Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released April 25, 2005 Week Ending Date April 24, 2005 Issue MI-CW1805 Agricultural Summary Snow Returns Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 24, according to the USDA-NASS-Michigan Statistical Office. This week brought a mixture of conditions across the State. Early in the week, it was warm with conditions good for tilling and planting. Some reporters mentioned record high temperatures for April. Towards the end of the week, rain and snow fell across Michigan and cold temperatures returned. Michigan was classified as abnormally dry according to NOAA's U.S. Drought Monitor early in the week. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.25 inches in the western Upper Peninsula to 1.51 inches in the southeastern Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 2 degree above normal in the Upper Peninsula to 2 degrees below normal in the east central Lower Peninsula. A producer in the west central noted that "temperatures were not cold enough to cause damage, but a lack of bee activity in this wind and cold could develop major issues." Another farmer commented "this is the earliest start on corn and soybean planting that I remember." Additional information on pest and crop management advice for current conditions can be found online in Michigan State University's Crop Advisory Team (CAT) Alert newsletters at http:/ipm.msu.edu/aboutcat.htm. Field Crops Report Snow over the weekend halted most fieldwork. Prior to the snow, dry conditions persisted that allowed operators to make good progress on seedbed preparation. Oat and barley planting was about 30 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Although planting was ahead of normal for oats and barley, emergence was behind normal due to the dry conditions. Some operators were concerned that it was too early to plant corn while others decided to plant before the rains returned, since rains prevented timely planting last year. Soybean planting started last week. Sugarbeet planting was almost complete, on pace with last year but almost 40 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Alfalfa stands appeared to have wintered well, with very little winter kill reported. Winter wheat stands improved this past week with two-thirds rated good to excellent and 25 percent rated fair. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Warm dry conditions prevailed throughout the fruit growing regions of the State during the early part of the week. However, by Thursday cold arctic air began to settle in to the region. By Friday afternoon, storms were developing statewide. Much needed precipitation was accompanied by falling temperatures, which ultimately led to winter storm events throughout Michigan. Fruit development, which was well ahead of normal, left tree fruit vulnerable as development ranged from tightly clustered buds to full bloom, depending on species and geography. It is generally indicated that temperatures did not fall low enough to cause significant damage given developmental stages, however only time will tell. Michigan State University's next Fruit CAT Alert will be issued April 26, 2005, and will contain information on the impact of the late season winter storm event. Vegetables Vegetable growers started tillage and planted various crops throughout the State. Dry soil in the southwest has not allowed growers to perform various activities such as bed shaping, plastic laying and fumigation. Producers in the southeast received much needed rain to augment soil moisture levels. Early plantings of peas were two to three inches tall and asparagus harvest began in the southwest. In the west central, the asparagus crop has emerged, but most of what is through the ground will be mowed down with cover crop. Due to flooding in 2004, fields were greatly thinned out. Planting of cabbage, peppers, and some sweet corn began in the southeast. Carrot and spinach planting are well advanced but will probably need irrigation for germination and to prevent wind erosion. