nd-crop-weather STATE NORTH DAKOTA CROP, LIVESTOCK & WEATHER REPORT RELEASE DATE, WEEK ENDING DATE Released: April 30, 2007 For Week Ending: April 29, 2007 ISSUE ND-CW1807 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY General: Drier conditions and above normal temperatures during the week allowed producers to make excellent planting progress, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. Reporters noted that soil conditions were very good for seeding. Reports from the western part of the state indicated that topsoil was dry and needs moisture to assist the germination of crops. Producers in the southeastern district started planting in well drained and high elevated areas. Statewide, on average, there were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 24 short, 69 adequate and 6 surplus, compared with the five-year (2002-2006) average of 5 percent very short, 18 short, 69 adequate and 8 surplus. FIELD CROPS REPORT Crops: Planting of small grains and other crops are in full-swing across most of the state. Twenty-two percent of the spring wheat was seeded, compared with 29 percent last year and 34 percent on average. Durum wheat seeded at 13 percent, which jumped ahead of last year, but was still behind average. Barley and oats were 20 percent and 18 percent seeded, respectively. Producers showed the most seeding progress for sugarbeets at 50 percent completed, compared with 45 percent on average. Planting progress for canola, dry edible peas, flaxseed, sugarbeets and soybeans were all ahead of last year’s planting progress. Corn was 10 percent planted, behind last year and the average pace. Dry edible peas, at 26 percent planted, advanced 21 percentage points from the previous week. Potatoes planted, at 6 percent were slightly behind last year and average. Soybeans were underway with 1 percent planted. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Livestock: Producers were turning out cattle to pasture and ranges. Calving was 87 percent complete, equal to last year and average, while lambing was 90 percent complete, below last year and the average pace. Shearing neared completion at 96 percent complete. Hay and forage supplies were rated 11 percent very short, 17 short, 68 adequate and 4 surplus, compared with the average of 5 percent very short, 14 short, 75 adequate and 6 surplus. Grain and concentrate supplies were rated 4 percent very short, 10 short, 80 adequate and 6 surplus. Pasture and range conditions for the past week were rated at 8 percent very poor, 22 poor, 41 fair, 27 good and 2 excellent. They were rated 79 percent growing, compared with 54 percent growing the previous week. CROP PROGRESS TABLES Planting: Percent Completed North Dakota, Week Ending April 29, 2007 1/ Week Ending 2002- Crop April 29, April 22, April 29, 2006 2007 2007 2006 Avg Percent Percent Percent Percent SMALL GRAINS Barley 20 1 19 25 Durum Wheat 13 2 10 16 Spring Wheat 22 3 29 34 Oats 18 2 25 29 OTHER CROPS Canola 12 1 9 15 Corn, All 10 0 11 20 Dry Edible Peas 26 5 16 NA Flaxseed 5 0 3 7 Potatoes 6 NA 8 11 Soybeans 1 0 0 1 Sugarbeets 50 1 30 45 1/ Progress is based on current intended acreage. NA = Not Available SOIL TEMPERATURES Soil Temperatures: Average soil temperatures on April 29, ranged from a low of 54 degrees F in Bottineau, Bowbells and Grand Forks to a high of 65 in Carrington. These readings reflect daily average temperatures under 4 inches of bare soil recorded by the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN). Average Soil Temperatures*, April 29, 2007 Station Temperature Station Temperature Degrees F Degrees F NORTHWEST CENTRAL Bowbells 54 Carrington 65 Minot 62 Robinson 57 Williston 60 Streeter 60 NORTH CENTRAL EAST CENTRAL Baker 61 