sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: June 11, 2012 Week Ending Date: June 10, 2012 Issue: SC-CW002412 GENERAL The week ending June 10, 2012 was marked by cooler, wet weather. The second week of rain has slowed field work again. Increased rainfall pushed crop progression ahead of schedule but excess moisture is beginning to be a concern for some growers. Soil moisture conditions were reported as 2% very short, 14% short, 77% adequate and 7% surplus. The State average rainfall for the period was 1.4 inches. The State average temperature for the period was four degrees below normal with 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork. FIELD CROPS Sixty percent of CORN had silked and the crop had just begun to dough by the end of the week, well ahead of historical figures. The cool weather and steady rain has been very beneficial for corn growers thus far. Conditions improved to 2% poor, 25% fair, 59% good and 14% excellent. COTTON planting continued its steady progression, ending up two points behind the five-year average. Nine percent of cotton had squared. Ninety-six percent of PEANUTS were planted. Some cotton and peanut growers have reported problems with crops in lowlands that are standing in water. Otherwise, crop conditions are in predominantly fair to good condition. SOYBEANS were 74% planted and 54% emerged by the end of the week. OATS and WINTER WHEAT were nearly all ripe. Harvest is well ahead of the five-year average for both crops. Conditions for small grains remained in mostly fair to good condition. TOBACCO growers begun to top their crops last week, reporting 30% of tobacco topped. Conditions fell slightly to 2% poor, 34% fair, 58% good and 6% excellent. Ninety-six percent of HAY had been harvested, near the five year average. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST PEACH harvest continued ahead of schedule with 30% harvested by Sunday. Conditions were 1% poor 50% fair, 45% good and 4% excellent. PASTURE conditions improved again this past week to 5% poor, 35% fair, 58% good and 2% excellent. With the cool weather, LIVESTOCK conditions improved to 2% poor, 23% fair, 74% good and 1% excellent. Twenty-eight percent of TOMATOES had been harvested, well ahead of schedule. Likewise, WATERMELONS and CANTALOUPS had begun to be harvested with 12% and 10% harvested respectively. Fifty-five percent of CUCUMBERS had been harvested, sixteen points ahead of the five-year average. The SNAPBEAN harvest was 31% complete. Crop Progress for Week Ending June 10, 2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Harvested : 12 0 0 :: Peanuts, Planted : 96 95 96 Corn, Silked : 60 43 32 :: Snapbeans, Fresh, Harvested : 31 30 28 Corn, Doughed : 9 0 0 :: Soybeans, Planted : 74 77 70 Cotton, Planted : 95 95 97 :: Soybeans, Emerged : 54 63 55 Cotton, Squared : 9 2 3 :: Tobacco, Topped : 30 0 0 Cucumbers, Fresh, Harvested : 55 46 39 :: Tomatoes, Fresh, Harvested : 28 0 0 Hay, Grain Hay, Harvested : 96 97 97 :: Watermelons, Harvested : 10 0 0 Oats, Ripe : 99 99 92 :: Winter Wheat, Ripe : 99 94 89 Oats, Harvested : 75 64 53 :: Winter Wheat, Harvested : 70 49 38 Peaches, Harvested : 30 27 16 :: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending June 10, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup : 0 1 47 51 1 :: Peanuts : 0 1 34 60 5 Corn : 0 2 25 59 14 :: Snapbeans : 0 0 55 37 8 Cotton : 0 2 33 58 7 :: Soybeans : 0 2 28 67 3 Cucumbers : 0 0 48 51 1 :: Tobacco : 0 2 34 58 6 Livestock : 0 2 23 74 1 :: Tomatoes : 0 0 37 59 4 Oats : 1 3 35 57 4 :: Watermelons : 0 1 53 33 13 Pasture : 0 5 35 58 2 :: Winter Wheat : 1 3 35 55 6 Peaches : 0 1 50 45 4 :: : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending June 10, 2012 Monday's early morning thundershowers left 0.95 inches of rain at Edgefield and 0.54 inches at West Pelzer and the McEntire ANG AP. Under a partly sunny afternoon, Aiken, Shaw AFB and Sullivan's Island warmed to 81 degrees. Showers continued into Tuesday with Laurens receiving 1.24 inches and Batesburg receiving 1.06 inches. Hartsville, Calhoun Falls and Columbia cooled to 64 degrees on Tuesday morning. Pelion's high temperature on Tuesday just made it to 70 degrees. On Wednesday morning, Keowee Dam measured a 24- hour rain of 0.96 inches. Pockets of heavy rain developed along the central coast. The Charleston city gage measured 1.27 inches. Edisto Beach was the state's only site to reach 80 degrees. A chill in the air was observed on Thursday morning for the Conway AP, Hartsville and Sumter as temperatures fell to 55 degrees. Partial clearing during the afternoon allowed Florence, Lake City and McCormick to warm to 83 degrees. Clarks Hill responded to a sunny Friday with a high temperature of 89 degrees. Sunrise on Saturday included temperatures in the 60's for much of the state. Pinopolis, Sandhill and Bishopville reported 88 degrees for a high temperature. Moist, southerly air arrived on Sunday, bringing periods of rain and scattered thunderstorms. Summerville and Fort Moultrie reached 86 degrees before thickening clouds and rains began. At the end of the day, heavy rains were occurring over west central South Carolina and eastward into a humid Lowcountry. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was four degrees below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 93 degrees at Chesterfield on June 9. The lowest official temperature reported was 50 degrees at Pickens on June 5. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.38 inches at Johnston on June 4. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.4 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 75 degrees, Charleston 77 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at nearby Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach, NC, were reported at 78 degrees. Precipitation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2012 : from Average --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer AP : 0.66 15.72 -5.0 Anderson AP : 1.82 15.13 -4.5 Columbia Metro AP : 2.06 16.25 -1.7 Orangeburg AP : 2.00 18.12 -1.1 Charlotte, NC AP : 0.60 15.71 -2.6 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 1.82 12.66 -6.4 Florence AP : 0.24 19.00 2.1 N Myrtle Beach AP : 0.38 12.60 -6.3 Charleston AP : 2.22 15.60 -2.3 Savannah, GA AP : 1.72 18.34 0.3 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.