sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: November 13, 2012 Week Ending Date: November 11, 2012 Issue: SC-CW004612 GENERAL Precipitation this past week was scarce across the State. The continuing dry weather has kept conditions favorable harvest, but small grain seeding remains slow until rainfall is received. The lack of moisture has caused soil conditions to fall for another week being rated at 32% very short, 35% short, and 33% adequate. There was an average of 6.5 days across the State that suitable for fieldwork. FIELD CROPS COTTON bolls were nearly finished opening. On days of sunshine, good progress was made on cotton harvest with 63% of the crop harvested compared with 75% last year, and 71% for the five-year average. OAT planting was 46% complete, compared to 55% last year, and the five-year average of 52%. PEANUT digging was winding down and was 96% complete compared to 87% last year, and 96% for the five-year average. The SOYBEAN crop had nearly all turned color with 91% having dropped leaves. Eighty percent of the crop had matured, and harvest was 43% complete, ahead of the 34% last year, and the 33% five-year average. Conditions were little changed at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 25% fair, 63% good, and 8% excellent. WINTER GRAZINGS plantings slowed and were 79% complete with 59% having emerged. Conditions declined sharply from the previous week and were 27% very poor, 11% poor, 46% fair, and 16% good. WINTER WHEAT seeding was also slow this past week, with many farmers still waiting for rain before proceeding. By the end of the week, planting was 44% complete, and 17% emerged. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST The dry soils were causing serious declines in PASTURE conditions at 4% very poor, 17% poor, 37% fair, 41% good, and 1% excellent. LIVESTOCK conditions also were lower at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 22% fair, 73% good, and 1% excellent. Crop Progress for Week Ending November 11, 2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cotton, Bolls Opened : 99 100 100 :: Soybeans, Mature : 80 68 74 Cotton, Harvested : 63 75 71 :: Soybeans, Harvested : 43 34 33 Oats, Planted : 46 55 52 :: Winter Grazings, Planted : 79 81 80 Oats, Emerged : 32 35 33 :: Winter Grazings, Emerged : 59 65 60 Peanuts, Harvested : 96 87 96 :: Winter Wheat, Planted : 44 38 33 Soybeans, Turned Color : 99 96 99 :: Winter Wheat, Emerged : 17 18 19 Soybeans, Leaves Dropped : 91 80 89 :: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending November 11, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Livestock : 1 3 22 73 1 :: Soybeans : 1 3 25 63 8 Pasture : 4 17 37 41 1 :: Winter Grazings : 27 11 46 16 0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending November 11, 2012 Sunny, seasonal weather was observed on Monday. Summerville and Orangeburg reported 65 degrees for a high temperature. A boundary of light rain edged into the Upstate on Tuesday morning just ahead of falling temperatures. At noon, Anderson, Columbia and Charleston reported 51 degrees. Wednesday began cloudy and cold with more light rain for the upper Savannah basin. Rock Hill and Lugoff noted a freezing 32 degrees. On Thursday morning, Keowee Dam had received a 24-hour rainfall of 0.21 inches. Laurens, Darlington, Marion and Conway noted a Thursday morning minimum temperature of 30 degrees. Sunny, clear conditions helped the Charleston AP rebound to an afternoon high temperature of 65 degrees. The Friday sunrise temperature at Summerville was a frosty 31 degrees. Sunny weather settled in for the weekend with afternoon temperatures warming into the 70's. Johnston and Hartsville reached 75 degrees on Saturday. Bishopville and Allendale recorded 76 degrees on Sunday. The state average temperature for the period was five degrees below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 80 degrees at Pinopolis on November 11. The lowest official temperature reported was 20 degrees at Cedar Creek on November 8. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.29 inches at Greenwood AP ending at 7:00 a.m. on November 8. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.1 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 63 degrees, Charleston 62 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 62 degrees. To access the SC State Climatology Office Weekly Weather summary from Dec- Mar: Go to http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ and under "Quick Links" (upper right) select 'Weekly and Annual Weather Report' Precipitation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Total : Total : Deviation : for Week : for 2012 : from Average --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer AP : 0.10 32.28 -8.3 Anderson AP : 0.31 33.92 -3.9 Columbia Metro AP : 0.00 37.82 -1.8 Orangeburg AP : 0.05 36.85 -4.7 Charlotte, NC AP : 0.00 29.20 -7.1 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 0.05 30.36 -8.0 Florence AP : 0.00 35.88 -2.3 N Myrtle Beach AP : 0.07 33.54 -13.1 Charleston AP : 0.01 38.65 -7.8 Savannah, GA AP : 0.12 37.94 -5.6 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.