, and 8.09 inches (29 percent) in Hilo, on the Big Island. National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397. Agricultural Summary March 15 - 21, 2010 Highlights: While above average temperatures continued along the Pacific Coast and across much of the northern half of the country, abnormally cool conditions prevailed in the Southeast, as well as the central and southern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. In Texas, average temperatures dipped to as many as 10 degrees below normal as a late-season storm brought additional rain and snow to portions of the State. Elsewhere, relatively dry conditions dominated much of the Nation allowing previously soggy fields to dry out. Although some areas in Florida remained wet, longer spring days and limited rainfall promoted increased fieldwork during the week. Potato producers in southern areas of the State were busy harvesting their crop, while the replanted potato crops near Hastings continued to develop slowly due to lingering cool temperatures. As vegetable planting continued throughout the State, soil moisture availability was short in some southern Peninsula fields, while heavy showers increased disease pressure in others. In Georgia, the arrival of spring delivered warmer temperatures and provided nearly 4 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop conditions improved slightly from a week ago, with the majority of crops reported as fair to good. Despite persistent wet spots limiting field preparation in some fields, many producers spent the week planting corn and watermelons in addition to applying fertilizer and herbicides. Wet fields and late-week snowfall in Kansas held fieldwork to 2 days during the week. Field activities completed before the storm arrived included fertilizer and herbicide applications and limited spring tillage. The majority of the winter wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, with 6 percent at or beyond the jointing stage. Insect, freeze, and wind damage was minimal. Cloudy skies and mild temperatures prevailed in Oklahoma throughout much of the week until another round of winter weather arrived Saturday, dumping between 2 and 8 inches of snow on portions of the State. Seedbed preparation advanced, but remained well behind last year and the 5-year average for most crops, as producers had 4 days suitable for fieldwork prior to the winter-like conditions. Over 80 percent of the 2010 oat crop was seeded, while nearly 40 percent of the wheat crop and over half of the rye crop was at the jointing stage or beyond. Temperatures in Arizona were mostly above average during the week, with limited precipitation falling in isolated locations. In western portions of the State, cotton producers were busy planting their 2010 crop. Barley and Durum wheat emergence was virtually complete. Alfalfa conditions were reported as mostly good to excellent, with harvest active on over two-thirds of the State's acreage. Sunny, mostly dry conditions in Washington gave producers nearly 6 days to complete spring fieldwork. Small grain seeding continued well ahead of last year and the 5-year average in Walla Walla and Whitman Counties, while potato planting equaled the normal pace in Franklin and Grant Counties. Above average temperatures in the Yakima Valley pushed growing degree days to nearly two weeks ahead of normal. 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