LA-WEATHER United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Field Office Crop Weather Cooperating with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry and the Louisiana State University Ag Center Louisiana Field Office · 5825 Florida Blvd · Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 922-1362 · (225) 922-0744 FAX www.nass.usda.gov/la Released: November 2, 2008 Volume 08 No. 35 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.9 Soil moisture supplies: 11% very short, 50% short, 35% adequate and 4% surplus Field Crops Report Most of the state experienced warm, dry conditions last week. The drier weather aided the harvest of cotton,soybeans and sugarcane, but dry soil conditions hindered the planting of wheat. Rice producers continued to harvest the rattoon crop. Sugarcane harvest was behind the five year average due to the effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Vegetable producers were in need of rain. Citrus producers continued to harvested satsumas. Crawfish producers continued flooding ponds and monitoring water quality Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Winter forages were in need of rain. Newly planted ryegrass suffered from drought stress. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Cotton Harvested 95 93 94 95 Pecans Harvested 32 25 55 39 Soybeans Harvested 97 95 98 96 Sweetpotatoes Harvested 73 66 83 84 Sugarcane Planted 100 99 100 100 Harvested 20 13 32 33 Winter Wheat Planted 24 12 29 25 Emerged 7 1 0 7 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 6 20 42 27 5 Livestock 2 9 38 47 4 Vegetables 11 18 40 28 3 Pasture 7 20 47 26 0 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 10/27/08 TO 11/02/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 83 34 56 60 0.00 1.07 41.68 42.63 Minden 82 31 55 60 0.00 1.83 39.15 45.39 Mooringsport 82 35 58 MM 0.02 2.70 37.98 38.92 Extreme/Average 83 31 56 61 0.01 1.87 39.60 43.63 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 82 31 54 61 0.01 1.36 46.54 45.89 Homer/Hill Farm 82 34 56 59 0.00 1.73 34.71 45.89 ULM-Monroe 83 35 56 60 0.00 0.83 40.84 47.47 Colmubia Lock 80 33 55 MM 0.00 2.77 45.94 48.87 Extreme/Average 83 31 55 60 0.00 1.67 42.01 46.83 3. Northeast Lake Providence 83 35 55 60 0.00 1.92 53.97 48.44 LSU-St Joseph 82 34 55 62 0.00 0.95 55.58 46.27 LSU-Winnsboro 82 (30) 55 61 0.00 0.70 52.34 46.09 Tallulah 81 35 56 60 0.00 1.96 47.19 47.80 Extreme/Average 83 30 55 61 0.00 1.38 52.25 47.12 4. West-Central Leesville 83 28 54 61 0.00 0.94 36.14 46.85 LSU-Rosepine 83 32 56 62 0.00 0.72 36.83 48.26 Natchitoches 83 34 57 62 0.00 4.19 45.72 44.81 Extreme/Average 83 28 56 61 0.00 2.57 40.93 45.96 5. Central Alexandria 84 37 58 63 0.00 0.68 41.83 49.83 Brusly 80 31 53 63 0.00 0.77 52.20 53.45 Bunkie 83 34 56 63 0.00 1.56 52.84 50.49 LSU-Alexandria (85) 34 57 62 0.02 0.86 53.82 48.25 Extreme/Average 85 31 56 63 0.01 0.97 52.95 50.05 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 81 33 55 MM 0.00 1.30 44.29 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 83 32 57 64 0.00 0.49 48.84 51.91 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 62 M.MM M.MM 39.97 53.08 LSU-Hammond 82 32 55 63 0.00 1.79 51.42 54.27 Slidell 78 34 55 64 0.00 0.78 53.29 53.26 Extreme/Average 83 32 55 63 0.00 1.09 49.46 54.26 7. Southwest De Ridder 83 35 57 63 0.00 1.07 43.66 49.91 Jennings 82 38 59 64 0.00 2.21 46.96 50.63 LSU-Crowley 84 36 58 65 0.00 0.61 46.11 50.51 Extreme/Average 84 35 58 65 0.00 1.30 45.58 51.45 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 82 34 55 65 0.00 0.13 43.88 52.71 LSU-Jeanerette 83 36 58 64 0.00 0.23 53.54 53.39 Morgan City 78 38 58 66 0.00 0.29 36.32 55.88 Extreme/Average 83 34 57 65 0.00 0.22 53.54 53.88 9. Southeast Galliano 81 41 58 66 0.00 1.87 56.19 57.19 Houma 82 35 57 66 0.00 0.44 52.55 55.09 Terrytown 3S 82 42 60 MM 0.00 0.65 64.36 MM.MM Reserve 83 34 60 65 0.00 0.01 50.38 55.72 Extreme/Average 83 34 59 66 0.00 0.74 51.47 55.10 State Averages 85 28 57 63 0.00 1.28 47.78 50.10 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through November 02, 2008