sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: August 13, 2012 Week Ending Date: August 12, 2012 Issue: SC-CW003312 GENERAL Steady storms brought much needed rainfall to South Carolina during the week ending August 12, 2012. Multiple inches of rain fell across the State starting Monday and continued through Friday. Scattered storms were observed during the weekend but mainly sunny skies and warmer temperatures were present on Saturday and Sunday. Soil moisture conditions were greatly improved to 1% very short, 17% short, 75% adequate and 7% surplus. Field crops and livestock conditions improved due to the lower temperatures and increase in rainfall. The State average rainfall for the period was 3.2 inches. The State average temperature for the period was one degree below normal with 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork. FIELD CROPS CORN was completely doughed by the end of the week. Ninety-one percent of the crop had reached maturation, eight points ahead of the pace set last year. Harvest continued with 25% complete by Sunday. Conditions improved slightly to 1% very poor, 6% poor, 33% fair, 50% good and 10% excellent. COTTON was 99% squared with 82% of the crop setting bolls. Bolls had just begun to open by the end of the week. Conditions rose to 2% poor, 28% fair, 60% good and 10% excellent. PEANUTS were 96% pegged, remaining on pace with the five year average. Conditions improved to 1% poor, 22% fair, 68% good and 9% excellent. Sixty-five percent of SOYBEANS had bloomed, falling further to fifteen points behind the five year average. Thirty percent of the crop had set pods, twelve points behind the five year mark. Conditions improved slightly to 1% very poor, 8% poor, 33% fair, 53% good and 5% excellent. TOBACCO harvest was 68% complete by Sunday with 22% of stalks destroyed. Ninety-five percent of HAY had been harvested. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST CANTALOUP and WATERMELON harvest was almost complete with 99% and 98% harvested, respectively. PEACH harvest was 97% complete by the end of the week, ten points ahead of last year and fifteen points ahead of the five year average. PASTURE conditions improved to 1% very poor, 7% poor, 36% fair, 53% good and 3% excellent. LIVESTOCK conditions also improved to 2% poor, 25% fair, 69% good and 4% excellent. Crop Progress for Week Ending August 12, 2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Harvested : 99 97 95 :: Peaches, Harvested : 97 87 82 Corn, Doughed : 100 100 99 :: Peanuts, Pegged : 96 92 96 Corn, Matured : 91 83 75 :: Soybeans, Bloomed : 65 83 80 Corn, Harvested : 25 0 0 :: Soybeans, Pods Set : 30 29 42 Cotton, Squared : 99 95 98 :: Tobacco, Harvested : 68 68 59 Cotton, Bolls Set : 82 74 74 :: Tobacco, Stalks Destroyed : 22 19 11 Hay, Other Hay, Harvested : 95 97 94 :: Watermelons, Harvested : 98 98 95 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending August 12, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Corn : 1 6 33 50 10 :: Pasture : 1 7 36 53 3 Cotton : 0 2 28 60 10 :: Peanuts : 0 1 22 68 9 Livestock : 0 2 25 69 4 :: Soybeans : 1 8 33 53 5 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending August 12, 2012 Thundershower coverage increased on Monday as deep tropical moisture overspread the State. During the 24 hours ending Tuesday morning, Gray Court measured 3.41 inches of rain, Longtown 3.35 inches, the Jocassee Dam 3.08 inches and Aiken 2.99 inches. The wet weather continued on Tuesday. A CoCoRaHS volunteer, 5.1 miles northwest of Bluffton, measured 5.60 inches of rain. Pelion reported a 24-hour rain of 1.70 inches and Adams Run measured 1.56 inches. At 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the relative humidity reached 100 percent at McEntire ANG AP, Darlington, Rock Hill, Summerville and Johns Island. More stable weather was observed during the daylight hours of Wednesday with only a few isolated storms and near-seasonal temperatures. On Thursday morning, the temperature cooled to 68 degrees at Pickens, Clinton, Sandhill, Aiken and Shaw AFB. Inland locations observed stormy weather on Thursday afternoon and evening. Lake Greenwood was under a deluge that left 3.05 inches of rain. Anderson measured 2.75 inches and Aiken received 2.50 inches. Bamberg and Barnwell warmed to an afternoon high temperature of 92 degrees while the coastal sites of Edisto Beach and N Myrtle Beach recorded 86 degrees. At 1:56 p.m. on Friday, Charleston reported southwest winds of 28 mph, gusting to 32 mph. Isolated thundershowers brought Newberry 1.35 inches of rain and 1.10 inches to Jamestown. Sunny, humid conditions were observed over the weekend with scattered storms more numerous on Saturday. Pinopolis and Beaufort reported a Saturday high temperature of 91 degrees. Hemingway, Givhans, Conway and Clarks Hill each received Saturday rainfall amounts of just over two inches. Mostly sunny skies on Sunday warmed West Pelzer, Winnsboro, Hartsville and Walterboro to 88 degrees. Impressive seven-day rainfall totals included 9.40 inches at Aiken, 8.62 inches at Table Rock and 6.22 inches at Allendale. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was one degree below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 94 degrees at Columbia Metro AP and Aiken on August 6 and at Clarks Hill on August 8. The lowest official temperature reported was 58 degrees at Long Creek on August 12. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.26 inches at Hunts Bridge ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 7. The State average rainfall for the period was 3.2 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 82 degrees, Charleston 84 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 84 degrees. Precipitation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2012 : from Average --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer AP : 4.59 25.88 -4.0 Anderson AP : 5.37 26.96 -0.3 Columbia Metro AP : 6.00 30.56 1.7 Orangeburg AP : 1.82 29.65 -0.5 Charlotte, NC AP : 2.10 22.37 -3.7 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 5.80 21.78 -6.6 Florence AP : 1.51 28.46 1.1 N Myrtle Beach AP : 2.27 24.29 -6.1 Charleston AP : 1.16 29.74 -1.3 Savannah, GA AP : 2.90 29.55 -0.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.