sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: November 19, 2012 Week Ending Date: November 18, 2012 Issue: SC-CW004712 GENERAL Much need rainfall came to most areas of the State this past week. The moisture received should help winter plantings and germinate winter grazings, and small grains. The widespread precipitation greatly improved soil moisture conditions. Overall for the State, they were rated at 14% very short, 35% short, and 51% adequate. There was an average of 5.4 days across the State that suitable for fieldwork. FIELD CROPS COTTON bolls have finished opening. Harvest progressed prior to late week rains with 73% of the crop harvested compared with 82% last year, and 81% for the five-year average. OAT planting was 61% complete, compared to 68% last year, and the five-year average of 63%. PEANUT digging was winding down and was 98% complete compared to 93% last year, and 98% for the five-year average. The SOYBEAN crop has turned color with 99% having dropped leaves. Ninety-sixty percent of the crop had matured, and harvest was 58% complete, ahead of the 39% last year, and the 44% five-year average. Conditions improved slightly to 1% very poor, 3% poor, 24% fair, 62% good, and 10% excellent. WINTER GRAZINGS plantings were 84% complete with 65% having emerged. Conditions improved from the previous week and were 16% very poor, 8% poor, 57% fair, and 19% good. WINTER WHEAT seeding remained slow this past week, but should increase with the improved soil moisture conditions. By the end of the week, planting was 49% complete, and 23% emerged. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST The rainfall during the week helped PASTURE conditions to improve to 3% very poor, 12% poor, 40% fair, 45% good. Likewise, LIVESTOCK conditions also were better at 1% very poor, 2% poor, 25% fair, 71% good, and 1% excellent. Crop Progress for Week Ending November 18, 2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2012 : 2011 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cotton, Bolls Opened : 100 100 100 :: Soybeans, Mature : 96 85 88 Cotton, Harvested : 73 82 81 :: Soybeans, Harvested : 58 39 44 Oats, Planted : 61 68 63 :: Winter Grazings, Planted : 84 89 87 Oats, Emerged : 42 50 45 :: Winter Grazings, Emerged : 65 78 71 Peanuts, Harvested : 98 93 98 :: Winter Wheat, Planted : 49 55 43 Soybeans, Turned Color : 100 99 100 :: Winter Wheat, Emerged : 23 33 25 Soybeans, Leaves Dropped : 99 91 97 :: : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending November 18, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Livestock : 1 2 25 71 1 :: Soybeans : 1 3 24 62 10 Oats : 0 0 73 27 0 :: Winter Grazings : 16 8 57 19 0 Pasture : 3 12 40 45 0 :: Winter Wheat : 0 0 77 23 0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending November 18, 2012 Monday's approach of a cold front produced areas of rain for the Upstate during the afternoon and overnight hours. Well ahead of the boundary, warming sunshine pushed the Monday afternoon high temperature to 80 degrees at Charleston, Florence and the Georgetown AP. On Tuesday morning, Caesars Head measured a 24-hour rainfall of 0.57 inches and the Greenville-Spartanburg AP measured 0.46 inches. Gray skies and passing showers were observed on Tuesday. The Crabtree Swamp gage indicated 0.70 inches of rain and McClellanville received 0.57 inches. Chilling northeast winds, beneath a cloud canopy, made for an unseasonably cold Wednesday. At noon, Greenwood, Florence and Charleston all reported 50 degrees. Early Thursday morning, a compact area of low pressure formed along a resting frontal boundary and brought thunderstorms to the Midlands. The Columbia Metro AP rainfall of 1.26 inches was that sites heaviest rainfall in eighty-four days. Greenwood and McCormick measured 1.60 inches. Darlington measured a soaking 1.31 inches and nearby Hartsville reported a welcomed 1.15 inches. Steady northeast winds along the coast elevated the year's highest "predicted" tides to flood waterfront streets and yards from the Charleston Peninsula north into Murrells Inlet and Garden City Beach. At 7:54 AM EST, the Springmaid Pier tide gage recorded a peak tide value of 8.26 feet above MLLW. The Thursday high temperature at Chester, Marion and Manning only made it to 46 degrees. Slow clearing began over western South Carolina on Friday. Sunny, cool and windy conditions were observed on Saturday. Cedar Creek started the day with a freezing 29 degrees and Clemson reached an afternoon high temperature of 62 degrees. For the second time in a week, another area of low pressure developed Sunday along the coast with periods of blowing rain. The Georgetown AP measured one of the heaviest totals with an even one-inch of rain. The Sunday high temperature at a cloudy and wet Lake City was a degree shy of 50 degrees. The mostly sunny towns of Calhoun Falls, Clinton and Laurens were near their seasonal normal high temperature of 63 degrees. The state average temperature for the period was two degrees below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 82 degrees at Witherbee on November 12. The lowest official temperature reported was 26 degrees at Spartanburg on November 16. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.00 inches at Springfield ending at 7:00 a.m. on November 15. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.1 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 59 degrees, Charleston 59 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 57 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 : 0.77 33.05 -8.4 Anderson AP : 0.49 34.41 -4.3 Columbia Metro AP : 1.36 39.18 -1.0 Orangeburg AP : 1.35 38.20 -4.0 Charlotte, NC AP : 0.62 29.82 -7.2 Augusta, GA Bush AP : 0.85 31.21 -7.8 Florence AP : 1.48 37.36 -1.4 N Myrtle Beach AP : 1.85 35.39 -11.9 Charleston AP : 1.46 40.11 -6.9 Savannah, GA AP : 0.33 38.27 -5.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.