sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: November 28, 2011 Week Ending Date: November 27, 2011 Issue: SC-CW004711 This is the final South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report for 2011. The USDA-NASS South Carolina Field Office would like to thank all of those with the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service, South Carolina DNR State Climatology Office, and USDA Farm Service Agency who were responsible for contributing towards the completion of the report each week. GENERAL Pleasant and mostly dry conditions were present the week ending November 27th, 2011. Scattered showers were observed at the beginning of the week with temperatures in the 70's and 80's. By Wednesday afternoon, temperatures had dropped closer to seasonal ranges and clear skies were present throughout much of the State. Temperatures warmed by the end of the weekend with Charleston measuring at 79 degrees. Soil moisture conditions were listed as 10% very short, 40% short, 47% adequate and 3% surplus. The State average temperature for the period was eight degrees above normal with 6 days suitable for fieldwork. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.3 inches. FIELD CROPS All SOYBEANS had dropped leaves and maturation was 97% completed, on pace with historical figures. Fifty-nine percent of the crop had been harvested. Conditions were 8% very poor, 23% poor, 41% fair, 27% good and 1% excellent. Eighty-eight percent of the COTTON crop had been harvested, one point ahead of the five year average. PEANUT harvest was near completion with 97% harvested by the end of the week. WINTER WHEAT jumped to 81% planted with 58% emerged by the weekend, far ahead of historical averages. Conditions were 3% poor, 41% fair, and 56% good. WINTER GRAZING plantings were 94% completed with 87% emerged, six points ahead of the five year average. Conditions were 5% very poor, 8% poor, 35% fair and 52% good. OAT planting was 90% complete with 75% emerged, fourteen points ahead of the five year average. Conditions were 3% poor, 48% fair and 49% excellent. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST PASTURE conditions declined to 10% very poor, 27% poor, 48% fair and 15% good. LIVESTOCK conditions were 6% poor, 44% fair, 49% good and 1% excellent. Crop Progress for Week Ending November 27, 2011 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2011 : 2010 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cotton, Harvested : 88 97 89 :: Soybeans, Harvested : 59 67 63 Oats, Planted : 90 67 79 :: Winter Grazings, Planted : 94 95 92 Oats, Emerged : 75 52 61 :: Winter Grazings, Emerged : 87 82 81 Peanuts, Harvested : 97 100 100 :: Winter Wheat, Planted : 81 63 55 Soybeans, Leaves Dropped : 100 100 100 :: Winter Wheat, Emerged : 58 33 31 Soybeans, Mature : 97 99 97 :: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending November 27, 2011 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Livestock : 0 6 44 49 1 :: Soybeans : 8 23 41 27 1 Oats : 0 3 48 49 0 :: Winter Grazings : 5 8 35 52 0 Pasture : 10 27 48 15 0 :: Winter Wheat : 0 3 41 56 0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending November 27, 2011 At 7:00 a.m. on Monday morning, the Johns Island Executive AP reported fog with "zero" visibility. Beaufort, Charleston, Orangeburg and Columbia warmed to a Monday afternoon high temperature of 81 degrees. A few showers over the Upstate left 0.32 inches of rain at Chesnee and 0.25 inches at Table Rock. Southerly surface winds pushed temperatures to 82 degrees at Cades, Pinopolis and Allendale on Tuesday. A frontal boundary approached the State Tuesday evening with scattered areas of rain. Laurens received 1.25 inches and nearby Clinton received 0.88 inches. At 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Anderson AP reported northwest winds of 22 mph, gusting to 30 mph. By noon, most of the wet weather had moved beyond the coast. Sunny, seasonal conditions were observed on Thanksgiving Thursday. At 4:00 p.m., the Columbia Metro AP reported clear skies, 67 degrees and 22 percent relative humidity. Edisto Beach and Sullivan's Island managed to warm up to 73 degrees ahead of the boundary. Freezing air arrived on Friday morning for Summerville with a minimum temperature of 31 degrees. Full sun and light winds allowed temperatures to rebound to 71 degrees at Holly Hill and Walterboro. Sandy Run recorded a Saturday high temperature of 73 degrees. Givhans and the Charleston AP recorded an unseasonably warm, Sunday high temperature of 79 degrees. A south-to-north axis of rain began edging into the far western counties of South Carolina late Sunday night. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was eight degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 85 degrees at Pinopolis on November 21. The lowest official temperature reported was 25 degrees at Pelion on November 25. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.35 inches at Darlington ending at 7:00 a.m. on November 23. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.3 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 62 degrees, Charleston 66 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 63 degrees. Precipitation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2011 : from Average --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer AP : 0.20 40.15 -2.5 Anderson AP : 0.23 30.51 -9.1 Columbia Metro AP : 0.69 34.97 -6.1 Orangeburg AP : 0.06 34.80 -8.3 Charlotte, NC AP : 0.35 40.11 2.1 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 0.11 27.54 -12.3 Florence AP : 0.00 26.51 -13.1 N Myrtle Beach AP : 0.35 31.52 -16.7 Charleston AP : 0.12 35.44 -12.2 Savannah, GA AP : 0.17 33.37 -11.4 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.