sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: April 25, 2011 Week Ending Date: April 24, 2011 Issue: SC-CW001611 GENERAL Warm temperatures and scattered thunderstorms characterized the week ending April 24, 2011. Highs were in the 80's for much of the State all week, scattering heat driven thunderstorms across the State. The Charleston AP recorded a high temperature of 91 degrees on Friday, while cloudy skies in Florence kept the high to only 62 degrees. The State average temperature for the period was six degrees above normal. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.5 inch, leaving some operators complaining of drought-like conditions. Others received adequate rainfall from the storms to spur along crop progress. Soil moisture levels were reported at 1% very short, 17% short, 78% adequate, and 4% surplus. There was an average of 5.8 days suitable for field work. FIELD CROPS WINTER WHEAT continued to head with 77% headed, well ahead of the five year average. Conditions were 14% fair, 75% good, and 11% excellent. TOBACCO transplanting picked up considerably, enough to surpass the five year average with 75% of the crop transplanted. Ninety-five percent of CORN had been planted with 77% of the crop emerged, remaining on course above the five year averages. Conditions were 18% fair, 79% good, and 3% excellent. Eighty-four percent of OATS had headed and conditions were reported as 4% poor, 16% fair, 74% good, and 6% excellent. PEANUTS, SOYBEANS, and COTTON planting got underway, with 6%, 2%, and 9% being planted, respectively. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST LIVESTOCK conditions were 15% fair, 82% good, and 3% excellent. PASTURES were 4% poor, 22% fair, 72% good, and 2% excellent. TOMATO planting remained ahead of the five year average and were 92% planted by the week's end. PEACH conditions were 14% fair, 84% good, and 2% excellent. SNAPBEANS planted remained behind schedule with only 57% planted. Sixty percent of CUCUMBERS had been planted, still failing to catch up to the five year average of 71%. CANTALOUP planting also remained behind the five-year average with 70% planted at the end of the week. WATERMELON planting continued to exceed the five year average with 85% planted. Crop Progress for Week Ending April 24, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Planted : 70 85 76 :: Peanuts, Planted : 6 2 2 Corn, Planted : 95 95 90 :: Snapbeans, Fresh, Planted : 57 65 68 Corn, Emerged : 77 82 70 :: Soybeans, Planted : 2 0 2 Cotton, Planted : 9 4 5 :: Tobacco, Transplanted : 75 87 69 Cucumbers, Fresh, Planted : 60 77 71 :: Tomatoes, Fresh, Planted : 92 89 89 Hay, Grain Hay, Harvested : 30 31 24 :: Watermelons, Planted : 85 85 80 Oats, Headed : 84 61 69 :: Winter Wheat, Headed : 77 59 62 Oats, Turned Color : 1 0 2 :: Winter Wheat, Turning Color : 1 0 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending April 24, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup : 0 0 48 49 3 :: Peaches : 0 0 14 84 2 Corn : 0 0 18 79 3 :: Tobacco : 0 0 30 68 2 Hay : 0 1 32 64 3 :: Tomatoes : 0 0 52 47 1 Livestock : 0 0 15 82 3 :: Watermelons : 0 0 50 47 3 Oats : 0 4 16 74 6 :: Winter Wheat : 0 0 14 75 11 Pasture : 0 4 22 72 2 :: : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending April 24, 2011 On Monday morning, Cedar Creek and Pelion cooled to 40 degrees. Under sunny conditions, Aiken warmed to an afternoon high temperature of 83 degrees. Most of the State reported Tuesday high temperatures in the middle 80's. A group of thunderstorms formed over the westernmost counties of the Upstate on Wednesday morning. Clemson AP reported a thunderstorm at 10:00 a.m. and measured 0.59 inches of rain. Heat driven thunderstorms were part of Thursday's weather along the coastal counties. The Charleston AP recorded 91 degrees and Bennett's Point received 1.16 inches of rain. Passing thunderstorms on Friday seemed to be concentrated over central South Carolina and moving from the west to the east. The Edgefield USGS site measured 1.92 inches of rain and McEntire AP, near Eastover, measured 1.87 inches. Ft Johnson, on the Charleston harbor, recorded thunderstorm winds gusting to 48 mph at 6:15 p.m., on Friday evening. Friday's cloudy skies in Florence held their high temperature to just 62 degrees. After a few morning hours of fog, drizzle or mist, mostly sunny skies appeared for much of Saturday. Barnwell reached 88 degrees. On a sunny Easter Sunday, high temperatures ranged from 83 degrees at Pickens to 89 degrees at Summerville. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was six degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 92 degrees at Hardeeville on April 21. The lowest official temperature reported was 35 degrees at Walhalla on April 18. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.23 inches at McClellanville ending at 7:00 a.m. on April 23. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.5 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 71 degrees, Charleston 74 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 70 degrees. Precipitation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2011 : from Average ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer : 0.38 16.64 -0.1 Anderson : 0.40 13.95 -2.4 Columbia : 1.33 12.00 -3.6 Orangeburg : 0.95 11.91 -3.6 Charlotte, NC : 0.25 12.46 -1.8 Augusta, GA : 0.27 12.72 -2.9 Florence : 0.77 11.21 -2.2 N Myrtle Beach : 0.06 10.01 -3.0 Charleston : 1.65 9.75 -3.7 Savannah, GA : 0.09 10.97 -2.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.