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: May 18, 2009 Volume 09 No. 11 Days suitable for fieldwork: 4.9 Soil moisture supplies: 5% very short, 7% short, 68% adequate and 20% surplus Field Crops Report Farmers began harvesting wheat. Cropland fields near the Mississippi River have developed seep water behind the levy due to heavy rains. Rains have delayed additional planting in the fields especially planting of late rice. Rice producers continued applications of herbicides and fertilized fields. Sugarcane producers fertilized fields and began to lay-by cane. Producers continued to report rust in sugarcane. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Producers harvested strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. Crawfish producers slowed production and began to drain ponds. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Cattlemen continued to cut hay and began wean calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2009 Week 2008 5 YR AVG Cotton Planted 86 80 87 87 Emerged 74 34 78 73 Hay First Cutting 32 30 36 34 Rice Planted 95 92 98 96 Emerged 87 83 93 91 Sorghum Planted 93 77 94 90 Emerged 60 48 89 82 Soybeans Planted 72 58 70 68 Emerged 58 42 61 57 Winter Wheat Turning Color 96 83 98 93 Harvested 7 0 13 13 Land Preparation Spring plowing 99 98 99 98 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 0 7 28 58 7 Rice 0 4 37 53 6 Sorghum 0 1 26 48 25 Sugarcane 0 6 35 49 10 Wheat 0 2 29 67 2 Livestock 1 4 28 58 9 Vegetables 1 6 36 51 6 Pasture 2 6 29 56 7 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 05/11/09 TO 05/17/09 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 88 53 74 72 0.59 6.94 20.24 20.88 Minden 88 60 73 71 1.79 7.35 23.05 23.07 Mooringsport 88 52 71 MM 0.91 5.53 18.81 18.41 Extreme/Average 88 52 72 72 1.10 6.61 20.70 21.33 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun MM MM MM 72 M.MM 4.59 19.01 24.02 Homer/Hill Farm (93)(51) 74 70 2.02 7.12 21.19 23.12 ULM-Monroe 88 54 73 72 2.19 7.85 21.49 25.60 Columbia Lock 89 61 75 MM 0.59 4.37 19.17 26.31 Extreme/Average 93 51 73 72 2.11 7.49 21.34 24.25 3. Northeast Lake Providence 87 55 72 72 4.14 10.24 23.28 26.81 LSU-St Joseph 89 59 76 73 0.85 2.22 19.16 26.09 LSU-Winnsboro 88 54 72 72 1.00 5.34 19.30 25.32 Tallulah 88 55 74 72 3.82 9.93 27.93 26.19 Extreme/Average 89 54 73 73 2.45 6.93 22.42 26.01 4. West-Central Leesville 89 62 76 73 0.33 2.45 19.25 23.06 LSU-Rosepine 89 63 77 73 1.21 5.21 21.39 22.79 Natchitoches 92 57 77 73 1.50 2.32 20.29 23.11 Extreme/Average 92 57 77 72 1.01 3.33 20.31 22.94 5. Central Alexandria 89 64 78 74 0.31 1.84 19.03 24.55 Brusly 88 66 77 74 2.09 4.13 20.92 25.14 Bunkie 89 65 78 74 0.60 4.89 25.76 26.08 LSU-Alexandria 89 62 77 73 0.66 2.16 20.20 23.59 Extreme/Average 89 62 78 74 0.92 3.26 22.29 24.78 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 91 65 77 MM 1.23 2.13 20.92 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 89 67 78 74 0.39 3.50 20.51 23.98 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 72 M.MM 0.00 16.00 26.42 LSU-Hammond 90 65 77 73 0.68 2.13 14.21 25.96 Slidell MM MM MM 74 1.65 1.65 15.46 25.39 Extreme/Average 91 65 78 74 0.77 2.59 18.55 26.36 7. Southwest DeRidder 89 62 77 74 1.07 4.63 22.07 23.15 Jennings MM MM MM 74 0.03 1.37 18.71 21.35 LSU-Crowley 89 68 79 75 0.51 2.87 23.93 22.26 Extreme/Average 89 62 78 75 0.79 3.75 23.00 21.61 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 88 67 78 74 1.05 5.92 20.45 23.24 LSU-Jeanerette 90 67 79 74 2.00 3.32 19.92 21.22 Morgan City 87 70 79 74 0.21 2.63 14.71 21.98 Extreme/Average 90 67 78 75 1.09 3.96 18.36 22.20 9. Southeast Galliano 87 69 78 75 2.39 3.67 11.04 23.49 Houma 89 68 79 76 1.13 1.73 11.16 22.27 Terrytown 3S 92 70 81 MM 0.48 0.66 17.14 MM.MM Reserve MM MM MM 74 M.MM M.MM 10.08 25.31 Extreme/Average 92 68 79 76 1.33 2.02 13.11 23.67 State State Averages 93 51 76 74 1.26 4.30 20.16 23.74 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through May 17, 2009