Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW0608 Released: February 4, 2008 For the week of: January 28 - February 3, 2008 Cooperating Agencies: Texas A & M Cooperative Extension, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Scattered showers were prevalent in the Panhandle with Eastern Texas receiving the largest amount of rainfall. Small grains continued to struggle due to lack of rainfall in most areas of the state. Cotton harvest neared completion in the Southern Low Plains. Pecan producers pruned their trees. Land preparation was underway for spring planting. Soil moisture was mostly short to adequate across the state. Eastern Texas received the largest amount of rainfall with 0.25 to 1.0 inches of rainfall. The Panhandle and Trans-Pecos received 0.01 to 0.10 inches of rainfall. The rest of the state observed no rainfall. Supplemental feeding of hay to livestock increased in much of the state as pasture conditions continued to decline due to lack of rainfall and windy conditions. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Winter wheat continued to struggle across most of the state due to lack of moisture. Continued dry and windy conditions affected small grains. Wheat condition was poor to fair statewide. Oat condition was very poor to poor statewide. Cotton: Cotton harvesting continued and was drawing to a close in the Low Plains. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Pecan, other nut and wine grape producers were pruning their trees and vines. Vegetables, citrus and sugarcane continued to be harvested in the Lower Valley. Irrigation of spinach, cabbage, onions, carrots and other cool season crops continued in South Texas. Potatoes continued to be planted in South Texas. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Supplemental feeding of hay, protein and cubes to livestock increased as cold fronts continued across much of the state. Ranges and pastures continued to be in need of rainfall. Range and pasture condition was poor to fair statewide. Crop Progress Table - February 3, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------- Average Crop Stage 2008 2007 2003-2007 -------------------------------------------------------- Percent Winter Wheat Emerged 93 100 99 Oats Emerged 98 100 91 Pecans Harvested 99 99 99 ======================================================== Crop Condition Table - February 3, 2008 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------ Percent 2008 2007 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wheat 1 9 29 33 28 36 66 Oats 1 8 31 22 38 34 59 Range & Pasture 3 21 37 25 14 -- -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ The formula for the condition index is I = (5V + 25P + 60F + 90G + 110E)/100 where I = crop condition index and V, P, F, G, E = percentage of crop rated very poor, poor, fair, good, excellent. ========================================================================================================== Top Soil Moisture by District - February 3, 2008* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition 1-N 1-S 2-N 2-S 3 4 5-N 5-S 6 7 8-N 8-S 9 10-N 10-S ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent of Acreage Very Short 57 35 48 43 16 17 3 2 34 40 9 38 0 50 55 Short 34 50 35 48 72 35 24 6 52 51 42 57 0 40 15 Adequate 9 15 17 8 12 47 60 54 14 9 45 5 38 8 30 Surplus 0 0 0 1 0 1 13 38 0 0 4 0 62 2 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Plains: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. ================================================================================================================= Weather Information Table 1/ 2/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous National Previous Week Month-to-Date Year-to-Date 1961-90 Three Months Weather Service (Jan 28 - Feb 3) (January 1 - 31) (Jan 1 - Feb 3) Annual (Oct - Dec) Climatic Divisions Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Normal Percent of Normal --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.87 48 Low Rolling Plains 0.00 0.04 0.04 23.78 26 North Central Texas 0.05 0.47 0.47 34.00 55 East Texas 0.48 2.06 2.06 45.69 66 Trans-Pecos 0.00 0.17 0.17 12.96 45 Edwards Plateau 0.00 0.08 0.08 24.01 47 South Central Texas 0.03 1.45 1.45 34.48 58 Upper Coast 0.24 4.61 4.61 47.63 64 South Texas 0.00 0.52 0.52 23.49 23 Lower Valley 0.00 1.57 1.57 25.34 46 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Average of all stations reporting precipitation data. 2/ High Plains: 1-N, 1-S; Low Rolling Plains: 2-N, 2-S; North Central Texas: 3, 4; East Texas: 5-N, 5-S. Trans-Pecos: 6; Edwards Plateau: 7; South Central Texas: 8-N, 8-S; Upper Coast: 9; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information, please visit the following web sites: www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php and www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html ===============================================================================================================