mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending October 30, 2011 Issue MN-CW-43-11 Agricultural Summary Precipitation amounts were light again this past week, allowing producers to make progress on the corn and sunflower harvest, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. For the week ending October 30, corn was 93 percent harvested, compared to 86 percent last year and 60 percent for the five-year average. Average moisture content of harvested corn was 14 percent. Sunflowers were 90 percent harvested, compared to 94 percent last year and 63 percent average. Statewide, 6.6 days were rated suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 24 percent very short, 43 percent short, and 33 percent adequate, a decline from the previous week. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 11 percent very short, 46 percent short, 42 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Pasture and range condition was rated 16 percent very poor, 21 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 26 percent good, and 2 percent excellent, a decline from the previous week. Scattered showers occurred in areas but produced little measurable precipitation. Amounts ranged from no precipitation in southwest and south central areas to .18 inch in southeast areas. Weekly temperatures were nearly 1 degree above normal statewide, continuing a warm, dry trend that began in late July. Prolonged dry conditions have made fall tillage difficult in several areas. Some producers have delayed fertilizer application until more substantial precipitation can soften the soil surface. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.6 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 24 43 33 0 Subsoil Moisture (%) 11 46 42 1 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of October 30, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Harvested 93 79 86 60 Moisture Content 14 15 14 20 Sunflowers Harvested 90 73 94 63 Crop Condition Table Condition as of October 30, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 16 21 35 26 2 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 10/24/2011 through 10/30/2011 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 62 22 39.5 1.5 .01 -.35 -1.06 -3.25 Itasca 54 22 39.0 3.1 .03 -.48 -1.76 -1.89 Moorhead 57 23 42.0 2.6 .01 -.38 -.84 3.52 Warroad 57 21 37.2 .7 .14 -.21 -.12 -.35 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 51 21 38.6 .2 .09 -.46 -.49 .42 Intl. Falls 49 17 35.0 -1.3 .16 -.22 -.68 -2.92 NE DIST 3 Duluth 51 25 39.5 1.0 .11 -.38 -.72 -1.23 Grand Marais 51 28 38.9 -1.4 .05 -.46 -1.09 -4.00m Hibbing 50 18 36.2 -.5 .01 -.46 -1.16 -5.81 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 56 26 40.2 .6 .10 -.33 -.84 4.26 Browns Valley 62 20 40.2 -.9 .08 -.30 -.79 1.11 Canby 66 28 44.8 1.4 0 -.46 -1.14 -1.53 Montevideo 63 25 44.0 2.5 0 -.42 -.17 .36 Morris 56 21 40.2 -.2 .22 -.26 -1.16 .20 Wheaton 58 25 41.8 1.3 .09 -.29 -.90 2.87 CENT DIST 5 Becker 60 24 43.3 2.5 .02 -.45 -1.19 2.40 Collegeville 60 27 44.5 1.5 .08 -.43 -1.22 5.55 Hutchinson 60 25 43.0 1.3 0 -.43 -1.16 4.18m Melrose 56 24 40.6 .2 .10 -.40 -1.48 .45 Olivia 62 24 41.2 -.1 .12 -.27 -.85 -1.83 St. Cloud 58 22 40.8 .9 0 -.46 -.58 1.66 Wadena 54 24 39.2 1.1 .16 -.37 -1.07 -7.54m Willmar 59 18 40.7 -.1 .03 -.42 -1.30 2.77 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 56 24 40.6 1.6 .35 -.18 -.92 1.92 Forest Lake 63 27 45.1 2.8 .11 -.42 -1.43 -1.77 Hinckley M M M M M M -1.75m -2.15m MSP Airport 62 31 46.0 2.7 .01 -.46 -1.20 -1.27 St. Paul - UofM 59 27 44.2 .6 .04 -.50 -1.46 3.42 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 69 21 43.2 .9 0 -.40 -1.18 -.53 Marshall 67 28 44.6 2.2 0 -.43 -1.27 -2.61 Pipestone 66 19 41.4 .4 0 -.45 -1.03 3.19 Redwood Falls 63 22 42.9 -.6 0 -.41 -1.08 -3.83 Worthington 68 25 44.0 2.9 0 -.43 -1.21 2.53 SC DIST 8 Faribault M M M M M M M -7.38m North Mankato 66 25 44.0 .5 0 -.53 -1.40 -4.80 Waseca 67 19 42.4 .1 0 -.56 -1.81 -2.78 Winnebago 71 27 46.2 2.7 0 -.53 -1.80 -3.84 SE DIST 9 Preston 67 19 42.7 -.2 .07 -.42 -1.53 -5.26 Red Wing 61 26 43.8 .9 .12 -.31 -.74 -1.68 Rochester 65 25 44.8 3.1 .01 -.47 -1.68 -3.68 Rosemount 64 25 44.8 2.2 .03 -.52 -1.63 .14 Winona 65 30 46.2 2.3 .51 .04 -.91 .44 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/