MINNESOTA AG NEWS MONTHLY CROP-WEATHER Released: January 5, 2009 Issue No: CW-52-08 USDA, NASS, MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE, COOPERATING WITH THE MN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS The following comments are from Minnesota’s County Extension Educators, FSA (USDA - Farm Service Agency), and NRCS (USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service) Offices BENTON: We have more than 12 inches of snow on the level, good cover for alfalfa and perennial crops and for snowmobiles and cross country skiing ... not so good for wollering around to do chores. Variable weather conditions make it important to watch livestock ventilation needs. Some corn that was too wet to harvest is still in fields and with the snow it is likely to be there until spring now. BROWN: Plenty of snow and cold. Good feed supplies on hand. Livestock condition is good. Snow cover is minimal after the thaw on 12-26. Lots of ice. Frost Depth at 18”. No issues with feed availability. No concerns with livestock conditions. Moisture supplies are adequate. DOUGLAS: December was a cold, snowy, month here. GOODHUE: The month of December has had snowfall greater than what we have seen in the last few years. The winter activities welcome the snowfall as plans are made to prepare for the coming crop year. JACKSON: County has received at least 21 inches of snow for December. Most fields have some snow cover, even though the wind has blown most snow off. A thaw on December 26 reduced the snow cover also and made areas slick with ice. Winter started early, so producers had to start feeding earlier and more than usual. Livestock has suffered from extreme wind chills and large swings in temperature. KANABEC: Snow Cover 1.5’ to 2'. Frost Depth - estimated 1'. Feed a vailability - there is plenty of feed in this area. Livestock conditions are good. LINCOLN: Below average temperatures through December. About 8” average snow depth. Livestock in good condition. Hay availability is good. End of year tax planning, buying seed, some equipment purchases. Farm program enrollment beginning at FSA county offices. MARSHALL: Corn harvest activity continued into the early part of December and ended as snow accumulated in the fields. There was no field activity occurring during the end of December. Snow cover is about 12 inches on the level and has drifted to several feet deep in any standing corn that remains in the field. Additional harvest is not expected at this time. The snow received in December was during mostly cold weather and appears to be limited in moisture content. All of the moisture from the accumulated snow is considered to be surplus. MARTIN: A cold December. No fieldwork has been done during the month. Snow cover of about 3 inches. Moisture supplies should be very good going into a new cropping year. MORRISON: At least 20 inches of snow cover as of December 31st. Good insulation cover for alfalfa this year. Some corn left standing in the county over winter. Reports of significant wildlife damage to the crop already due to the deep snowpack and cold weather. Livestock conditions are okay to date. Feed reserves seem to be adequate. PINE: Good snow cover for forages, 12” to 15". Frost about 1' deep. Feed stocks good, had a late harvest but adequate supplies were put up. Livestock are doing well. Good moisture going into winter. More loan activity than usual, producers signing up for 2009 program. TRAVERSE: Above average snowfall and below average temperatures have been experienced this winter, making it difficult on livestock and producers. WATONWAN: Everyone working on end of year business. Thank you for your comments. PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER, 2008: Temperatures during December averaged from 7.1 degrees below normal in the North Central and West Central Districts to 4.8 degree below normal in the East Central, Southwest, and South Central Districts. Temperature extremes included a low of -34 degrees at Hibbing, and a high of 48 degrees at Redwood falls. Precipitation averaged from 0.42 inch above normal in the Southwest District to 1.04 inch above normal in the West Central District. Greatest monthly precipitation of 2.44 inches was recorded in Aitkin. Precipitation and Temperature Summary for December 2008 Temperature Precipitation High Low Month Dept. Month Dept. Ave for Total for Month Month NW DIST 1 Crookston 38 -25 3.0 -7.6 1.02 .52 Moorhead 41 -24 6.0 -6.5 1.51 .94 Warroad 36 -26 1.0 -7.0 1.17 .54 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 36 -26 4.6 -7.5 2.11 1.25 Intl. Falls 37 -28 -.5 -9.0 1.40 .70 Itasca 35 -28 2.8 -6.6 1.66 .91 NE DIST 3 Duluth 35 -22 7.0 -7.0 1.87 .93 Grand Marais 37 -17 13.2 -6.2 1.92 1.13 Hibbing 35 -34 3.2 -7.6 1.55 .82 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 40 -24 7.2 -6.5 1.22 .64 Browns Valley 42 -23 8.1 -7.4 1.73 1.20 Canby 46 -16 11.4 -7.5 1.75 1.05 Dalton 42 -28 7.6 -5.5 1.69 1.19 Fergus Falls 40 -26 6.6 -6.2 1.56 1.06 Montevideo 46 -20 8.5 -7.0 1.84 1.13 Morris 42 -25 6.9 -7.7 1.75 1.17 CENT DIST 5 Becker 43 -19 11.4 -3.6 1.74 .91 Collegeville 42 -19 10.8 -5.7 1.96 1.22 Hutchinson 43 -16 12.7 -3.0 1.20 .45 Melrose 41 -26 8.0 -5.9 1.49 .85 Olivia 47 -17 10.8 -4.5 1.52 1.00 St. Cloud 40 -24 8.5 -5.9 1.57 .88 Staples 40 -29 4.4 -8.1 1.58 .98 Willmar 44 -16 10.4 -4.3 1.70 1.04 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 36 -21 9.3 -3.7 2.44 1.62 Forest Lake 42 -17 12.2 -3.8 1.54 .57 Hinckley 38 -25 7.6 -6.4 1.76 .75 MSP Airport 41 -13 13.5 -5.2 1.15 .15 St. Paul - UofM 42 -14 14.4 -5.0 1.13 .09 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 46 -17 12.5 -4.7 .84 .26 Marshall 46 -13 12.1 -6.2 1.38 .59 Pipestone 44 -21 10.4 -6.1 .81 .21 Redwood Falls 48 -15 13.0 -5.0 1.58 .98 Worthington 45 -15 12.8 -3.7 1.01 .31 SC DIST 8 Faribault 45 -16 12.8 -4.9 1.42 .40 Mankato 42 -15 13.5 -4.4 1.24 .25 Waseca 42 -16 11.2 -5.6 1.63 .23 Winnebago 43 -17 13.0 -4.3 1.95 .94 SE DIST 9 Preston 45 -16 13.2 -5.3 1.94 .65 Red Wing 43 -15 12.1 -6.4 1.19 .33 Rochester 42 -14 12.5 -4.8 1.46 .44 Rosemount 41 -17 11.2 -4.7 1.71 .58 Winona 46 -15 14.0 -5.4 1.67 .64 m=some data missing