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: October 1, 2007 Volume 07 No. 31 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.1 Soil moisture supplies: 5% very short, 16% short, 67% adequate and 12% surplus Field Crops Report Scattered showers were received across the state last week. Producers were busy harvesting crops as weather permitted. Corn harvesting was completed. Harvesting of cotton remained behind the five-year average of 39 percent as scattered showers slowed progress. Rice and sorghum harvests were nearing completion. Soybean producers were busy harvesting with good yields being reported. Sugarcane harvesting began last week with 95 percent of the crop reported in fair to excellent condition. Sweet potato producers continued harvesting. Wheat producers were beginning to prepare land for planting. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Citrus producers were scouting crops. Strawberry producers were busy planting. Vegetable producers continued working crops. Crawfish producers were flooding ponds. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Cattlemen were preparing pastures for planting of ryegrass and finishing up second cutting of hay. Cattlemen were also busy marketing spring born calves. PERCENT OF PROGRESS CROP STAGE Current Week Last Week 2006 5 YR AVG Corn Harvested 100 98 100 100 Cotton Bolls Opening 97 91 100 96 Harvested 15 7 56 39 Hay Second Cutting 99 99 99 98 Pecans Harvested 4 0 0 0 Rice Harvested 99 97 99 96 Sorghum Harvested 98 94 100 98 Soybeans Turning Color 98 93 97 90 Dropping Leaves 92 86 92 79 Harvested 65 50 78 59 Sugarcane Planted 95 90 92 95 Harvested 1 0 1 3 Sweet Potatoes Harvested 35 20 38 38 CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES ITEM VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Cotton 0 8 27 65 0 Sugarcane 0 5 28 44 23 Livestock 1 4 31 57 7 Vegetables 9 26 39 24 2 Pasture 2 8 38 47 5 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 09/24/07 TO 09/30/07 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVG NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 91 59 78 72 1.74 2.54 38.43 37.73 Minden 89 61 77 72 0.28 1.71 44.35 40.85 Mooringsport 89 59 78 MM 0.12 0.54 41.63 34.19 Extreme/Average 91 59 77 72 0.71 1.60 41.47 38.75 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 89 (57) 75 73 0.36 2.64 34.98 41.20 Homer/Hill Farm 89 61 76 71 0.62 1.85 37.79 41.23 ULM-Monroe 90 62 77 73 1.96 3.47 31.85 42.75 Colmubia Lock 89 61 76 MM 1.53 5.16 36.53 44.31 Extreme/Average 90 57 76 72 1.12 3.28 35.29 42.14 3. Northeast Lake Providence 89 61 76 73 1.02 4.21 36.04 43.48 LSU-St Joseph 91 65 79 73 1.32 5.41 42.22 42.32 LSU-Winnsboro 91 65 78 73 1.05 5.56 43.22 41.63 Tallulah 91 65 77 72 0.45 4.64 31.50 43.60 Extreme/Average 91 61 77 73 0.96 4.96 40.49 42.70 4. West-Central Leesville 91 59 77 73 0.91 3.67 37.19 42.61 LSU-Rosepine 89 67 78 74 1.81 5.91 45.42 43.68 Natchitoches 91 59 78 74 0.13 0.95 30.21 40.25 Extreme/Average 91 59 78 73 0.95 3.51 37.61 41.47 5. Central Alexandria 90 61 77 75 0.52 4.93 39.67 44.47 Brusly 91 66 77 74 1.83 8.25 46.43 48.88 Bunkie 89 65 78 74 0.44 3.23 40.96 45.78 LSU-Alexandria 90 60 76 74 1.15 8.15 43.09 43.31 Extreme/Average 91 60 77 74 0.99 6.14 43.49 45.16 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 90 66 79 MM 0.84 1.76 27.66 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 91 68 79 75 0.96 4.66 43.30 47.88 LSU-Clinton 89 65 76 74 1.00 3.76 35.02 48.49 LSU-Hammond 91 62 79 74 0.29 2.59 38.18 50.30 Slidell 90 68 79 75 0.31 2.92 36.10 49.74 Extreme/Average 91 62 78 74 0.68 3.14 36.31 50.23 7. Southwest De Ridder 89 67 79 74 0.30 8.84 54.47 45.28 Jennings 90 68 80 75 0.81 7.70 51.42 45.87 LSU-Crowley 91 68 80 75 0.34 4.32 51.34 45.95 Extreme/Average 91 67 79 75 0.48 6.95 52.41 46.65 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 89 68 78 75 1.33 3.39 43.81 48.45 LSU-Jeanerette 90 69 79 74 0.46 6.71 48.72 49.08 Morgan City 89 72 80 76 0.88 3.13 38.90 51.80 Extreme/Average 90 68 79 76 0.89 4.41 43.81 49.53 9. Southeast Galliano 88 71 80 76 0.37 3.71 38.33 53.13 Houma (92) 67 79 76 2.32 4.07 45.05 51.61 Terrytown 3S 91 73 82 MM 0.62 2.76 47.58 MM.MM Reserve 91 69 80 75 2.26 7.31 60.48 51.93 Extreme/Average 92 67 80 77 1.39 4.46 47.86 51.35 State State Averages 92 57 78 74 0.91 4.56 42.75 45.60 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through September 30, 2007