nd-crop-weather STATE NORTH DAKOTA CROP, LIVESTOCK & WEATHER REPORT RELEASE DATE, WEEK ENDING DATE Released: April 11, 2005 For Week Ending: April 10, 2005 ISSUE ND-CW1505 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY General: Planting of small grains, dry peas and canola began in most districts this week aided by warm, dry weather conditions, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Producers in the north central and northeast districts continued to wait for soils to warm up and dry out before planting begins. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 8 percent very short, 22 short, 66 adequate and 4 surplus. This compared with the five-year (2000-2004) average of 6 percent very short, 19 short, 62 adequate and 13 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 12 percent very short, 22 short, 62 adequate and 4 surplus. The statewide average starting date for fieldwork is expected to be April 13, a day earlier than last year. The record earliest starting date for fieldwork was April 6, 1981. The expected starting dates ranged from April 6 in the southwest district to April 22 in the north central district. FIELD CROPS REPORT Crops: Warm, dry conditions during the week allowed producers to apply fertilizer and begin seeding. Statewide, 4 percent of the oats, 3 percent of the hard red spring wheat and 1 percent of the barley and durum were planted. The five-year averages were 2 percent for oats, 6 percent for hard red spring wheat, 2 percent for barley and 1 percent for durum. There was no significant planting progress for sugarbeets compared with the five-year average of 1 percent. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Livestock: Calving and lambing continued to proceed with little difficulty due to mild conditions. Calving was 66 percent complete and lambing was 79 percent complete compared with 68 and 79 percent last year, respectively. Shearing was 87 percent complete. Cattle, calves, sheep and lamb conditions were rated mostly good to excellent. Hay and forage supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 17 short, 74 adequate and 7 surplus. This compared with last year's rating of 2 percent very short, 15 short, 76 adequate and 7 surplus. Grain and concentrate supplies were 4 percent short, 85 adequate and 11 surplus. Pasture conditions improved from last week and were 26 percent growing compared with 21 percent a year ago. LIVESTOCK CONDITION TABLE Livestock Condition Week Ending April 10, 2005 Livestock Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent (Percent) Cows 0 1 12 70 17 Calves 0 1 10 70 19 Sheep 0 1 16 68 15 Lambs 0 0 15 72 13 CROP PROGRESS TABLE Planting: Percent Completed Week Ending 2000- Crop April 10, April 3, April 10, 2004 2005 2005 2004 Avg. (Percent) SMALL GRAINS Barley 1 NA 2 1 Durum Wheat 1 NA 1 0 HRS Wheat 3 NA 5 3 Oats 4 NA 2 1 LATE SEASON CROPS Canola 1 NA 1 0 Sugarbeets 0 NA 1 1 NA = Not Available SOIL TEMPERATURES Soil Temperatures: Average soil temperatures on April 10 ranged from a low of 42 degrees F in Bowbells to a high of 53 in Baker and Carrington. These readings reflect daily average temperatures under 4 inches of bare soil recorded by the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN). SOIL TEMPERATURE TABLE Average Soil Temperatures*, April 10, 2005 Station Temperature Station Temperature Degrees F Degrees F NORTHWEST CENTRAL Bowbells 42 Carrington 53 Minot 48 Robinson 44 Williston 50 Streeter 45 NORTH CENTRAL EAST CENTRAL Baker 53 Dazey 50 Bottineau 45 Fargo 48 Rolla 45 SOUTHWEST NORTHEAST Bowman 43 Cavalier 52 Dickinson 45 Grand Forks 48 SOUTH CENTRAL Langdon 43 Linton 49 WEST CENTRAL SOUTHEAST Turtle Lake 49 Oakes 49 Watford City 47 Wyndmere 47 * Thermometers located 4 inches under bare soil. Source: NDAWN, Department of Soil Science, NDSU. SOIL MOISTURE TABLE Soil Moisture: North Dakota, April 10, 2005 Date V. Short Short Adq. Surplus (Percent) TOPSOIL This Week 8 22 66 4 Last Week 6 22 65 7 Last Year 7 20 64 9 2000-04 Avg 6 19 62 13 SUBSOIL This Week 12 22 62 4 Last Week 12 21 61 6 Last Year 10 28 59 3 2000-04 Avg 7 22 63 8 WEATHER SUMMARY Weather: Mild and fairly dry conditions were the rule for the first full week of April. There was hardly any precipitation and temperatures were above average for the week across the state. Highs generally ranged from the low 60s to