National Weather Summary: August 15 - 21, 2010

Highlights: The remnants of Tropical Depression Five contributed to heavy rainfall from the central Gulf Coast into the interior Southeast. Although the rain arrived too late for many summer crops, pastures and late-planted soybeans were among the commodities to benefit from the boost in soil moisture.

Farther west, early-week showers on the central and southern Plains were replaced by very hot weather. On the northern Plains, small grain harvesting proceeded under favorable conditions. Meanwhile, saturated fields in the northern and western Corn Belt benefited from drier weather.

Nevertheless, weekly rainfall totaled 2 inches or more in parts of the middle Mississippi Valley. Elsewhere, warm, dry weather favored fieldwork and crop development in much of the West. Western showers were mostly confined to the Four Corners States, while cool conditions were limited to the immediate Pacific Coast. In fact, near- to above-normal temperatures covered much of the Nation.

Late-week readings briefly soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or
higher as far north as eastern Montana. Triple-digit heat persisted for much of the week in the south-central United States, although key crop areas on the southern High Plains continued to largely avoid 100-degree temperatures.

Hot weather persisted across the South and made another push across the Plains. In Texas, San Angelo set a record with at least 23 days (July 30 - August 21) of 100-degree heat, easily surpassing the former standard of 18 days set from June 18 - July 5, 1969. Farther east, records for consecutive numbers of days with 90-degree heat were broken in locations such as Jacksonville, Florida (45 days from July 8 - August 21; previously 44 days in 1992), and Alma, Georgia (48 days from July 5 - August 21; previously, 42 days in 1962). Farther north, however, a record-setting stretch of 80-degree warmth ended at 46 days (July 2 - August 16) in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago's former mark of 42 days had been set in 1955. Despite the consistent warmth, Chicago remained on the verge of a record-setting fourth consecutive year without 95-degree heat. Chicago last reached 95 degrees Fahrenheit on August 2, 2006, and (prior to 2007-09) last had 3 consecutive years without 95-degree heat in 1902-04. Meanwhile in Tennessee, where heavy rain fell, Nashville's stretch of 90-degree weather ended at 31 days (July 18 - August 17). The only longer such streak in Nashville's history occurred in 2007 (34 days from July 26 - August 28).

Elsewhere, selected daily-record highs during the week included 111 degrees Fahrenheit (on August 19) at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona; 106 degrees Fahrenheit (on August 16) in Waco, Texas; and 100 degrees Fahrenheit (on August 17) in Winnemucca,
Nevada. On the Plains, daily-record highs for August 21 soared to 103 degrees Fahrenheit in Valentine, Nebraska, and 102 degrees Fahrenheit in Miles City, Montana.

Lowland flooding lingered early in the week across the western Corn Belt. For example, the South Skunk River near Oskaloosa, Iowa, achieved a record crest (6.4 feet above flood stage) on August 16, topping the May 1944 high-water mark by 0.6 foot. Although locally heavy showers returned to Iowa by week's end, when Ottumwa (4.54 inches on August 20) netted a daily-record sum, Iowa as a whole experienced its first drier-than-normal week since the end of May.
Farther west, North Platte, Nebraska, surpassed its normal annual
precipitation total of 19.66 inches on August 16. During the last
quarter-century, the only earlier occurrences of surpassing the normal annual precipitation in North Platte were August 7, 1993, and August 13, 2008. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Green Bay's daily-record total of 2.98 inches on August 20 capped its wettest summer on record. Green Bay's June 1 - August 21 total of 20.61 inches eclipsed its summer 1914 standard of 18.89 inches.

Elsewhere, rainfall during the week was heaviest in conjunction with the remnants of Tropical Depression Five. Weekly rainfall reached 10.05 inches in Bunkie, Louisiana, while 48-hour totals on August 17-19 ranged from 10 to 12 inches at several locations in the vicinity of Nashville, Tennessee.

Elsewhere, daily-record totals included 3.38 inches (on August 20) in
Columbia, Missouri, and 3.29 inches (on August 18) in London, Kentucky. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, netted consecutive daily-record amounts on August 17-18, totaling 6.64 inches.

Showery weather persisted in much of Alaska, while warm conditions were mostly confined to northern and interior parts of the state. Fairbanks (91 degrees Fahrenheit on August 15) set a record for its latest reading above 90 degrees, previously established with a high of 93 degrees Fahrenheit on August 5, 1994. Farther south, Annette Island (82 degrees Fahrenheit) posted a daily-record high for August 15, but later set a daily-record low (43 degrees Fahrenheit on August 21). Fairbanks dipped to 40 degrees Fahrenheit on August 21, while nearby Eielson A.F.B. recorded 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation was especially heavy in parts of western Alaska, where Kotzebue (1.30 inches on August 18) noted its second-wettest August day
in the last 60 years, behind only 1.48 inches on August 23, 1954. In
Anchorage, however, a record-setting streak with at least a trace of rain ended at 31 days (July 18 - August 17).

Meanwhile, most of Hawaii continued to experience drier-than-normal weather. On the Big Island, for example, month-to-date precipitation at Hilo totaled just 3.29 inches (49 percent of normal), despite measurable rainfall on 20 of 21 days.

