Highlights: Heavy rain returned to the east-central and southeastern Plains, the Mid-South, and much of the Midwest, further delaying spring planting preparations. At least 4 inches of rain fell from central Oklahoma into southern Missouri and northern and central Arkansas, sending many rivers nearly as high as they had climbed following the mid-March downpours. In addition, the storm-affected regions were struck by as many as five dozen tornadoes, most of which were spotted from April 9-11.
At least an inch of precipitation fell across a much broader area stretching from the central and southern Plains to the western slopes of the Appalachians. Moisture was beneficial, however, in several areas, including the High Plains and the upper Midwest. In the latter region, late-season snow and wind stressed livestock and caused temporary travel disruptions, but recharged topsoil moisture. Winter wheat benefited from showers on the High Plains, although blowing dust reduced visibilities in parts of New Mexico and western Texas on
April 10, just hours after the rain fell. Elsewhere, beneficial showers (in excess of 2 inches) also fell across southern Florida, while much of the remainder of the South and East experienced a warm, mostly dry week that was favorable for fieldwork and crop development.
In contrast, chilly conditions lingered for several more days in the West, although generally dry weather favored some fieldwork. Toward week's end, however, warm air overspread the Northwest for the first time in a month, while hot weather pushed temperatures above 90 degrees F in parts of California.
Farther east, readings above 80 degrees F were common across the South, while temperatures in the 90- to 100-degree range were observed in southern and western Texas from April 6-11. Weekly temperatures generally averaged 5 to 10 degrees F below normal from the Intermountain West to the central Plains, but ranged from 5 to 10 degrees F above normal in the central and southern Appalachians
and surrounding areas.
Chilly weather prevailed early in the week across the northern Plains, where Mobridge, SD, posted consecutive daily-record lows (11 and 2 degrees F) on April 6-7. Cold conditions also persisted in the Northwest, where Stanley, ID, noted lows of 0 degrees F on April 8, 10, and 11. In Washington, Yakima noted a freeze on 31 consecutive days (March 13 - April 12), including a daily-record low of 21 degrees F on April 9. By April 12, however, temperatures rebounded to daily-record levels in Northwestern locations such as Olympia, WA (82 degrees F), and Eugene, OR (84 degrees F). Farther south, Anaheim, CA (91, 96, and 102 degrees F), notched three consecutive daily-record highs from April 11-13. Other record highs in California for April 12 included 95 degrees F in Long Beach and 92 degrees F in Modesto. Warmth was more consistent across the South, where daily-record highs included 103 degrees F (on April 10) in McAllen, TX, and 88 degrees F in Naples, FL (on April 9), Vicksburg, MS (on April 10), and Savannah, GA (on April 12).
Huntsville, AL, reached 80 degrees F for the first time this year on April 10, the latest such occurrence since 1994.
Early-week precipitation highlights included heavy snow in the upper Midwest and heavy rain in southern Florida. Daily-record snowfall totals for April 6 reached 8.0 inches in Mobridge, SD, and 6.7 inches in International Falls, MN. Elsewhere in northern Minnesota, phenomenally heavy snow fell from April 5-7, with totals reaching 32 inches near Virginia and 26 inches in Babbitt.
Meanwhile in Florida, daily-record rainfall totals for April 6 included 3.58 inches in Vero Beach, 2.11 inches in Orlando, and 2.05 inches in Tampa.
Later, back-to-back storm systems affected the nation's mid-section. The first round of rain arrived on April 8, when daily-record totals in Missouri reached 1.23 inches in St. Joseph and 0.93 inch in Joplin. From April 8-10, Joplin's 3-day total climbed to 3.65 inches. Farther west, daily-record totals in Texas on April 9 included 1.64 inches in Childress and 1.07 inches in Lubbock. Despite the rain, wind gusts of 50 to 70 m.p.h. on April 10 across western Texas and eastern New Mexico raised dust and locally lowered visibilities to less than 1 mile. Meanwhile in southwestern Kansas, Dodge City (0.98 inch in 24 hours on April 9-10) experienced its wettest 24-hour period since December 10-11, when 1.02 inches fell. Snow fell from the central High Plains into the upper Great Lakes region, with April 9-11 storm
totals reaching 5.3 inches in Goodland, KS; 6.6 inches in North Platte, NE; and 10.5 inches in Watertown, SD. Duluth, MN, received 9.9 inches of snow on April 10-11, along with a wind gust to 62 m.p.h. on the latter date. On April 11-12, Marquette, MI, netted 17.5 inches of snow, some of which fell stained brown by dust originating from the southern High Plains. Elsewhere, daily-rainfall records associated with the second storm totaled 2.62 inches (on April 10) in Harrison, AR; 2.42 inches (on April 10) in West Plains, MO; and 2.61 inches (on April 11) in Nashville, TN. Cold, moist air trailed the late-week storm, resulting in a trace of snow (on April 12) in Kansas City, MO, and holding the high temperature (on April 12) to just 35 degrees F in
Des Moines, IA. Meanwhile in Arkansas, March 1 - April 11 was the wettest 6-week period on record in locations such as Marshall (26.96 inches; previously, 17.56 inches in January-February 1949), Gilbert (26.24 inches; previously, 22.82 inches in September-October 1925), Calico Rock (22.87 inches; previously, 14.99 inches in May-June 1945), and Salem (22.33 inches; previously, 19.44 inches in November-December 1982). The White River at Batesville, AR, which had crested 12.00 feet above flood stage on March 20,
climbed 11.40 feet above flood stage on April 11. Similarly, the White River near Augusta, AR, which had reached its highest level since January 1949 on March 23 (12.41 feet above flood stage), surged to a secondary crest 11.79 feet above flood stage on April 14.