low 70s for the majority of the week under mostly sunny skies. Strong southerly winds brought very warm conditions to the state for the end of the week and into the weekend. Many areas in the state saw their warmest temperatures of the year. Winds gusted to near 50 mph and highs reached into the low 70s east to the mid-80s out west. Low temperatures were in the low to mid-30s for the first half of the week. Overnight low's warmed into the mid-30s to mid-40s to end the week. Outlook, April 11-17: The second week of April will start out on a wet note. A strong low pressure system in the central Rockies will move eastward into the central plains. This system will bring showers and thunderstorms across the eastern half of the state on Monday. A trough of low pressure will move across the Red River Valley area on Tuesday, bringing scattered showers to that area. Fair weather will move in behind the system on Wednesday and Thursday. Another system moving in from the west will bring a chance for showers and possibly a thunderstorm to the western and central areas on Friday. There will be a chance of rain in the eastern areas for the weekend as the system moves east. Temperatures will run about average for the week. No big warm up or cool down is in sight for the next 7 days. Temperatures will be cool for the eastern areas on Monday because of clouds and rain. Look for highs in the upper 40s in the northeast to the upper 50s across the south and west. Temperatures will warm into the 50s and 60s across the state for Wednesday and Thursday. Look for high temperatures mostly in the 50s for the end of the week and into the weekend. Low temperatures will generally be in the 30s. WEATHER INFORMATION TABLES Temperature & Precipitation: Districts and Stations North Dakota, Week ending April 10, 2005 Average Seasonal Precipitation District Temperature Beginning April 1 Averages Past Depart Past Depart Week Normal 1/ Week Total Normal 1/ (Degrees F) (Inches) Northwest (1) 55 3 0.00 0.00 -0.41 N. Central (2) 53 2 0.00 0.00 -0.43 Northeast (3) 52 1 0.00 0.00 -0.38 W. Central (4) 55 3 0.00 0.00 -0.42 Central (5) 53 1 0.00 0.00 -0.46 E. Central (6) 54 0 0.00 0.00 -0.59 Southwest (7) 55 4 0.04 0.07 -0.36 S. Central (8) 55 2 0.00 0.00 -0.46 Southeast (9) 54 0 0.01 0.01 -0.51 1/ Normal is the 1961-90 average. NA=Not Available. Weather data collected from NDAWN stations and compiled by UND Aerospace Regional Weather Information Center. Temperature & Precipitation: Districts and Stations North Dakota, Week ending April 10, 2005 Temperature Seasonal Precipitation Stations Past Week Beginning April 1 by Past Depart District High Low Week Total Normal 1/ (Degrees F) (Inches) (1) Bowbells 76 29 0.00 0.00 -0.38 Williston 87 32 0.00 0.00 -0.37 Mohall 75 32 0.00 0.00 -0.47 Minot 78 33 0.00 0.00 -0.42 (2) Baker 74 32 0.00 0.00 -0.50 Bottineau 78 28 0.00 0.00 -0.37 Rugby 77 28 0.00 0.00 -0.42 (3) Cando 72 31 0.02 0.02 -0.32 Cavalier 73 33 0.00 0.00 -0.38 Forest River 73 34 0.00 0.00 -0.44 Grand Forks 71 33 0.00 0.00 -0.42 Langdon 68 33 0.00 0.00 -0.28 St. Thomas 70 34 0.00 0.00 -0.44 (4) Hazen 79 26 0.00 0.00 -0.44 Turtle Lake 76 29 0.00 0.00 -0.47 Watford City 85 32 0.00 0.00 -0.36 (5) Carrington 74 29 0.00 0.00 -0.51 Harvey 76 30 0.00 0.00 -0.40 Jamestown 79 33 0.00 0.00 -0.43 Robinson 74 32 0.00 0.00 -0.40 Streeter 74 31 0.00 0.00 -0.56 (6) Dazey 75 29 0.00 0.00 -0.53 Fargo 76 33 0.00 0.00 -0.71 Hillsboro 79 31 0.00 0.00 -0.52 (7) Beach 83 33 0.11 0.11 -0.30 Bowman 81 30 0.00 0.00 -0.38 Dickinson 80 29 0.00 0.00 -0.48 Hettinger 78 28 0.05 0.05 -0.38 (8) Mandan 77 34 0.00 0.00 -0.44 Linton 76 34 0.00 0.00 -0.49 (9) Edgeley 80 31 0.03 0.03 -0.53 Oakes 80 29 0.00 0.00 -0.58 Wyndmere 75 29 0.01 0.01 -0.43 1/ Normal is the 1961-90 average. NA=Not Available. Weather data collected from NDAWN stations and compiled by UND Aerospace Regional Weather Information Center. CONTACT INFORMATION North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA Cooperating with: NDSU Extension Service, Farm Service Agency, ND Ag Weather Network (NDAWN) and UND Aerospace Regional Weather Information Center FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Knopf, Director North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448 P.O. Box 3166 Fargo, ND 58108-3166 Telephone: (701) 239-5306 E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/