sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: April 18, 2011 Week Ending Date: April 17, 2011 Issue: SC-CW001511 GENERAL Average temperatures and very little rainfall began the week ending April 17, 2011. The first half of the week saw high winds but mostly sunny days, giving operators ample time to plant as quickly as they could. This was fortunate, as the weekend brought severe weather and rainfall to much of the State. A powerful system that moved throughout the country spared most of the State from significant damage, although an EF2 tornado was reported Saturday in St. Stephen. Hail was reported in several Southern counties, but there was little to no damage reported to the crops. Sunday was a clear, sunny day for much of the State, allowing planting to resume. Soil moisture levels were reported at 1% very short, 16% short, 80% adequate, and 3% surplus. There was an average of 5.9 days suitable for field work, with Saturday's severe weather being the exception. FIELD CROPS Eighty-five percent of CORN had been planted with 61% of the crop emerged, remaining on course above the five year average. Conditions were 27% fair, 68% good, and 5% excellent. TOBACCO transplanting managed to rebound above the five year average with 45% of the crop transplanted. Fifty-four percent of OATS had headed and conditions were reported as 3% poor, 15% fair, 77% good, and 5% excellent. WINTER WHEAT continued to head with 45% headed, well ahead of the five year average. Conditions were 14% fair, 80% good, and 6% excellent. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST TOMATOES continued ahead of the five year average and were 85% planted by the week's end. Forty percent of CUCUMBERS had been planted, falling behind the five year average. CANTALOUP planting also fell behind the five-year average with 53% planted at the end of the week. WATERMELON planting was slightly ahead of the five year average with 69% planted. PEACH conditions were 2% poor, 18% fair, 75% good, and 5% excellent. SNAPBEANS were behind schedule with only 42% planted. LIVESTOCK conditions were 16% fair, 82% good, and 2% excellent. PASTURES were 1% poor, 34% fair, 63% good, and 2% excellent. Crop Progress for Week Ending April 17, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Planted : 53 66 60 :: Snapbeans, Fresh, Planted : 42 47 53 Corn, Planted : 85 80 78 :: Tobacco, Transplanted : 45 50 41 Corn, Emerged : 61 57 52 :: Tomatoes, Fresh, Planted : 85 84 79 Cucumbers, Fresh, Planted : 40 37 45 :: Watermelons, Planted : 69 73 68 Hay, Grain Hay, Harvested : 12 17 9 :: Winter Wheat, Headed : 45 23 35 Oats, Headed : 54 28 44 :: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending April 17, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Corn : 0 0 27 68 5 :: Pasture : 0 1 34 63 2 Hay : 0 0 33 61 6 :: Peaches : 0 2 18 75 5 Livestock : 0 0 16 82 2 :: Tomatoes : 0 0 68 22 10 Oats : 0 3 15 77 5 :: Winter Wheat : 0 0 14 80 6 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending April 17, 2011 Very warm, spring weather was observed on Monday. Summerville, Bamberg and Columbia each reported high temperatures of 89 degrees. A cold front moved through the State on Tuesday. Scattered, light rains accompanied the boundary with gusting winds. At 2:00 p.m., the Clemson AP recorded west winds of 24 mph, gusting to 40 mph. Table Rock and West Pelzer noted 39 degrees on Wednesday morning, ahead of nearly eleven hours of available sunshine. High clouds eased into the State on Thursday along with slowly rising temperatures. The weekend started with heavy rains concentrated over the mountains. On Saturday morning, Long Creek, located in the far-western corner of Oconee County, had received 2.42 inches of rain since Friday evening. The week's second cold front raced eastward Saturday afternoon and was blamed on episodes of severe and damaging weather. Hail measured at 1.75-inch diameter fell within Orangeburg, Berkeley, Williamsburg, Florence, Georgetown and Horry counties. Law enforcement in Clarendon County reported "softball-sized" hailstones at 3:28 p.m. Only minutes after 5:00 p.m., a funnel cloud transitioned into a water spout over Lake Moultrie, then became an EF2 tornado before destroying a church near St. Stephen. Other possible tornadoes were reported at Andrews and near Little Rock, in Dillon County. Bishopville received one of the heavier rainfalls of 1.19 inches. Most of South Carolina enjoyed a mild and sunny, Sunday afternoon with temperatures in the middle 70's. Effingham, located in Florence County, warmed to 81 degrees. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was four degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 90 degrees at Givhans and Witherbee on April 11. The lowest official temperature reported was 36 degrees at Chesnee on April 14. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.56 inches at Jocassee Dam ending at 7:00 a.m. on April 16. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.4 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 66 degrees, Charleston 70 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 66 degrees. Precipitation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2011 : from Average ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer : 1.82 16.26 0.3 Anderson : 0.93 13.55 -2.6 Columbia : 0.17 10.67 -4.3 Orangeburg : 0.11 10.96 -4.0 Charlotte, NC : 1.23 12.21 -1.5 Augusta, GA : 0.11 12.45 -2.6 Florence : 0.35 10.44 -2.3 N Myrtle Beach : 0.00 9.95 -2.5 Charleston : 0.05 8.10 -4.7 Savannah, GA : 0.10 10.88 -1.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.