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 04/24/05 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 6 33 52 9 Subsoil : 4 28 60 8 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 04/24/05 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Pasture : 3 15 42 32 8 Winter Wheat : 2 4 25 63 6 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 04/24/05 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : Barley, planted : 50 25 24 22 Barley, emerged : 10 NA 7 NA Corn, planted : 25 9 14 5 Oats, planted : 70 53 62 42 Oats, emerged : 12 NA 18 16 Potatoes, planted : 15 10 13 NA Soybeans, planted : 6 0 NA NA Sugarbeets, planted : 98 91 95 57 ------------------------------------------------------------ Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Statistical Office P.O. Box 26248 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 517-324-5300; or 800-453-7501 Fax 517-324-5299 email: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web Page: http:/www.nass.usda.gov/mi Weather Information Table Michigan Weather Summary for Week Ending 04/24/05 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2005 :2004 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 81 27 139 48 0.04 0.08 0.79 0.71 Marquette : 79 26 110 33 0.65 0.65 1.79 1.75 Stephenson : 82 25 123 112 0.25 0.27 1.37 1.10 Western UP : 82 23 2 117 50 51 0.25 0.27 1.34 1.00 1.85 2.28 : Cornell : 81 27 102 64 0.21 0.28 0.85 0.41 Sault St Marie : 81 26 87 16 0.38 0.40 1.28 0.97 Eastern UP : 81 22 2 95 33 23 0.43 0.47 1.30 0.96 1.95 2.43 : Beulah : 80 30 183 85 0.91 0.91 1.54 0.91 Lake City : 80 28 151 88 0.87 0.87 1.48 0.88 Old Mission : 81 28 142 73 0.89 0.89 1.18 0.89 Pellston : 80 24 123 70 1.08 1.08 1.58 1.18 Northwest : 81 24 0 143 73 67 0.92 0.92 1.38 0.94 2.08 2.69 : Alpena : 83 25 90 69 1.24 1.24 1.34 1.32 Houghton Lake : 80 29 149 99 0.56 0.56 1.09 0.62 Rogers City : 82 27 125 68 1.01 1.01 1.29 1.07 Northeast : 83 20 0 129 87 61 1.00 1.00 1.25 1.06 2.00 2.52 : Fremont : 78 30 188 118 0.31 0.31 0.43 0.31 Hart : 78 30 177 101 0.49 0.49 0.90 0.53 Muskegon : 76 32 181 114 0.21 0.22 0.77 0.22 West Central : 86 30 1 180 105 84 0.28 0.28 0.65 0.29 2.37 3.16 : Alma : 83 30 177 137 0.47 0.47 0.54 0.47 Big Rapids : 83 30 175 126 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Central : 83 30 -1 176 130 94 0.36 0.36 0.42 0.36 2.25 3.07 : Bad Axe : 84 28 128 101 1.22 1.26 1.26 1.26 Pigeon : 84 30 107 91 0.47 0.47 0.49 0.49 Saginaw : 83 32 130 120 1.05 1.05 1.10 1.07 Standish : 84 31 130 120 1.05 1.05 1.08 1.06 East Central : 85 28 -2 120 110 91 0.98 0.98 1.00 0.99 1.84 2.55 : Fennville : 78 31 198 115 0.52 0.54 0.58 0.56 Grand Rapids : 81 31 191 158 0.67 0.67 0.90 0.68 Holland : 79 30 196 130 0.68 0.68 0.71 0.68 South Bend, IN : 81 31 217 175 0.90 0.92 1.15 0.96 Watervliet : 81 31 208 140 0.65 0.65 0.90 0.67 Southwest : 84 30 0 204 150 109 0.72 0.72 0.97 0.75 2.53 3.41 : Belding : 80 29 185 132 1.08 1.08 1.28 1.08 Coldwater : 81 30 182 139 0.60 0.60 0.66 0.61 Lansing : 81 31 196 139 0.99 0.99 1.14 1.00 South Central : 84 29 -1 190 152 109 0.62 0.62 0.72 0.63 2.39 3.19 : Detroit : 83 33 178 139 1.08 1.08 1.31 1.31 Flint : 83 31 177 147 1.14 1.14 1.15 1.14 Romeo : 83 29 163 133 1.16 1.16 1.44 1.43 Tipton : 81 30 191 143 0.93 0.93 1.01 1.00 Toledo, OH : 82 31 170 157 1.97 1.97 2.15 2.14 Southeast : 84 29 -1 176 143 99 1.51 1.51 1.68 1.67 2.46 3.21 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the Federal/State Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University's Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Meteorologist, Department of Geography, and Crop Advisory Team ALERTS. 2/ Growing degree days (GDD) is the sum of daily mean temperatures minus 50 per day, 86 maximum And 50 minimum. The GDD is accumulative from April 1.