Crop Weather Report

Montana Crop Weather Report

Issue: 09-05
For the Week Ending: April 12, 2009
Released: April 6, 2009
For more information contact: Lindsey Houska or Steve Anderson at 1-800-835-2612.

Completed and Summarized by:
USDA, NASS, Montana Field Office

In conjunction with: MSU Extension Agents
and USDA County Service Centers

Weather Summary

Montana received little precipitation during the week ending April 12th. Hardin received the most weekly accumulated precipitation of 0.65 of an inch. Dillon received 0.26 of an inch of precipitation on the 8th, breaking the old daily record of 0.17 of an inch set in 1950. Highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s, and lows were mostly in the teens and 20s. Thompson Falls had the weekly high temperature for the second week in a row at 75 degrees. Albion and Wisdom shared the low temperature at zero degrees. Topsoil moisture adequate and surplus is 91 percent, above last week's 90 percent, last year's 29 percent, and the five-year average of 58 percent. Subsoil moisture adequate and surplus is 73 percent, above last week's 71 percent, last year's 19 percent, and the five-year average of 40 percent. The number of days suitable for field work was 2.7, up from last week's 1.1 days.

The weather outlook for April 20th through April 26th is for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation both east and west of the continental divide. Normal temperatures for this period in Montana are highs in the mid 40s to the upper 50s and lows ranging from 20 degrees to the mid 30s.

According to the NRCS, state-wide mountain snow water content on April 1st was 100 percent of average and 91 percent of last year. Snowpack west of the continental divide was 98 percent of average and 86 percent of last year. East of the divide snowpack was 100 percent of average and 97 percent of last year. Montana's streamflow forecasts average 89 to 101 percent.

Soil Moisture Table	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5 Yr Avg
Topsoil Moisture
Very Short	1	1	31	16
Short	8	9	40	26
Adequate	81	79	29	53
Surplus	10	11	0	5
Subsoil Moisture
Very Short	9	11	38	25
Short	18	18	43	35
Adequate	69	67	18	38
Surplus	4	4	1	2

Field Work Table	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5 Yr Avg
Days Suitable for Field Work
Days	2.7	1.1	5.1	4.1
Field Tillage Work in Progress
None	87	94	51	53
Just Started	8	5	37	28
Well Underway	5	1	12	19

Field Crops Report

Eighty-seven percent of farmers have not started their field work yet. Fields are still too wet to begin. Sixty-one percent of winter wheat is greening, compared to only 19 percent last week. Winter wheat conditions are similar to last week but better than last year and the five-year average. Barley is 3 percent planted, and spring wheat is only 2 percent planted.

Crop Progress and Condition Table	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5 Yr Avg
Winter Wheat
Very Poor	1	1	7	4
Poor	6	5	13	9
Fair	33	36	44	35
Good	51	51	32	43
Excellent	9	7	4	9
Winter Wheat- Spring Stages
Still Dormant	32	78	44	14
Greening	61	19	47	38
Greening & Growing	7	3	9	48
Planted
Barley	3	n/a	14	17
Camelina	14	n/a	57	n/a
Spring Wheat	2	n/a	9	9
Sugar Beets	5	n/a	17	9

Livestock Report

Pastures are starting to open up as the snow melts, but little grass has started to green. Sixty-four percent of pastures are open for grazing, compared to 77 percent last year and 76 percent for the five-year average. Range and pasture feed conditions are improving with 26 percent good to excellent, compared to 16 percent last week, 14 percent last year, and a five-year average of 25 percent. The majority of calving and lambing is complete.

Range & Livestock Table	This Week	Las t Week	Last Year	5 Yr Avg
Livestock Birthing
Calving Completed	73	61	75	76
Lambing Completed	62	40	57	56
Livestock Grazing
Open	64	54	77	76
Difficult	23	32	13	11
Closed	13	14	10	13
Livestock Receiving Supplemental Feed
Cattle and Calves	91	91	92	87
Sheep and Lambs	96	93	92	85
Range and Pasture Feed Condition
Very Poor	9	10	14	11
Poor	9	18	36	25
Fair	56	56	36	39
Good	23	15	12	21
Excellent	3	1	2	4

