nd-crop-weather STATE NORTH DAKOTA CROP, LIVESTOCK & WEATHER REPORT RELEASE DATE, WEEK ENDING DATE Released: April 9, 2007 For Week Ending: April 8, 2007 ISSUE ND-CW1506 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY General: Double digit, below average temperatures stalled the start of the planting season for much the state, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. While producers are waiting for warmer temperatures to thaw out the soil, they continue to prepare machinery and line up inputs for spring fieldwork. Cold weather has helped to control flooding in the Red River Valley. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 15 short, 75 adequate and 9 surplus, compared with the five-year (2002-2006) average of 6 percent very short, 22 short, 63 adequate and 9 surplus. FIELD CROPS REPORT Crops: Cold temperatures have halted most field operations. The statewide average starting date for fieldwork is expected to be delayed 6 days until April 20, 3 days later than last year. The expected starting dates ranged from April 9 in the southwest district to April 27 in the northeast district. The statewide average starting date is April 17. Reporters noted that single digit temperatures could injure some winter wheat. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Livestock: Below average temperatures provided some difficulties for livestock producers. Calving and lambing were 63 and 71 percent complete, respectively. Shearing moved ahead one percentage point to 85 percent complete. Hay and forage supplies were rated 8 percent very short, 20 short, 68 adequate and 4 surplus, compared with the average of 2 percent very short, 11 short, 80 adequate and 7 surplus. Grain and concentrate supplies were 2 percent very short, 10 short, 82 adequate and 6 surplus. Cold weather has increased dormancy in pastures and ranges from the previous week. Pastures and ranges were rated 15 percent growing, compared with 19 percent growing last week. LIVESTOCK CONDITION TABLE Livestock Condition North Dakota, Week Ending April 8, 2007 Livestock Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Cows 0 2 18 70 10 Calves 0 1 19 70 10 Sheep 0 2 21 67 10 Lambs 0 2 18 69 11 SOIL TEMPERATURES Soil Temperatures: Average soil temperatures on April 8, ranged from a low of 29 degrees F in Baker, Cavalier and Fargo to a high of 34 in Williston. These readings reflect daily average temperatures under 4 inches of bare soil recorded by the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN). SOIL TEMPERATURES TABLE Average Soil Temperatures*, April 8, 2007 Station Temperature Station Temperature Degrees F Degrees F NORTHWEST CENTRAL Bowbells 31 Carrington 31 Minot 32 Robinson 31 Williston 34 Streeter 30 NORTH CENTRAL EAST CENTRAL Baker 29 Dazey 32 Bottineau 30 Fargo 29 Rolla 30 SOUTHWEST NORTHEAST Bowman 32 Cavalier 29 Dickinson 32 Grand Forks 32 SOUTH CENTRAL Langdon 32 Linton 32 WEST CENTRAL SOUTHEAST Turtle Lake 30 Oakes 32 Watford City 32 Wyndmere 32 *Thermometers located 4 inches under bare soil. Source: NDAWN, Department of Soil Science, NDSU. SOIL MOISTURE TABLE Soil Moisture Supplies North Dakota, April 8, 2007 with Comparisons Week Ending 2002- Date April 8, April 1, April 8, 2006 2007 2007 2006 Avg Percent Percent Percent Percent Topsoil Very Short 1 2 3 6 Short 15 15 10 22 Adequate 75 70 71 63 Surplus 9 13 16 9 Subsoil Very Short 6 8 3 9 Short 36 36 14 24 Adequate 54 52 70 62 Surplus 4 4 13 5 WEATHER SUMMARY Weather: A large winter storm spread across the southern two-thirds of the state with snowfall ranging from 6 to 9 inches earlier in the week. Temperatures during the past week struggled into the 20s for the entire state with temperatures 13 to 18 degrees below average. The unsettled weather continued in the eastern half of the state with strong winds. Temperatures remained well below normal for this time of the year. Outlook, April 9-15: Cold and snowy weather will continue for the first half of the week. A storm system in the western half of the state will bring a chance of snow. Snow should spread east on Monday morning and affect most of the state on Tuesday. Snow totals should be heaviest across the southern half of the state. Temperatures will remain cool, but should slowly warm into the low 40s by the end of the week. Another storm system from the Central Plains will be watched closely as it appears the storm should stay south of the state. The good news with this system is warmer air should push northward into North Dakota with a chance of 50 degrees by Sunday. WEATHER INFORMATION TABLES Temperature & Precipitation: Districts and Stations North Dakota, Week ending April 8, 2007 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) 22 -13 0.00 0.01 -0.34 N. Central (2) 21 -13 0.00 0.00 -0.33 Northeast (3) 21 -14 0.00 0.32 0.05 W. Central (4) 20 -18 0.00 0.00 -0.40 Central (5) 22 -15 0.00 0.02 -0.31 E. Central (6) 23 -13 0.00 0.32 -0.08 Southwest (7) 21 -16 0.06 0.06 -0.32 S. Central (8) 21 -16 0.01 0.01 -0.35 Southeast (9) 23 -14 0.00 0.23 -0.26 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 8, 2007 Temperature Seasonal Precipitation Stations 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 37 6 0.00 0.00 -0.31 Williston 38 11 0.00 0.00 -0.30 Mohall 38 6 0.00 0.00 -0.32 Minot 36 10 0.00 0.03 -0.41 (2) Baker 35 8 0.00 0.01 -0.34 Bottineau 38 2 0.00 0.00 -0.32 Rugby 36 8 0.00 0.00 -0.34 (3) Cando 35 7 0.00 0.03 -0.17 Cavalier 31 9 0.00 0.45 0.15 Forest River 34 12 0.00 0.38 0.08 Grand Forks 35 12 0.00 0.35 0.05 Langdon 31 8 0.00 0.37 0.15 St. Thomas 33 12 0.00 0.32 0.02 (4) Hazen 37 -3 0.00 0.00 -0.47 Turtle Lake 36 4 0.00 0.00 -0.40 Watford City 37 9 0.00 0.00 -0.34 (5) Carrington 36 9 0.00 0.02 -0.36 Harvey 36 10 0.00 0.00 -0.20 Jamestown 37 8 0.00 0.06 -0.34 Robinson 36 8 0.00 0.00 -0.35 Streeter 36 5 0.00 0.02 -0.32 (6) Dazey 36 8 0.00 0.14 -0.24 Fargo 37 10 0.00 0.47 0.07 Hillsboro 36 11 0.00 0.36 -0.07 (7) Beach 36 7 0.10 0.10 -0.27 Bowman 36 5 0.07 0.07 -0.25 Dickinson 37 7 0.00 0.00 -0.46 Hettinger 38 8 0.08 0.08 -0.29 (8) Mandan 37 6 0.00 0.00 -0.36 Linton 37 5 0.02 0.02 -0.34 (9) Edgeley 39 8 0.00 0.10 -0.37 Oakes 38 7 0.00 0.13 -0.37 Wyndmere 39 7 0.00 0.47 -0.03 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/