Dazey 59 Bottineau 54 Fargo 56 Rolla 59 SOUTHWEST NORTHEAST Bowman 60 Cavalier 61 Dickinson 62 Grand Forks 54 SOUTH CENTRAL Langdon 55 Linton 62 WEST CENTRAL SOUTHEAST Turtle Lake 64 Oakes 64 Watford City 62 Wyndmere 57 *Thermometers located 4 inches under bare soil. Source: NDAWN, Department of Soil Science, NDSU. SOIL MOISTURE TABLE Soil Moisture Supplies North Dakota, April 29, 2007 with Comparisons Week Ending 2002- Date April 29, April 22, April 29, 2006 2007 2007 2006 Avg Percent Percent Percent Percent Topsoil Very Short 1 1 0 5 Short 24 14 6 18 Adequate 69 76 75 69 Surplus 6 9 19 8 Subsoil Very Short 7 7 2 10 Short 34 31 8 22 Adequate 54 57 76 63 Surplus 5 5 14 5 WEATHER SUMMARY Weather: A very warm and dry stretch of weather sums up the events from last week. Nearly everyday saw temperatures well above normal while parts of the state saw only a little rainfall. Rain showers in the middle of the week moved across the central and northern counties of the state. The pattern remained dry and very warm as temperatures reached the 70s and 80s late in the week. A cool front swept across the state on Sunday morning bringing slightly cooler air and windy weather. Showers came in Sunday night spreading light to moderate rainfall. Outlook, April 30-May 6: A little wetter week looks to be in store for the state. The split flow in the jet stream will shift a little and send a couple storms across the state. Monday will start off rainy for the eastern third of the state. This system will move quickly out of the state and dry weather will return on Thursday. Temperatures will cool down initially on Tuesday with temperatures across the state in the 60s, but will rebound into the 70s on Wednesday. Another storm system will wind up starting on Thursday as it moves out of Montana. This system will have the next best chance for moisture for the state. Temperatures will also cool with this system as temperatures will drop into the 60s for the weekend. This system looks like it will spread rain and thunderstorms across the state from Thursday through Sunday. WEATHER INFORMATION TABLES Temperature & Precipitation: Districts and Stations North Dakota, Week ending April 29, 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) 56 10 0.02 0.16 -1.12 N. Central (2) 56 10 0.00 0.13 -1.14 Northeast (3) 55 8 0.00 0.41 NA W. Central (4) 57 9 0.06 0.25 -1.25 Central (5) 57 9 0.00 0.18 -1.07 E. Central (6) 57 9 0.00 1.48 0.05 Southwest (7) 57 10 0.05 0.47 -1.09 S. Central (8) 60 12 0.00 0.23 -1.21 Southeast (9) 59 10 0.00 1.59 -0.14 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 29, 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 80 30 0.00 0.12 -1.13 Williston 81 36 0.07 0.13 -0.93 Mohall 82 30 0.00 0.11 -1.14 Minot 82 34 0.00 0.28 -1.29 (2) Baker 81 36 0.00 0.17 -1.12 Bottineau 81 27 0.00 0.11 -1.12 Rugby 81 32 0.00 0.11 -1.17 (3) Cando 80 33 NA NA NA Cavalier 79 27 0.00 0.48 -0.63 Forest River 80 33 0.01 0.40 -0.74 Grand Forks 79 34 0.00 0.61 -0.57 Langdon 77 34 0.00 0.44 -0.55 St. Thomas 79 32 0.00 0.44 -0.70 (4) Hazen 82 32 0.17 0.36 -1.37 Turtle Lake 80 36 0.00 0.12 -1.34 Watford City 81 36 0.02 0.26 -1.05 (5) Carrington 81 32 0.02 0.14 -1.30 Harvey 81 33 0.00 0.12 -0.66 Jamestown 79 37 0.00 0.20 -1.18 Robinson 80 36 0.00 0.13 -1.25 Streeter 78 35 0.00 0.33 -0.94 (6) Dazey 79 36 0.00 0.44 -0.89 Fargo 79 38 0.00 2.56 1.17 Hillsboro 77 37 0.00 1.44 -0.14 (7) Beach 79 36 0.08 0.52 -1.03 Bowman 79 34 0.00 0.46 -0.86 Dickinson 80 34 0.10 0.39 -1.39 Hettinger 81 34 0.01 0.50 -1.08 (8) Mandan 82 38 0.00 0.19 -1.32 Linton 81 39 0.00 0.27 -1.09 (9) Edgeley 80 37 0.00 0.66 -1.00 Oakes 80 39 0.00 1.37 -0.37 Wyndmere 79 40 0.00 2.73 0.94 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/