USDA
Weekly Weather
and Crop Bulletin

Washington, D.C.

Released October 14, 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
October 4 - 10, 2009

Highlights: Flooding rains developed from the southeastern Plains into the middle Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys in advance of a strong cold front.
Weekly rainfall totaled 4 to 8 inches in the flood-affected areas, halting fieldwork and threatening the quality of unharvested summer crops. Generally light to moderate rain fell across the remainder of the Midwest and South, hampering harvest activities. Crop-quality concerns persisted in the Delta, where as much as 2 to 4 inches of rain fell. Toward week's end, some wet snow blanketed the upper Midwest. Late-week snow also fell across the northern half of the Plains, while torrential rain soaked the southeastern Plains. In general, the Plains' cool, wet conditions limited fieldwork and slowed the emergence and development of recently planted winter wheat.
Weekly temperatures averaged 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit below normal across the Rockies, Plains, and upper Midwest. From October 9-12, freezes ended the
2009 growing season across much of the Plains and well over half of the Corn Belt. The Midwestern freezes halted the accumulation of grain mass in corn that was not fully mature, but adversely affected only a small percentage of soybeans since most of the crop was already dropping leaves. Elsewhere, cool weather also prevailed in the West, although significant precipitation was confined to the Rockies and Intermountain West. In the Far West, fieldwork included winter wheat planting and cotton and rice harvesting.

Early in the week, cool air settled across the West. In California, Paso Robles (34, 33, 33, and 36 degrees Fahrenheit) opened the week with four consecutive daily-record lows from October 4-7. Ely, Nevada (13 and
16 degrees Fahrenheit), notched consecutive record lows on October 5-6.
Other Western daily records for October 6 included 14degrees Fahrenheit in Lander, Wyoming; 27 degrees Fahrenheit in Grand Junction, Colorado; and
29 degrees Fahrenheit in Eugene, Oregon. Some snow and wind accompanied the surge of cool air; On October 4, for example, Cedar City, Utah, clocked a wind gust to 60 miles per hour, while Ely netted a daily-record snowfall of
2.3 inches. The following day, snowfall records for October 5 included
4.6 inches in Billings, Montana, and 1.0 inch in Pocatello, Idaho. In contrast, record-setting warmth prevailed for much of the week across the Deep South. In southern Texas, McAllen (97and 99degrees Fahrenheit) tallied a pair a daily-record highs on October 5-6. Clewiston, Florida (97 degrees Fahrenheit on October 6), tied its monthly record high, previously attained on October 9, 1976, and October 2, 1997. Two days later, Orlando, Florida
(95 degrees Fahrenheit on October 8), also tied a monthly record, previously set on October 2, 1962, and October 6, 1986. Late in the week, very cold air surged across the Plains and Midwest. Although the timing of the cold outbreak was not unusual, the magnitude of the cold blast was significant.
For example, Sheridan, Wyoming (5 degrees Fahrenheit on October 9), experienced its earliest reading of 5 degrees Fahrenheit or lower by nearly
3 weeks; the previous record had been set with a low of -4 degrees Fahrenheit on October 29, 1991. From October 9-12, Billings (18, 16, 14, and 13 degrees
Fahrenheit) notched four consecutive daily-record lows. On October 11, Billings' low was its earliest sub-15-degree reading on record (previously,
3 degrees Fahrenheit on October 28, 1971, and 11 degrees Fahrenheit on October 28, 1991). Elsewhere in Montana, some sub-zero readings were reported at the height of the cold wave. For example, Choteau reported
-4 degrees Fahrenheit on October 10, followed 2 days later by a low of
-3 degrees Fahrenheit in Cut Bank. The October 1-11 period was the coldest on record, supplanting 1985, in locations such as Wichita, Kansas (51.0 degrees Fahrenheit), and Billings (36.1 degrees Fahrenheit). In some areas, significant snowfall accompanied the frigid conditions. North Platte, Nebraska, set records for its snowiest 1- and 2-day periods on record in October, with 11.8 inches on October 10 and 13.8 inches on October 9-10.
Former records had been 11.5 inches on October 29, 1896, and 13.0 inches on October 29-30, 1896. Farther east, Des Moines, Iowa (1.1 inches on October 10), tied a record for its earliest measurable snowfall (October 10, 1932) and set a record for its earliest snowfall of an inch or greater (October 20, 1916).

Early-week rainfall was heaviest across parts of the South and East. On October 4, San Antonio, Texas (5.42 inches), received a daily-record rainfall, along with Texarkana, Arkansas (2.82 inches), Greenville, Mississippi (2.20 inches), and Caribou, Maine (1.16 inches). Additional heavy rain fell across the Delta on October 6, when Vicksburg, Mississippi
(1.82 inches), notched a daily-record sum. By October 8, a large area of heavy rain erupted from the southeastern Plains into the southeastern Corn Belt. Rainfall records for October 8 reached 5.35 inches in Joplin, Missouri; 4.01 inches in Harrison, Arkansas; 2.39 inches in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and 2.45 inches in Evansville, Indiana. The following day, a large severe weather outbreak resulted in more than a dozen tornadoes across the interior Southeast and the Nation's first tornado-related fatality (in Washington County, Mississippi) since May 13. At week's end, showers lingered across the southern Atlantic States, where Orlando, Florida
(2.68 inches on October 10), netted a daily-record amount. By October 14, Lake Fork Creek near Quitman, Texas, climbed 5.74 feet above flood stage, representing the highest water level in that location since December 2001.

