nd-crop-weather STATE NORTH DAKOTA CROP, LIVESTOCK & WEATHER REPORT RELEASE DATE, MONTH ENDING DATE Released: February 5, 2007 For Month Ending: February 4, 2007 ISSUE ND-CW0607 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY General: Temperatures during January were colder when compared to December and averaged at or below normal levels for the month, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. Limited snowfall has allowed producers to continue to graze livestock. As a result, producers were able to preserve hay and forage supplies which were rated mostly adequate. Reporters in drought areas noted that snowfall is needed to recharge stock dams and dugouts, otherwise moisture supplies will remain a critical issue in 2007. Producers were busy hauling grain and cleaning seed. County and secondary roads were rated 91 percent open, 7 difficult and 2 closed to travel. Road conditions were 8 percent drifted, 17 icy, and 75 dry. Statewide, average snow cover was 4.2 inches on February 4, compared with 2.9 inches last year. The north central and central districts reported the most snow cover with 7.3 and 6.6 inches, respectively. The southwest reported the least snow cover with an average of 0.1 of an inch followed by 2.5 inches in the west central district. FIELD CROPS REPORT Crops: As of February 4, snow cover protection for alfalfa was rated 51 percent poor, 40 adequate and 9 excellent, while winter wheat was rated 34 percent poor, 44 adequate and 22 excellent. More snow is needed to cover alfalfa and winter wheat, especially as cooler temperatures settled in at the end of January. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Livestock: Early calving has started. The extreme cold temperatures could have an affect on newborn calves and other livestock. Cattle conditions were rated 2 percent poor, 21 fair, 66 good and 11 excellent. Sheep conditions were rated 1 percent poor, 22 fair, 69 good and 8 excellent. Hay and forage supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 15 short, 77 adequate and 5 surplus. WEATHER SUMMARY Weather: January took a much colder and wintry like tone when compared to December. As a whole, the state saw average to below average temperatures for the month of January. Only the southwestern part of the state saw slightly above average temperatures as a whole, but these were only a few degrees warmer than the average. The first week and a half of the month saw very warm conditions across the entire state. It was during this period that many of the reporting areas saw their monthly high temperatures. But the warm weather didn’t stick around for long as the state experienced its first cold, arctic outbreak of the season. The last three weeks of the month saw much colder temperatures as frigid air pooled out of Canada in the wake of several fast moving systems. Because the jet stream was predominantly out of the northwest, the state received very little precipitation with these storm systems. Snow levels across the state were well below average for this time of the year and precipitation totals for the month were very low as well. Outlook, February: February will start out where January left off with bitterly cold temperatures across the entire state. Cold, arctic air will continue to plunge south of the Canadian border for the first two weeks of the month as the jet stream is locked in northwesterly flow across the state. The good news is that this trend cannot last forever as the coldest air of the season traditionally occurs at the end of January and the beginning of February. After this cold snap, temperatures will slowly moderate from west to east during the third and fourth week of the month and should leave most areas with near normal temperatures. But with this pattern, little moisture will fall across the region. As long as the jet stream is blowing out of Canada, there is little chance of seeing any significant precipitation across the region. But once the jet shifts to a track from the west to southwest and moderates temperatures, there should be a better chance of seeing more significant storms across the state. WEATHER INFORMATION TABLES TEMPERATURE, January 1-31, 2007 District & Stations Temperature High Low Average Depart/Norm 1/ Degrees F Degrees F Degrees F Degrees F NORTHWEST NA NA NA NA Bowbells 44 -20 17 2 Williston 45 -20 18 0 Mohall 43 -25 13 0 Minot 42 -25 15 3 NORTH CENTRAL NA NA NA NA Baker 41 -28 11 1 Bottineau 44 -35 5 -3 Rugby 42 -33 8 -1 NORTHEAST NA NA NA NA Cando 40 -32 7 -8 Cavalier 44 -26 9 -2 Forest River 43 -20 11 0 Grand Forks 46 -21 11 1 Langdon 40 -29 7 -1 St. Thomas 45 -26 9 0 WEST CENTRAL NA NA NA NA Hazen 53 -20 18 2 Turtle Lake 42 -24 14 0 Watford City 46 -21 17 -3 CENTRAL NA NA NA NA Carrington 53 -20 18 2 Harvey 42 -24 14 0 Jamestown 46 -21 17 -3 Robinson 38 -28 10 -2 Streeter 42 -24 12 -3 EAST CENTRAL NA NA NA NA Dazey 43 -26 10 -2 Fargo 37 -16 13 1 Hillsboro 34 -18 10 -2 SOUTHWEST NA NA NA NA Beach 59 -14 21 2 Bowman 61 -13 21 2 Dickinson 58 -15 20 1 Hettinger 60 -14 22 2 SOUTH CENTRAL NA NA NA NA Mandan 43 -19 17 2 Linton 44 -20 14 -1 SOUTHEAST NA NA NA NA Edgeley 42 -16 15 0 Oakes 36 -23 11 -1 Wyndmere 39 -17 13 -1 1/ 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/