sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: May 23, 2011 Week Ending Date: May 22, 2011 Issue: SC-CW002011 GENERAL The week ending May 22nd, 2011 began with cloudy, cooler weather and pockets of rainfall for most of the State. On Tuesday, Greenville only reached 56 degrees, while other areas of the State saw temperatures in the high 70's. An overnight storm would lead to cool temperatures again on Wednesday, with Newberry reporting a high of 68 degrees. With the exit of the storm system, the State began to warm on Thursday and would continue to do so throughout the weekend. Friday saw the highest temperatures for the State since September 10th, 2010, aided by consistent sunshine and light winds. Allendale reported a high of 99 degrees on Sunday. The hot weather contributed to 6.3 days on average suitable for field work. However, the soil moisture levels would drop due to the lack of rain, with reports of 8% very short, 40% short, 51% adequate, and 1% surplus. The State average temperature for the period for the week was two degrees below normal. The State average rainfall for the FIELD CROPS WINTER WHEAT was 85% turning color, well ahead of the five year average. The continued warm, dry conditions pushed the crop to 28% ripe, slightly ahead of last year's pace. Conditions were 1% poor, 11% fair, 73% good, and 15% excellent. One hundred percent of the OATS had headed while 90% had turned color. OATS were 34% ripe, ahead of the five year average by 6 points. Conditions were 1% very poor, 2% poor, 12% fair, 77% good, and 8% excellent. One hundred percent of the CORN had emerged with conditions set at 4% very poor, 1% poor, 25% fair, 65% good, and 5% excellent. COTTON planting was 75% complete, slightly ahead of the five year average but 5 points behind last year. PEANUT planting was 56% complete, getting back to the exact five year average pace. SOYBEAN planting continued rapidly with 54% planted, 19 points ahead of the five year average. Thirty one percent of the crop had emerged, 13 points ahead of the five year average. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST CUCUMBER planting finished with 100% planted, 2 points ahead of the five year average. Seven percent of the crop had been harvested, continuing to outpace last year and the five year average. Conditions were 29% fair, 68% good, and 3% excellent. SNAPBEANS did not receive much attention last week with 98% planted, only one point ahead from the previous week. TOMATO conditions were set at 26% fair, 61% good, and 13% excellent. One hundred percent of WATERMELON planting had been completed with conditions set at 29% fair, 60% good, and 11% excellent. PEACH conditions were 12% fair, 81% good, and 7% excellent. CANTALOUP planting finished 4 points ahead of the five-year average with 100% planted by the end of the week. Conditions were 30% fair, 59% good, and 11% excellent. LIVESTOCK conditions were 1% poor, 20% fair, 76% good, and 3% excellent. PASTURES were 4% very poor, 4% poor, 34% fair, 56% good, and 2% excellent, dropping in condition due to the lack of rain and high temperatures. Crop Progress for Week Ending May 22, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Planted : 100 95 96 :: Peaches, Harvested : 6 3 2 Corn, Emerged : 100 100 99 :: Peanuts, Planted : 56 57 56 Cotton, Planted : 75 80 73 :: Snapbeans, Fresh, Planted : 98 99 100 Cucumbers, Fresh, Planted : 100 100 98 :: Soybeans, Planted : 54 42 35 Cucumbers, Fresh, Harvested : 7 4 1 :: Soybeans, Emerged : 31 28 18 Hay, Grain Hay, Harvested : 76 77 82 :: Tobacco, Transplanted : 100 100 100 Oats, Headed : 100 100 100 :: Tomatoes, Fresh, Planted : 100 100 100 Oats, Turned Color : 90 86 76 :: Watermelons, Planted : 100 98 97 Oats, Ripe : 34 30 28 :: Winter Wheat, Turning Color : 85 77 71 Oats, Harvested : 9 6 4 :: Winter Wheat, Ripe : 28 26 16 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending May 22, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup : 0 0 30 59 11 :: Peaches : 0 0 12 81 7 Corn : 4 1 25 65 5 :: Snapbeans : 0 0 40 55 5 Cotton : 0 6 42 48 4 :: Tobacco : 0 6 36 54 4 Cucumbers : 0 0 29 68 3 :: Tomatoes : 0 0 26 61 13 Livestock : 0 1 20 76 3 :: Watermelons : 0 0 29 60 11 Oats : 1 2 12 77 8 :: Winter Wheat : 0 1 11 73 15 Pasture : 4 4 34 56 2 :: : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending May 22, 2011 An upper level feature drifted near South Carolina on Monday with cloudy, cool weather and pockets of heavy rainfall. On Tuesday morning, Neal Shoals, located on the Broad River separating Union and Chester counties, measured a 24-hour rainfall total of 1.90 inches. The Marlboro County Jetport recorded a minimum barometric pressure value of 29.55 inches of mercury at 8:15 a.m. While a sunny Beaufort reported a mild 78 degrees during the Tuesday afternoon hours, a cloudy Greenville could only reach 56 degrees. At 6:10 p.m., an isolated storm near Oakway produced one-inch diameter hail that covered the ground. Gallivants Ferry received 0.86 inches of rain. Walterboro cooled to 46 degrees on Wednesday morning and Newberry reported a high temperature of just 68 degrees. Mostly sunny weather returned for the southern counties on Thursday with Beaufort, Allendale and Hardeeville warming to 85 degrees. The Pee Dee and north coast reported late-exiting rain showers on Friday morning. The North Myrtle Beach AP received the heaviest of the amounts with 1.48 inches. Light winds and all-day sunshine sent the State's weekend afternoon temperatures to their highest since September 25, 2010. It was 96 degrees at Givhans on Saturday and 99 degrees at Allendale on Sunday. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was two degrees below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 100 degrees at Barnwell on May 22. The lowest official temperature reported was 42 degrees at Long Creek on May 18. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.40 inches at Catawba ending at 7:00 a.m. on May 17. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.6 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 78 degrees, Charleston 81 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 77 degrees. Precipitation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2011 : from Average ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer : 0.73 18.39 -2.4 Anderson : 0.12 14.61 -5.2 Columbia : 0.40 14.84 -3.3 Orangeburg : 0.35 14.54 -3.7 Charlotte, NC : 2.02 16.36 -1.1 Augusta, GA : 0.90 14.93 -3.3 Florence : 0.29 13.76 -2.4 N Myrtle Beach : 1.66 15.28 0.2 Charleston : 0.00 10.18 -6.1 Savannah, GA : 0.04 11.73 -4.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.