Mild but stormy weather covered much of Alaska. McGrath (67 degrees Fahrenheit on October 10) posted a monthly record high, edging 66 degrees Fahrenheit on October 9, 2006. Meanwhile, King Salmon notched five daily-record highs in 6 days from October 7-12, including a reading of
58 degrees Fahrenheit on the 8th. Elsewhere in Alaska, Nome recorded its first-ever October thunderstorm on the 10th, while Kodiak's weekly rainfall totaled 8.76 inches. Much (6.40 inches) of Kodiak's rain fell on October 9, marking its second-wettest day on record behind 7.44 inches on October 31, 1991. Farther south, a period of warm weather in Hawaii was followed by some late-week showers. On the Big Island, Hilo (89 degrees
Fahrenheit) tied a daily-record high for October 7. Later, October 9-10 rainfall reached 1.53 inches in Lihue, Kauai, and 0.94 inch in Honolulu, Oahu. During a 24-hour period on October 10-11, the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge received 5.04 inches.

National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board.
For more information, call (202) 720-2397.

Agricultural Summary
October 5 - 11, 2009

Highlights: Above average temperatures prevailed in areas of New Mexico and most of the southern half of Texas, as well as along the Gulf Coast eastward through the Southeast and up the Atlantic Coast.Elsewhere, below average temperatures dominated the week. Killing frosts ended the growing season for several States as far south as western Oklahoma and northern Texas, as overnight temperatures plunged to the single digits in some locations during the week. Rainfall continued in most areas from the Rocky Mountains eastward, with total accumulations greater than 200 percent of normal recorded throughout much of the Corn Belt, southern Great Plains, Delta, and Southeast. Conversely, the Pacific Coast and Intermountain Region was mostly dry.

Corn: Maturity advanced to 74 percent complete, 10 points behind last year and 18 points behind the 5-year average. Crop development to maturity was behind normal in all estimating States except North Carolina where maturity was complete. Producers had harvested 13 percent of this year's crop by week's end, 7 points behind last year and 22 points, or over 2 weeks, behind the average. Harvest was slow throughout much of the Corn Belt as cool temperatures and continued rainfall kept moisture levels in mature corn higher than normal. Overall, 70 percent of the corn crop was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but 8 points better than last year.

Soybeans: Leaf drop had occurred on 89 percent of the 2009 soybean crop,
1 point behind last year and 6 points behind the 5-year average. The most significant delays remained in Mississippi where leaf drop was over 3 weeks behind normal. Producers had harvested 23 percent of the Nation's acreage by week's end, 26 points behind last year and 34 points behind the average.
Harvest delays of 16 points or more were evident in all estimating States except Kansas and North Carolina where progress was 7 points and 1 point behind normal, respectively. Overall, 65 percent of the soybean crop was rated in good to excellent condition, down 2 points from last week but
8 points better than last year. Soybean stands in the Delta States of Arkansas and Mississippi continued to deteriorate as most fields remained saturated.

Winter Wheat: Seeding advanced to 64 percent complete, 5 points behind last year and the 5-year average. Despite a rapid seeding pace in Ohio during the week, overall progress fell to 14 points behind normal. Elsewhere, significant delays were evident in the eastern Corn Belt and Missouri where winter wheat will be seeded after the late harvest of double-cropped soybeans. Thirty-nine percent of the crop was emerged by October 11, three points behind last year and 1 point behind the average.

Cotton: Acreage with opened bolls advanced to 79 percent, 1 point behind last year and 4 points behind the 5-year average. In Texas, the largest cotton-producing State, freezing temperatures in the Northern High Plains during the week halted any further crop development. At 12 percent complete, harvest was 11 points behind last year and 17 points, or nearly 3 weeks, behind the average. Harvest delays of 3 weeks or more were evident in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri, while progress in Louisiana was over
2 weeks behind as producers had 3 days or less to complete fieldwork during the week. Overall, 47 percent of the cotton crop was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but down 1 point from last year.

Sorghum: Coloring advanced to 93 percent complete, 1 point ahead of last year but 3 points behind the 5-year average. Nine percent of the sorghum crop matured during the week, leaving progress, at 64 percent, 2 points behind last year and 12 points behind the average. Despite active crop development to maturity in Illinois and Nebraska, overall delays of 20 points or more remained. Thirty-seven percent of the crop was harvested by October 11, six points behind last year and 12 points behind normal. The harvest pace remained slow in Texas as producers waited for the crop in the High Plains to fully mature. Overall, 48 percent of the crop was rated in good to excellent condition, down 1 point from ratings last week and 7 points below last year.

Rice: Nationally, 69 percent of the rice crop was harvested by week's end, 10 points behind last year and 18 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest was complete in Texas and nearly complete in Louisiana. Delays of over
2 weeks or more were evident in Arkansas and Mississippi as continued wet weather limited harvesting activities.

Other Crops: Peanut harvest advanced to 26 percent complete, 13 points behind last year and 11 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest was behind normal in all estimating States except Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
The most significant delay was evident in Alabama, the third largest peanut-producing State, as wet fields in the largest growing areas slowed harvest. Overall, 70 percent of the peanut crop was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from last week and last year.

Sugarbeet producers harvested 20 percent of the 2009 crop during the week, leaving progress, at 40 percent, 4 points behind last year and 5 points behind the 5-year average. Although harvest was most active in Minnesota and North Dakota, the largest and third largest sugarbeet-producing States, overall progress remained behind normal.

Sunflower harvest advanced to 7 percent complete, on par with last year but
7 points behind the 5-year average. The harvest pace was slow in the Dakotas during the week, with producers harvesting just 1 percent of the crop.