LA-WEATHER United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Field Office Crop Weather Cooperating with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture Louisiana Field Office · 5825 Florida Blvd · Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 922-1362 · (225) 922-0744 FAX www.nass.usda.gov/la Released: March 10, 2008 Volume 08 No. 01 Days suitable for fieldwork: 1.9 Soil moisture supplies: 2% short, 52% adequate and 46% surplus Field Crops Report Most of the state received rain and cooler weather conditions late in the week. The year-to-date average rainfall was 2.94 inches above this time last year but in line with the normal rainfall amount. This has brought some concern to producers who have not been able to get into fields. Sugarcane producers were destroying old stubble and applying herbicides to fields as weather permitted. Winter wheat conditions were looking good as rain was received. Some wheat producers were reporting rust in fields. Rice producers were preparing fields to begin planting next week. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Strawberry producers continued harvesting and selling their crop. Citrus producers completed fertilizing trees. Fruit crops were at risk due to late freezes. Vegetable producers were preparing for planting of spring crops and selling cole crops. Crawfish producers were having up and down days due to weather, but production was improving. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Spring pastures were beginning to green in response to the amount of rain the state has received this year. Calving was in full swing, and cattlemen began weaning and marketing early fall-born calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2008 Week 2007 5 YR AVG Land Preparation Spring plowing 15 0 8 7 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 0 12 76 12 0 Wheat 0 1 29 53 17 Livestock 2 12 54 30 2 Vegetables 15 30 38 17 0 Pasture 6 25 48 21 0 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/03/08 TO 03/09/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 76 33 51 54 2.07 6.59 9.79 10.68 Minden 76 32 49 54 2.43 8.50 11.89 11.56 Mooringsport 74 32 49 MM 2.47 7.72 10.70 9.88 Extreme/Average 76 32 50 55 2.32 7.55 10.84 10.89 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 76 29 49 55 1.02 4.70 7.65 12.38 Homer/Hill Farm 75 29 48 53 2.18 6.47 9.66 11.64 ULM-Monroe 78 30 50 54 0.62 4.65 7.53 12.81 Colmubia Lock 76 (27) 48 MM 0.52 4.27 9.45 13.16 Extreme/Average 78 27 48 55 1.09 5.27 8.28 12.39 3. Northeast Lake Providence 77 28 48 53 1.68 6.22 12.33 12.97 LSU-St Joseph 78 33 50 56 1.92 7.00 12.03 13.20 LSU-Winnsboro 78 30 49 55 1.36 6.00 12.16 12.70 Tallulah 77 28 48 55 1.53 6.24 12.76 13.00 Extreme/Average 78 28 49 55 1.62 6.37 12.32 12.94 4. West-Central Leesville 78 29 52 57 1.32 7.02 12.06 12.17 LSU-Rosepine 76 32 51 56 1.44 6.04 11.60 11.91 Natchitoches 77 37 52 56 0.78 5.73 10.71 11.81 Extreme/Average 78 29 52 56 1.18 6.53 11.83 11.91 5. Central Alexandria 77 30 51 57 0.87 7.71 14.91 12.79 Brusly (80) 33 54 58 1.60 5.39 15.12 13.48 Bunkie 78 33 52 57 2.50 7.09 13.89 13.12 LSU-Alexandria 77 33 52 56 1.08 6.48 13.16 12.50 Extreme/Average 80 30 52 58 1.51 6.67 14.27 12.90 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 75 30 50 MM 3.01 6.26 12.13 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 79 32 53 58 3.60 6.29 15.38 12.53 LSU-Clinton 76 29 49 57 1.13 5.48 14.58 13.71 LSU-Hammond 76 31 50 58 2.22 4.63 14.15 13.61 Slidell 72 33 52 58 0.73 3.51 12.12 13.38 Extreme/Average 79 29 51 58 2.14 5.23 13.67 13.48 7. Southwest De Ridder 77 32 52 58 3.45 8.35 15.60 12.62 Jennings 77 34 54 58 1.39 4.43 14.29 11.35 LSU-Crowley 76 35 54 58 2.28 4.58 12.49 11.77 Extreme/Average 77 32 53 59 2.37 5.79 14.13 11.40 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 80 32 53 59 1.62 3.43 10.66 12.02 LSU-Jeanerette 78 34 54 59 1.03 3.06 9.18 10.90 Morgan City 77 34 54 59 0.94 1.36 9.02 11.73 Extreme/Average 80 32 53 60 1.20 2.62 9.62 11.54 9. Southeast Galliano 80 34 55 60 1.56 8.73 16.18 12.22 Houma 80 33 53 61 0.95 3.78 8.66 11.63 Terrytown 3S 78 36 56 MM 1.38 7.81 15.08 MM.MM Reserve 77 33 53 59 1.89 4.59 12.65 13.55 Extreme/Average 80 33 54 61 1.45 6.23 13.14 12.46 State State Averages 80 27 52 58 1.68 5.89 12.30 12.27 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 9, 2008