National Agricultural Summary -- April 7 - 13, 2008
Corn: Two percent of the Nation's corn crop had been planted. When compared with last year and the 5-year average pace, planting was 2 and 5 points behind, respectively. The most significant delays, in Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee, were due to the moderate to heavy amounts of precipitation received during the week. All three States were 25 points or more behind normal. Tennessee producers were anxiously awaiting a dry spell in order to gain planting momentum, as they were 37 points behind normal by week's end.
Cooler temperatures and moisture from the previous week kept North Carolina producers more than a week behind normal with only 15 percent of their expected acreage planted. In the Corn Belt, planting has not begun as producers wait for warm, dry weather to improve planting conditions.
Winter Wheat: Four percent of the winter wheat acreage reached the heading stage by April 13. Development lagged last year's progress by 5 points and the 5-year average pace by 2 points. Moderate to heavy precipitation in a band stretching from northeast Texas to the Great Lakes, along with cooler than average temperatures through much of that band, coupled with moderate to heavy precipitation in the Southeast during the prior week, slowed winter wheat development.
In Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, heading was 15, 10, and
6 points behind normal, respectively. The winter wheat condition rating improved during the week with 47 percent of the crop rated in good or excellent condition, nationwide.
Cotton: By April 13, ten percent of the crop had been planted, slightly ahead of last year's pace, and the same as normal. Planting was most active in California, where progress was 13 points behind the previous year's pace but 19 points ahead of the 5-year average. Elsewhere, a quarter of the Arizona crop had been planted and Texas producers had 16 percent of their acreage planted, at or slightly ahead of the normal pace. However, in the Delta, Southeast, and Oklahoma, planting was off to a slow start and had not begun in most areas.
Sorghum: Nationwide, sorghum producers had planted 24 percent of their acreage, the same as last year but ahead of the normal pace by 4 points. In Louisiana and Texas, producers were able to stay ahead of the average pace, while producers in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma were lagging normal by 26, 2, and 2 points, respectively. Elsewhere, planting was not yet underway.
Rice: Fourteen percent of the rice crop was planted by the end of the week, 14 points behind a year ago and 13 points behind normal. Other than in Texas, where the progress was 12 points ahead of normal; and in California and Louisiana, where planting was at the usual pace; progress in Arkansas and Missouri fell a week or more behind the five-year average. In Arkansas, just 2 percent of the expected acreage had been planted by the end of the week.
The rice crop was 8 percent emerged, 3 and 2 points behind last year and normal, respectively. Development was at or behind the 5-year average in all States except Texas, where emergence was 16 points ahead of normal.
Small Grains: Planting of spring wheat, although ahead of last year's pace, was lagging normal by 4 points with 8 percent of the crop planted. Planting was 23 points behind normal in South Dakota where a major late winter storm dropped more than 10 inches of snow in some areas of the State. In areas where snow has melted, wet fields remain, and temperatures across the State remained below average. Planting in Idaho and Washington remained 19 points
behind the usual pace. In Washington, in spite of a cool spring, very dry conditions still prevailed in some grain growing areas. In Idaho, snow fell over much of the State early in the week, limiting planting progress.
Barley producers had planted 13 percent of their acreage, behind last year and the 5-year average by 3 and 2 points, respectively. Producers in Idaho were behind last year's planting pace by 23 points and behind the normal pace by 3 points. In Washington, producers had planted 32 percent of their acreage, behind last year and normal by 17 points. Planting was underway in all barley States except Minnesota, where planting was 3 points behind the usual pace.
Slightly ahead of last year's planting pace, and behind the usual pace by 9 points, 34 percent of the Nation's oat crop was planted. North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas producers were planting at or ahead of the normal pace, while the remaining oat-producing States were 10 or more points behind the 5-year average. The most significant delay of 47 points behind normal, in Iowa, was due to cold, wet spring weather and this week's winter storm which brought snow to some areas of the State. Nationwide emergence, at 29 percent, was at the same pace as last year and only slightly behind the normal pace with emergence of spring-planted oats limited to areas in
Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
Other Crops: The sugarbeet crop was 6 percent planted, behind last year and normal by 7 and 9 points, respectively. Significant delays were evident in both Idaho and Michigan. Late winter storms brought snow to most of Idaho, where planting lagged the 5-year average by 20 points. Michigan producers were getting off to a slow start with only 1 percent of the crop planted after between 1 and 4 inches of precipitation fell across the State during the week. In Minnesota and North Dakota, planting was yet to begin.