nd-crop-weather STATE NORTH DAKOTA CROP, LIVESTOCK & WEATHER REPORT RELEASE DATE, WEEK ENDING DATE Released: April 3, 2006 For Week Ending: April 2, 2006 ISSUE ND-CW1306 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY General: Rapid snow melt and precipitation caused flooding of some fields and rivers, particularly in the eastern districts, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. Reporters in these areas noted that some county and township roads were flooded. Fields in the central and western districts ranged from mostly wet to needing additional moisture. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 70 adequate and 19 surplus. FIELD CROPS REPORT Crops: Producers continued to prepare machinery and line up inputs for spring fieldwork wherever possible. The statewide average starting date for fieldwork is expected to be April 18, 4 days later than last year. The expected starting dates ranged from April 7 in the south central district to April 27 in the northeast district. The record statewide earliest starting data was April 6, 1981, and the latest was May 13, 1979. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Livestock: Favorable weather in most districts allowed calving and lambing to progress. Calving, at 49 percent, and lambing, at 66 percent, equaled the five-year (2001-2005) average. Shearing gained nine percentage points to 84 percent complete. Cow conditions were rated 1 percent poor, 9 fair, 71 good and 19 excellent. Calf conditions improved from the previous week and were rated 8 percent fair, 76 good and 16 excellent. Sheep conditions were rated 2 percent poor, 8 fair, 70 good and 20 excellent. Lamb conditions were rated 1 percent poor, 8 fair, 70 good and 21 excellent. Hay and forage supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 6 short, 83 adequate and 10 surplus compared with last year’s rating of 2 percent very short, 17 short, 75 adequate and 6 surplus. Grain and concentrate supplies were rated 1 percent short, 90 adequate and 9 surplus. Ninety-eight percent of the pastures and ranges were dormant. LIVESTOCK TABLE Livestock Condition North Dakota, Week Ending April 2, 2006 Livestock Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Cows 0 1 9 71 19 Calves 0 0 8 76 16 Sheep 0 2 8 70 20 Lambs 0 1 8 70 21 SOIL TEMPERATURES Soil Temperatures: Average soil temperatures on April 2 ranged from a low of 32 degrees F in Bottineau, Cavalier, Grand Forks, Langdon and Rolla to a high of 41 in Linton and Williston. 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 2, 2006 Station Temperature Station Temperature Degrees F Degrees F NORTHWEST CENTRAL Bowbells 34 Carrington 38 Minot 36 Robinson 35 Williston 41 Streeter 37 NORTH CENTRAL EAST CENTRAL Baker 34 Dazey 35 Bottineau 32 Fargo 34 Rolla 32 SOUTHWEST NORTHEAST Bowman 40 Cavalier 32 Dickinson 39 Grand Forks 32 SOUTH CENTRAL Langdon 32 Linton 41 WEST CENTRAL SOUTHEAST Turtle Lake 38 Oakes 38 Watford City 38 Wyndmere 39 *Thermometers located 4 inches under bare soil. Source: NDAWN, Department of Soil Science, NDSU. SOIL MOISTURE TABLE Soil Moisture Supplies North Dakota, April 2, 2006 with Comparisons Week Ending Item April 2, April 3, 2006 2005 Percent Percent Topsoil Very Short 2 6 Short 9 22 Adequate 70 65 Surplus 19 7 Subsoil Very Short 3 12 Short 14 21 Adequate 71 61 Surplus 12 6 WEATHER SUMMARY Weather: The last week of March started off dry with temperatures cooler than normal in the east and warmer than normal in the west. Temperatures soared into the low and mid-60s in areas of the west and south central parts of the state. Other locations in the west and central areas reached well into the 50s. Some remaining snow cover in the northeast and east central areas helped to keep daytime high temperatures in the 30s to around 40 degrees. Thursday there were scattered showers and even a few thundershowers. Some locations in the north-western part of the state saw close to an inch of rain. Areas in the central and east generally saw rainfall amounts between 0.10 and 0.50 inch. Daytime high temperatures cooled down into the 30s and 40s on Thursday and Friday under the clouds and rain. Windy conditions and scattered showers were found across the eastern half of the state on Friday. Sunny weather and warmer temperatures returned for the first day of April. Another system brought clouds and scattered light showers to the eastern half of the state on Saturday. Outlook, April 3-9: The week will start off quiet with dry conditions and above normal temperatures for the first couple days. Look for fair skies with high temperatures in the 40s east to mid and upper 50s west on Monday. Temperatures will warm into the 50s east and upper 60s west on Tuesday. Midweek another spring storm system will move across the Midwest. Look for a chance of showers for the western half of the state, with possible thunderstorms in the south central areas. The wet weather will move into the eastern half of the state on Thursday with showers and a few thunderstorms likely. Temperatures will remain seasonal for Wednesday with highs in the 40s and 50s. Colder air will move in behind the system on Thursday and Friday. Rain may mix with or change to snow in some areas in the north on Thursday. High temperatures will generally be in the 40s across the state for the end of the week and slightly warmer for the weekend. WEATHER INFORMATION TABLES Temperature & Precipitation: Districts and Stations North Dakota, Week ending April 2, 2006 Average Seasonal Precipitation District Temperature Beginning April 1 1/ Averages Past Depart Past Depart Week Normal 2/ Week Total Normal 2/ (Degrees F)(Degrees F) (Inches) (Inches) (Inches) Northwest (1) 41 8 N. Central (2) 38 7 Northeast (3) 31 0 W. Central (4) 42 6 NOT Central (5) 40 6 AVAILABLE E. Central (6) 39 6 Southwest (7) 45 10 S. Central (8) 43 8 Southeast (9) 44 10 1/ Precipitation amounts may vary due to an inaccurate snowfall melt. 2/ Normal is the 1971-2000 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 2, 2006 Temperature Seasonal Precipitation Station Past Week Beginning April 1 1/ by Past Depart District High Low Week Total Normal 2/ (Degrees F) (Degrees F) (Inches) (Inches) (Inches) (1) Bowbells 57 21 Williston 63 24 Mohall 57 21 Minot 60 26 (2) Baker 49 26 Bottineau 53 26 Rugby 52 26 (3) Cando 44 20 Cavalier 40 22 Forest River 42 23 Grand Forks 43 28 Langdon 37 18 St. Thomas 41 22 (4) Hazen 64 21 NOT Turtle Lake 60 23 AVAILABLE Watford City 63 23 (5) Carrington 56 28 Harvey 53 21 Jamestown 59 24 Robinson 61 21 Streeter 60 22 (6) Dazey 56 26 Fargo 52 28 Hillsboro 46 30 (7) Beach 64 24 Bowman 66 26 Dickinson 65 25 Hettinger 66 29 (8) Mandan 63 23 Linton 63 25 (9) Edgeley 65 25 Oakes 64 27 Wyndmere 56 30 1/ Precipitation amounts may vary due to an inaccurate snowfall melt. 2/ Normal is the 1971-2000 average. NA=Not Available. Weather data collected from NDAWN stations and compiled by UND Aerospace Regional Weather Information Center. CONTACT INFORMATION USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office 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 USDA, NASS, North Dakota Field Office 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/Statistics_by_State/North_Dakota/