Weather Information for the Week ending 04/12/2009

Station ID						Precipitation
	Temperature			GDDs		This Week		April 1 to Date			October 1 to Date
	Hi	LOW	AVG	B50	DFN	Total	DFN	Total	DFN	%NRM	Total	DFN	%NRM
NORTHWEST
Alberton	71	25	47	0	+0	0.00	-0.21	0.14	-0.22	39	11.71	+5.61	192
Anaconda	63	24	44	0	+0	0.12	-0.13	0.18	-0.25	42	8.74	+3.93	182
Clinton	67	25	47	1	+1	0.09	-0.12	0.44	+0.08	122	7.19	-0.68	91
Corvallis	70	27	47	0	+0	0.02	-0.19	0.04	-0.31	11	5.10	+0.51	111
Creston	66	30	48	1	+1	0.00	-0.35	0.39	-0.21	65	8.57	-0.23	97
Deer Lodge	63	21	43	0	+0	0.14	+0.01	0.20	+0.02	111	3.56	+0.97	137
Drummond	67	18	44	0	+0	0.00	-0.21	0.03	-0.29	9	6.92	+2.09	143
Hamilton	71	24	47	3	+3	0.02	-0.16	0.02	-0.25	7	7.23	+1.20	120
Kalispell	68	26	48	8	+8	0.00	-0.28	0.67	+0.23	152	8.17	-0.08	99
Missoula	69	27	48	5	+5	0.06	-0.15	0.27	-0.09	75	6.38	+0.28	105
Olney	62	15	41	0	+0	0.20	-0.08	0.84	+0.36	175	11.59	-0.72	94
Polson	67	25	47	3	+3	0.00	-0.28	0.24	-0.23	51	5.83	-1.06	85
St Ignatius	68	26	48	1	+1	0.18	-0.10	0.39	-0.09	81	8.70	+2.03	130
Seeley Lake	66	15	42	0	+0	0.06	-0.15	0.46	+0.10	128	15.89	+3.95	133
Sula	67	22	44	0	+0	0.07	-0.24	0.11	-0.40	22	6.81	+0.24	104
Superior	73	27	50	8	+8	0.03	-0.22	0.19	-0.26	42	10.05	+1.27	114
Swan Lake	66	21	43	0	+0	0.11	-0.24	0.66	+0.06	110	15.62	-1.54	91
Thompson Falls	75	25	50	8	+4	0.01	-0.32	0.19	-0.39	33	13.33	-0.77	95
West Glacier	62	21	44	0	+0	0.01	-0.40	0.38	-0.28	58	15.81	-0.47	97
NORTH CENTRAL
Chester	67	26	46	0	+0	0.00	-0.14	0.05	-0.19	21	5.44	+2.82	208
Chinook	65	18	44	2	+2	0.03	-0.15	0.07	-0.21	25	3.23	-0.09	97
Choteau	63	21	46	5	+5	0.00	-0.14	0.29	+0.10	153	2.86	+0.91	147
Cut Bank	63	24	45	0	+0	0.00	-0.15	0.01	-0.24	4	1.38	-1.29	52
Ft Assinniboine	67	22	45	1	+1	0.00	-0.20	0.12	-0.18	40	4.11	+0.59	117
Fort Benton	70	22	48	8	+8	0.04	-0.20	0.10	-0.29	26	4.13	+0.10	102
Goldbutte	64	23	47	3	+3	0.00	-0.21	0.04	-0.32	11	2.70	-0.77	78
Harlem	64	21	45	0	+0	0.00	-0.14	0.00	-0.20	0	3.28	+0.63	124
Havre	65	21	46	4	+4	0.04	-0.12	0.10	-0.16	38	2.82	-0.54	84
Malta	65	20	46	4	+4	0.00	-0.14	0.01	-0.23	4	4.05	+0.88	128
Rudyard	68	23	46	3	+3	0.00	-0.13	0.00	-0.18	0	3.55	+1.55	178
Shelby	66	20	46	0	+0	0.00	-0.21	0.00	-0.34	0	2.96	-0.32	90
Turner	66	21	44	2	+2	0.00	-0.07	0.02	-0.10	17	2.37	+0.02	101
Valier	64	12	45	0	+0	0.00	-0.16	0.08	-0.18	31	3.07	+0.52	120
NORTHEAST
Bredette	61	18	40	0	+0	0.02	-0.13	0.28	+0.03	112	4.89	+2.25	185
Culbertson	66	15	42	0	+0	0.00	-0.17	0.07	-0.20	26	4.23	+1.31	145
Glasgow	67	19	44	3	+3	0.00	-0.14	0.00	-0.24	0	3.20	+0.42	115
Glendive	67	17	45	4	+4	0.00	-0.22	0.01	-0.36	3	3.44	-0.11	97
Jordan	68	20	44	5	+5	0.06	-0.13	0.19	-0.10	66	3.79	+0.21	106
Nashua	71	17	45	4	+4	0.00	-0.19	0.00	-0.29	0	3.62	+1.08	143
Opheim	66	16	41	1	+1	0.00	-0.09	0.01	-0.13	7	2.89	+0.64	128
Plentywood	60	13	39	0	+0	0.00	-0.14	0.00	-0.24	0	4.37	+1.40	147
St Marie	64	17	42	1	+1	0.00	-0.14	0.00	-0.24	0	1.64	-1.14	59
