Highlights: Warmth expanded across the Midwest, promoting the maturation of late-developing corn and soybeans. Midwestern weekly temperatures generally averaged 5 to 10 degrees F above normal. In addition, showers in the upper Midwest boosted topsoil moisture, following more than 2 months of unfavorably dry weather. Meanwhile on the Plains, warm, mostly dry weather favored winter wheat planting, albeit at a slower-than-normal pace in most areas.

On the central and southern Plains, conditions also aided the maturation and harvesting of various summer crops, including corn, cotton, and sorghum.

Mostly dry weather also prevailed west of the Rockies, allowing early-autumn fieldwork--such as Arizona's cotton harvest and California's rice harvest--to proceed. Despite near- to below-normal temperatures, Northwestern winter wheat planting also advanced. Elsewhere, heavy rain fell in the middle and northern Atlantic States and southern portions of Texas and Florida.

Producers in the southern Mid-Atlantic region monitored the effects of wind and rain on open-boll cotton and other unharvested crops. The harsh weather conditions resulted from the combined effects of a high-pressure system over the Northeast and a low-pressure system east of the Carolinas. The storm system drifted toward the coast and made landfall on the night of September 25-26 near Myrtle Beach, SC, but continued to produce locally heavy showers through week's end in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern States.

Early in the week, showers dotted the Northwest, while a low-pressure system that would eventually become Hurricane Kyle soaked Puerto Rico. Daily-record rainfall totals for September 21 included 0.87 inch in Kalispell, MT, and 0.63 inch at Mullan Pass, ID. Meanwhile, San Juan, PR, netted consecutive daily-record totals on September 21-22 (2.91 and 1.26 inches, respectively).

During a 72-hour period from September 20-23, several Puerto Rican stations received 20 to 30 inches of rain, with a maximum total of 29.83 inches reported near Patillas. The station near Patillas, in southeastern Puerto Rico, netted 22.03 inches of rain in 24 hours on September 21-22. Other 72- hour totals in southern Puerto Rico included 23.98 inches near Guayama, 21.86 inches near Yabucoa, and 20.52 inches near Ponce. However, the system had a disorganized surface circulation while affecting Puerto Rico, and did not become a tropical storm until September 25. Later, Kyle accelerated northward and made landfall as a minimal hurricane (maximum sustained winds near 75 m.p.h.) during the evening hours of September 28 on the western tip of Nova Scotia near Yarmouth. Earlier in the day, a buoy on Georges Bank, about 170 nautical miles east of Hyannis, MA, had clocked a wind gust to 83 m.p.h.

By September 23, chilly air settled across both the Northeast--where Caribou, ME (27 degrees F) posted a daily-record low--and the Northwest. In the latter region, records for September 23 included 23 degrees F in Redmond, OR, and 32 degrees F in Ephrata, WA (25 days earlier than its average first freeze date of October 18). Elsewhere in Washington, Omak's first freeze (26 degrees F on September 23) occurred nearly 3 weeks prior to the period-of- record average date of October 12. Interestingly, it was the second consecutive year with an earlier-than-normal first freeze in parts of the interior Northwest; in 2007, both Ephrata and Omak experienced a freeze on September 29. Meanwhile, locally heavy showers overspread the western Corn Belt, where Mason City, IA (1.63 inches), collected a daily-record total for September 23.

During the second half of the week, wind and rain increased along the Atlantic Seaboard, while heat built across the western half of the nation.

Beaumont, CA (101 degrees F), notched a daily-record high for September 25, followed the next day by records in locations such as Hill City, KS (94 degrees F), and McCook, NE (93 degrees F). La Crosse, WI, noted 8 consecutive days with highs of 80 degrees F or greater from September 16-23, representing its longest such streak during the second half of September since 1908 (10 consecutive days from September 17-26). In contrast, daily- record lows in Florida included 55 degrees F (on September 25) in Gainesville and 62 degrees F (on September 26) in Lakeland.

Meanwhile, heavy rain arrived in the southern Mid-Atlantic region on September 25, when daily- record amounts included 4.16 inches in Wilmington, NC, and 2.57 inches in Norfolk, VA. The following day, record totals for September 26 reached 2.53 inches in Providence, RI, and 2.34 inches in New York's Central Park. By week's end, Williamsport, PA (2.44 inches), netted a record sum for September 27, while Caribou, ME (1.32 inches), collected its first of two daily-record totals. Caribou received 1.91 inches on September 28. Some of the heaviest rain fell in coastal New England, where unofficial storm totals topped 6 inches in locations such as Sagamore (Barnstable County), MA, and Little Compton (Newport County), RI. Farther south, peak wind gusts on September 25 included 60 m.p.h. on Pea Island (Dare County), NC; 53 m.p.h. in Wrightsville Beach (New Hanover County), NC; and 49 m.p.h. in Norfolk, VA. Water levels peaked 7.09 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) in Myrtle Beach, SC, and 7.38 feet above MLLW in Wrightsville Beach. MLLW is the average of the lower low water height of each tidal day.

In Fairbanks, AK, the first freeze of the autumn (30 degrees F) occurred on September 21, followed by the season's first snowfall (1.4 inches) on September 27. In the past 30 years, Fairbanks' first autumn freeze was observed only twice after September 21, and its latest first freeze on record occurred on September 27, 1974. On average, the first autumn snowflakes are observed in Fairbanks on October 2. Elsewhere in Alaska, near- to above- normal temperatures across the mainland contrasted with slightly below-normal temperatures in southeastern areas. Through September 27, month-to-date rainfall climbed to 8.33 inches (124 percent of normal) in Juneau and 20.42 inches (110 percent) in Yakutat. Heavy precipitation also fell in southwestern Alaska, where McGrath (0.55 inch) netted a daily-record rainfall for September 23 and Bethel received a weekly sum of 2.11 inches.

