mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending April 17, 2011 Issue MN-CW-15-11 Agricultural Summary Weather conditions varied this past week from highs in the 70's on Tuesday to snow by week's end, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Rain mixed with snow on Friday became all snow by midnight. Accumulation ranged from .20 inch in St. Cloud to 4.5 inches in Farmington. Sunshine returned Sunday but high temperatures were below average. Weekend snow pushed the 2010-2011 winter season to the 4th snowiest on record, according to the National Weather Service. Water levels have receded but several areas along the Minnesota, Red, Crow, and Mississippi Rivers are still under flood warning. Producers anticipate full scale fieldwork to begin on April 25, unchanged from last week's estimate. As of April 17, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 51 percent adequate and 49 percent surplus, compared to 46 percent adequate and 54 percent surplus for the previous week. Oats planting was underway at 4 percent complete, compared to 61 percent last year and 21 percent for the five-year average. Barley was 1 percent planted, compared to 40 percent last year and 11 percent average. Land prepared for corn and soybeans was rated 2 percent and 1 percent, respectively. Producers continued to prepare equipment and supplies for planting, and some have begun light tillage and spreading fertilizer. Other farm activities included calving and lambing. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 0.8 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 0 0 51 49 Subsoil Moisture (%) 0 1 54 45 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of April 17, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Land Prepared 2 1 27 10 Soybeans Land Prepared 1 1 8 3 Oats Planted 4 0 61 21 Spring Wheat Planted 0 0 38 9 Barley Planted 1 0 40 11 Approximate Date to Begin Full-Scale Fi4/25 4/25 4/13 4/21 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 4/11/2011 through 4/17/2011 Temperature Precipitation High Low Week Depart Week Depart From Norm Ave from Total Past Four Since Norm Week Weeks 4/1 NW DIST 1 Crookston 61 21 36.8 -4.2 .55 .25 .50 .79 Itasca 68 21 36.9 -.2 2.12 1.72 1.63 1.51 Moorhead 62 27 39.9 -2.9 .58 .28 1.41 .65 Warroad 58 22 36.4 -.2 .99 .72 1.53 1.77 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 72 22 38.2 -2.2 .49 .07 -.25 .26 Intl. Falls 70 21 36.4 -2.2 .55 .24 1.45 1.84 NE DIST 3 Duluth 65 24 37.4 -.9 .44 -.04 -.27 .36 Grand Marais 60 22 36.3 -1.7 .24 -.04 -.20 .22 Hibbing 68 21 36.0 -2.7 .38 .03 -.28 .13 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 69 28 40.0 -1.9 .07 -.36 -.52 -.45 Browns Valley 72 27 40.8 -3.0 .24 -.23 .01 -.83 Canby 73 27 42.2 -2.6 .28 -.25 .64 -.67 Montevideo 73 29 42.6 -1.1 .16 -.36 .35 -.42 Morris 69 29 40.5 -2.9 .10 -.36 -.99 -.87 Wheaton 75 29 41.1 -1.7 .35 -.10 -.35 -.49 CENT DIST 5 Becker 69 30 45.0 1.1 .04 -.53 .79 .18 Collegeville 71 28 44.7 -.3 .08 -.40 .28 -.66 Hutchinson 70 31 44.6 .5 .23 -.27 .94 .46 Melrose 69 29 42.5 .1 .14 -.35 .26 -.65 Olivia 71 30 43.7 .2 .15 -.40 1.59 -.24 St. Cloud 69 30 43.2 .2 .02 -.48 .37 -.49 Wadena 69 25 39.6 -.7 .75 .30 .62 .24 Willmar 70 29 42.0 -.5 .16 -.33 .95 -.08 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 70 24 40.0 -.4 .44 -.03 .37 .08 Forest Lake 78 30 47.0 3.3 .02 -.53 .36 -.33 Hinckley 69 26 42.4 1.9 .10 -.43 -.29 -.36 MSP Airport 68 32 45.8 -.2 .13 -.40 -.10 -.93 St. Paul - UofM 74 30 46.4 .9 .10 -.48 .62 -.78 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 73 30 43.4 -.9 .36 -.28 -.13 -.65 Marshall 73 19 42.4 -2.0 .30 -.24 .36 -.07 Pipestone 73 27 41.0 -3.0 .73 .18 1.18 .68 Redwood Falls 73 31 43.5 -2.7 .30 -.29 2.41 1.00 Sioux Falls 75 28 41.5 -3.6 1.69 1.08 .09 .31 Worthington 72 28 43.9 1.1 .77 .13 .07 .25 SC DIST 8 Faribault 76 30 45.7 2.2 .28 -.37 .85 .10 North Mankato 70 30 46.2 .1 .59 -.14 .52 -.41 Waseca 74 30 45.2 1.0 .67 -.08 1.53 .87 Winnebago 72 31 45.8 .4 1.00 .31 .45 .15 SE DIST 9 Preston 84 31 47.5 3.0 .44 -.32 1.55 .23 Red Wing 78 32 47.5 2.3 .45 -.18 .41 -.67 Rochester 65 31 44.4 .3 .28 -.43 1.78 .21 Rosemount 75 30 46.0 1.2 .52 -.13 .25m -.77m Winona 82 32 48.4 3.1 .48 -.30 2.37 .40 m=some data missing Contact Information USDA, NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE- CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS USDA-NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE Minnesota Department of Agriculture PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107 Phone: (651) 201-6030 E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/