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

Agricultural Summary: August 16 - 22, 2010

Highlights: Warm, mostly dry weather returned to many areas west of the Rocky Mountains during the week, aiding summer crop development and promoting the rapid harvest of small grains.

Elsewhere, above average rainfall throughout much of the Southeast did little to improve rapidly declining crop conditions as abnormally hot temperatures continued to dominate the region. Near- to above-average temperatures across much of the Great Plains and Corn Belt continued to aid the rapid phenological development of corn and soybeans, while additional wet weather in portions of the Midwest and Tennessee Valley triggered isolated flash flooding during the week.

Corn: Nationally, 88 percent of this year's corn crop was at or beyond the dough stage by week's end, 33 percentage points ahead of last year and 14 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. The most rapid progress was evident in Colorado, Minnesota, and the Dakotas, where 23 percent or more of the crop reached the dough stage during the week. By August 22, fifty-four percent of the Nation's corn crop was at or beyond the dented stage, 37 percentage points ahead of last year and 17 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average, while 8 percent of the crop was at or beyond the mature
stage, 5 percentage points ahead of last year and 2 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. In Illinois, high temperatures during the week pushed crop maturity to 29 days ahead of last year. Overall, 70 percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition, up slightly from ratings last week but unchanged from the same time last year.

Soybeans: By August 22, ninety-one percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, 8 percentage points ahead of last year and slightly ahead of the 5-year average. Timely, above average rainfall in Illinois promoted steady pod setting and aided pod filling during the week. In Iowa, the largest soybean-producing State, additional reports of sudden death syndrome caused concern about the number of acres affected. Overall, 64 percent of the soybean crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from ratings last week and 5 percentage points below the same time last year.

Winter Wheat: With producers in the Pacific Northwest and Montana harvesting 10 percent or more of their crop during the week, overall progress advanced to 95 percent complete by August 22, slightly behind last year and 3 percentage points behind the 5-year average. The most significant delay remained in Montana where harvest was two weeks behind the average pace.

Cotton: Bolls were setting on 94 percent of the Nation's cotton acreage by week's end, 5 percentage points ahead of last year and 4 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. An adequate number of heat units allowed for crop maturity ahead of the normal pace in the Northern High Plains of Texas. Nationwide, bolls opened on 7 percent of the cotton acreage during the week, leaving progress, at 21 percent complete, 9 percentage points ahead of last year and 5 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Extremely hot
temperatures in South Central Texas promoted rapid boll opening in the area, leading to increased defoliation of the crop. Overall, 62 percent of the cotton crop was reported in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but 10 percentage points better than the same time last year.

Sorghum: By week's end, 91 percent of the sorghum crop was at or beyond the heading stage, 9 percentage points ahead of last year and 6 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Heading was ahead of last year and the average pace in all estimating States except New Mexico. Coloring advanced to 46 percent complete by August 22, nine percentage points ahead of last year and slightly ahead of the 5-year average. Near- to above-average temperatures
allowed for double-digit coloring throughout much of the Great Plains, as well as in Illinois and Missouri. Nationally, 25 percent of the sorghum crop was at or beyond the mature stage, 2 percentage points behind both last year and the 5-year average. In contrast, abnormally hot temperatures throughout much of the growing season in Arkansas allowed for rapid crop development, and by August 22, maturity had advanced to 90 percent complete, 63 percentage
points ahead of last year and 41 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Overall, 64 percent of the sorghum crop was reported in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but 14 percentage points better than the same time last year.

Rice: Nationwide, heading advanced to 87 percent complete by August 22, eight percentage points ahead of last year but on par with the 5-year average. Heading was complete or nearly complete in the Delta and Texas, while progress in California remained 15 days behind both last year and the 5-year average. Producers harvested 8 percent of this year's rice crop during the week, leaving progress, at 18 percent complete, 8 percentage points ahead of last year and 6 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Overall, 68 percent of the rice crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down
3 percentage points from ratings last week but 3 percentage points better than the same time last year.

Small Grains: Oat producers had harvested 90 percent of the Nation's crop by week's end, 22 percentage points ahead of last year and 3 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. While overall progress in Wisconsin, the largest oat-producing State, remained behind normal, producers in North Dakota took advantage of warm, dry weather and nearly a week of days suitable for fieldwork as they harvested 30 percent of their crop during the week, pushing
progress ahead of the average pace for the first time this season.

With barley producers in the five major estimating States harvesting
12 percent or more of their crop during the week, progress advanced to 52 percent complete by August 22, twenty-eight percentage points ahead of last year but 10 percentage points behind the 5-year average. As harvest surpassed the halfway point, 84 percent of the barley crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from ratings last week but 4 percentage points better than the same time last year.

By week's end, spring wheat producers had harvested 53 percent of this year's crop, 32 percentage points ahead of last year but 7 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Despite steady harvest progress during the week, delays of 10 days or more remained in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. Overall, 82 percent of the spring wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but 10 percentage points better than the same time last year.

Other Crops: Overall, 56 percent of the peanut crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down 4 percentage points from ratings last week and 17 percentage points below the same time last year. In Florida, reports of mold and surplus soil moisture in portions of the State led to an 11 point decline in crop condition ratings during the week.