sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: October 17, 2011 Week Ending Date: October 16, 2011 Issue: SC-CW004111 GENERAL Wet, windy conditions were present throughout the State during the week ending October 16th, 2011. The Lowcountry observed more than an inch of rain in some areas by Tuesday, helping to improve soil moisture levels. On Wednesday, most of the State benefitted from rainfall and cooler temperatures that lasted through Thursday evening, which stalled peanut and cotton harvests but improved pasture and livestock conditions. Friday brought clear skies and warmer temperatures that would continue throughout the weekend. Highs reached the mid-eighties over the weekend. The State average temperature for the period was two degrees above normal. Soil moisture conditions improved to 10% very short, 36% short and 54% adequate. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.8 inches with 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork. FIELD CROPS All SOYBEANS had set pods by the end of the week with 65% of leaves colored. Twenty-two percent of plants had dropped leaves. Maturation was 15% complete with 6% of the crop harvested, on pace with the five year average. Conditions improved to 7% very poor, 20% poor, 40% fair and 33% good. Ninety percent of TOBACCO stalks had been destroyed, eight points behind last year and the five year average. CORN harvest was completed for the season. Ninety-three percent of COTTON bolls had opened by the end of the week. Thirty-three percent of the crop had been harvested, five points ahead of the five year average. Conditions improved to 3% very poor, 13% poor, 40% fair, 43% good and 1% excellent. PEANUT harvest continued to lag with 45% completed by the end of the week, falling to 13 points behind the five year average. Conditions were 2% very poor, 12% poor, 39% fair, 46% good and 1% excellent. WINTER WHEAT was 23% planted with 5% emerged by the weekend. WINTER GRAZING plantings were 47% completed with 22% emerged. OAT planting was 13% underway with 3% emerged, slightly behind the five year average. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST LIVESTOCK conditions improved to 1% very poor, 7% poor, 39% fair and 53% good. PASTURE conditions also improved to 10% very poor, 27% poor, 40% fair and 23% good. Crop Progress for Week Ending October 16, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Corn, Harvested : 100 100 100 :: Soybeans, Leaves Dropped : 22 40 36 Cotton, Bolls Opened : 93 95 94 :: Soybeans, Mature : 15 26 20 Cotton, Harvested : 33 39 28 :: Soybeans, Harvested : 6 11 6 Oats, Planted : 13 18 16 :: Tobacco, Stalks Destroyed : 90 98 98 Oats, Emerged : 3 6 4 :: Winter Grazings, Planted : 47 43 50 Peanuts, Harvested : 45 77 58 :: Winter Grazings, Emerged : 22 14 18 Soybeans, Pods Set : 100 100 100 :: Winter Wheat, Planted : 23 15 13 Soybeans, Turned Color : 65 80 73 :: Winter Wheat, Emerged : 5 4 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending October 16, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cotton : 3 13 40 43 1 :: Peanuts : 2 12 39 46 1 Livestock : 1 7 39 53 0 :: Soybeans : 7 20 40 33 0 Pasture : 10 27 40 23 0 :: : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending October 16, 2011 Light to moderate rains were observed at sunrise on Monday morning. At 8:00 a.m., Charleston City reported gale force winds from the northeast at 46 mph. Springmaid Pier's Tuesday 3:54 a.m. observation indicated northeast winds of 32 mph, gusting to 37 mph. Ft. Moultrie measured a 24-hour rainfall from Monday into Tuesday morning of 1.25 inches. Both the Georgetown AP and nearby N Inlet measured 1.23 inches of rain. Light rain and blowing drizzle held the high temperature at Darlington and Orangeburg to just 66 degrees. Localized heavy rains fell before daylight on Wednesday. Winnsboro received 1.36 inches and Clinton received 1.28 inches. Keowee Dam's 0.96 inches helped stream flow and reservoir recharge to parts of western South Carolina's mountains. A frontal boundary raced through the State on Thursday. National Weather Service instruments on Lake Murray recorded 46 mph winds at 7:10 p.m. Late-exiting rains left Dillon with 0.81 inches. Sunny blue skies arrived Friday and lasted through the weekend. Cool, seasonal mornings were followed by warm afternoons on Saturday and Sunday. Barnwell, Beaufort and Andrews warmed up to 84 degrees on Saturday afternoon. Laurens, Pinopolis, Columbia and Clarks Hill reached 84 degrees on Sunday. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was two degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 85 degrees at Givhans on October 15 and at Walhalla, Clemson, Anderson, Calhoun Falls, Clinton and Greenwood on October 16. The lowest official temperature reported was 39 degrees at Hunts Bridge on October 16. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.87 inches at Blackville ending at 7:00 a.m. on October 12. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.8 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 71 degrees, Charleston 72 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 72 degrees. Precipitation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2011 : from Average --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer AP : 0.89 36.50 -1.3 Anderson AP : 0.47 27.91 -7.1 Columbia Metro AP : 0.37 32.19 -5.0 Orangeburg AP : 0.94 33.18 -6.0 Charlotte, NC AP : 1.03 35.76 2.1 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 0.25 25.30 -10.2 Florence AP : 0.52 24.98 -10.9 N Myrtle Beach AP : 1.01 28.37 -15.5 Charleston AP : 0.91 34.00 -10.0 Savannah, GA AP : 1.48 32.22 -9.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.