Scobey	63	17	40	0	+0	0.00	-0.18	0.00	-0.28	0	4.16	+1.64	165
Sidney	68	15	43	6	+6	0.00	-0.21	0.00	-0.35	0	3.75	-0.04	99
Wolf Point	68	14	41	0	+0	0.00	-0.14	0.01	-0.23	4	1.88	-0.99	66
CENTRAL
Cascade	62	21	45	0	+0	0.00	-0.21	0.06	-0.30	17	3.80	-0.05	99
Grass Range	66	18	47	5	+5	0.00	-0.28	0.13	-0.35	27	5.60	+0.87	118
Great Falls	65	30	48	3	+3	0.00	-0.28	0.35	-0.13	73	4.96	+0.10	102
Harlowton	67	14	42	1	+1	0.01	-0.27	0.12	-0.32	27	3.94	+0.17	105
Helena	68	25	48	11	+11	0.03	-0.16	0.12	-0.17	41	3.88	+0.47	114
Lewistown	64	22	44	1	+1	0.07	-0.21	0.33	-0.15	69	3.63	-2.09	63
Martinsdale	65	17	44	0	+0	0.07	-0.16	0.07	-0.31	18	4.50	+0.82	122
Neihart	65	22	44	0	+0	0.01	-0.34	0.46	-0.14	77	7.13	+0.18	103
Rogers Pass	65	16	44	0	+0	0.00	-0.28	0.03	-0.45	6	5.72	+0.08	101
Roundup	73	19	49	8	+8	0.00	-0.25	0.00	-0.40	0	4.34	+0.70	119
Ryegate	71	14	43	2	+2	0.00	-0.21	0.06	-0.30	17	4.07	+0.55	116
Stanford	62	20	45	0	+0	0.00	-0.30	0.11	-0.39	22	4.60	-0.33	93
Townsend	67	21	47	1	+1	0.09	-0.05	0.18	-0.06	75	3.43	+0.72	127
Valentine	67	18	43	2	+2	0.00	-0.21	0.02	-0.30	6	4.18	+0.47	113
Wht Sulphur Spr	59	18	43	0	+0	0.13	-0.09	0.22	-0.15	59	7.23	+3.29	184
SOUTHWEST
Boulder	62	19	44	0	+0	0.00	-0.14	0.02	-0.22	8	4.02	+0.97	132
Bozeman	64	22	46	0	+0	0.34	+0.00	0.55	+0.01	102	5.79	+0.22	104
Butte	62	20	41	0	+0	0.10	-0.11	0.14	-0.22	39	3.20	-0.90	78
Dillon	61	22	42	0	+0	0.55	+0.35	0.59	+0.29	197	3.06	+0.56	122
Ennis	65	19	42	0	+0	0.37	+0.09	0.65	+0.19	141	5.09	+0.77	118
Lakeview	55	13	39	0	+0	0.08	-0.27	0.26	-0.34	43	6.94	-0.97	88
W Yellowstone	59	11	38	0	+0	0.42	+0.07	1.25	+0.65	208	10.61	-1.18	90
Wisdom	57	0	34	0	+0	0.30	+0.09	0.37	+0.03	109	6.23	+1.85	142
SOUTH CENTRAL
Billings	69	25	47	14	+14	0.29	-0.06	0.78	+0.18	130	6.25	+0.48	108
Cooke City	60	12	42	0	+0	0.26	-0.11	0.67	+0.00	100	5.71	-6.94	45
Gardiner	64	19	46	0	+0	0.32	+0.25	0.39	+0.24	260	2.82	-0.48	85
Hardin	70	20	50	10	+6	0.65	+0.37	0.71	+0.26	158	3.95	-0.46	90
Huntley	71	17	45	6	+6	0.18	-0.16	0.45	-0.09	83	6.22	+1.34	127
Hysham	69	19	48	8	+8	0.08	-0.17	0.16	-0.24	40	5.99	+1.71	140
Joliet	67	17	42	0	+0	0.26	-0.15	0.64	-0.02	97	6.02	-0.15	98
Livingston	66	21	46	6	+6	0.26	-0.04	0.56	+0.06	112	3.34	-1.60	68
Nye	59	17	43	0	+0	0.06	-0.36	0.71	+0.03	104	7.92	+2.01	134
Rapelje	66	22	48	4	+4	0.18	-0.16	0.51	-0.03	94	5.13	-0.06	99
SOUTHEAST
Albion	51	0	30	0	+0	0.00	-0.30	0.32	-0.16	67	7.50	+4.00	214
Baker	59	9	34	0	+0	0.00	-0.28	0.00	-0.46	0	3.30	-1.15	74
Broadus	63	6	41	1	+1	0.09	-0.24	0.77	+0.24	145	7.16	+2.55	155
Ekalaka	56	5	36	0	+0	0.27	-0.12	0.40	-0.23	63	8.09	+2.64	148
Miles City	70	22	44	7	+7	0.02	-0.26	0.02	-0.43	4	2.99	-0.96	76
Plevna	63	13	40	1	+1	0.02	-0.26	0.03	-0.43	7	4.32	-0.13	97
Compiled by AWIS Inc. based on NWS data. DFN-Departure from normal 1971-2000. GDD-Growing degree days

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