Farther south, scattered showers provided little drought relief in Hawaii. Through September 27, year-to-date rainfall totals stood at 3.61 inches (29 percent of normal) in Kahului, Maui, and 3.68 inches (34 percent) in Honolulu, Oahu.National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. For more information, call (202) 720-2397.

National Agricultural Summary: September 22 - 28, 2008

Corn: Rain fell in the northeast Corn Belt, accumulating up to 3 inches for the week in some areas. Elsewhere, conditions remained dry and favorable for harvest activities. Temperatures across the region ranged from up to 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the southwestern areas down to 60 degrees elsewhere.

Ninety-six percent of the acreage reached or exceeded the dent stage by week's end, 3 points behind last year and 2 points behind the 5-year average.

Meanwhile, 52 percent of the corn acreage developed to maturity by week's end, 36 points behind last year and 27 points behind the 5-year average.

Acreage in the central Corn Belt was lagging between 30 and 40 points behind in most States. Nine percent of the crop was harvested, 20 points behind last year and 12 points behind the 5-year average. Major delays were evident in Illinois and Kansas, where harvest was 28 points behind, and in Missouri, where harvest was 43 points behind the 5-year average harvest pace.

Condition of the crop was rated 61 percent good to excellent, a 2-point improvement from the previous week's rating.

Soybeans: Light precipitation dotted the northern Great Plains soybean-growing region eastward through Minnesota and Iowa while temperatures ranged between 55 and 75 degrees, with warmer weather through the central Great Plains and the Delta. Temperatures through Nebraska and Kansas, northeastward were much warmer than usual for this time of year.

Leaf-dropping was occurring across 68 percent of the acreage, lagging 16 points behind last year and 13 points behind the 5-year average. Development to the leaf-dropping stage advanced 24 points during the week with the most progress shown in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

Producers harvested 9 percent of soybean acres, 15 points behind last year's harvest pace and 12 points behind the average harvest pace. Harvest was delayed in all States, except Ohio, where harvest was 1 point ahead of the average. Soybean condition was rated 57 percent good to excellent, unchanged from last week.

Winter Wheat: Most winter wheat areas remained dry throughout the week, and temperatures were mostly within 4 degrees of normal, other than in Kansas and Nebraska, where they were up to 10 degrees warmer than normal. Producers had seeded 42 percent of the acreage by week's end, 4 points ahead of last year's planting pace but 3 points behind the 5-year average. A quarter of the acreage or more was planted in Kansas and Nebraska during the week. Fourteen percent of the crop was emerged, 1 point ahead of last year but 4 points behind the 5-year average. Emergence was most delayed in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Oregon, but was within 14 points of the 5-year average across the Nation.

Cotton: Major cotton growing areas remained dry throughout the week and temperatures were cooler than normal throughout the southeast and the southern Great Plains, and were slightly warmer than average in California and Arizona. Sixty-three percent of the acreage had open bolls, 10 points behind last year and 9 points behind the 5-year average. Development ranged from 18 points behind average in Texas, to 13 points ahead in Kansas. Twelve percent of the cotton acreage had been harvested, 6 points behind last year and 5 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest progress in Arkansas and Mississippi was 15 and 27 points behind normal, respectively, while all remaining States were harvesting within 9 points of their usual harvest pace.

Cotton condition was rated 51 percent good to excellent, 3 points better than last week's rating.

Sorghum: Coloring was complete across 85 percent of acreage, 14 points behind last year and 5 points behind the 5-year average. Coloring was complete in Arkansas, Colorado, and Louisiana, and was nearly complete in South Dakota. Most advancement occurred in Missouri, where 11 percent of the crop reached the coloring stage during the week. Half of the sorghum crop had reached maturity, 23 points behind last year and 13 points behind the 5-year average. Major delays occurred in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, where the crop was 34 or more points behind. Thirty-five percent of the acreage was harvested, 11 points behind last year and 5 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest had not begun in Illinois and New Mexico and was behind normal in all States, except Colorado and Texas. Condition of the sorghum crop was rated 53 percent good to excellent, unchanged from last week.

Rice: Producers had harvested 52 percent of the rice crop, 19 points behind last year and 18 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest progress was behind both last year and average in all States, except California and Texas.

Condition of the rice crop was rated 61 percent good to excellent, a 1-point decline from last week.

Barley: Ninety-seven percent of the barley crop was harvested, 3 points behind last year and 2 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest was complete in all producing States, except Idaho and Montana.

Peanut: Fourteen percent of the peanut crop was harvested, 6 points ahead of last year's harvest pace but 1 point behind the 5-year average. Harvest in Florida and Texas was ahead of the average pace, while harvest was up to 7 points behind the average elsewhere. Sixty-six percent of the peanut crop was rated good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week's condition rating.

Sugarbeets: Sugarbeet harvest reached 7 percent complete, 6 points behind last year and 3 points behind the 5-year average. Other than in Michigan, where harvest was 1 point ahead of the average, producers were reaping the crop behind average. Harvest had not yet begun in Idaho, where progress was behind the average by 8 points.