Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW0908 Released: February 25, 2008 For the week of: February 18 - 24, 2008 Cooperating Agencies: Texas A & M Cooperative Extension, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Scattered showers were observed in the Panhandle and Eastern Texas. Small grains benefitted from the recent showers in the Panhandle and the Blacklands. Field work continued in the Panhandle as cotton producers were preparing their fields for the upcoming planting season. Corn planting was delayed in the Blacklands and South Central Texas due to the recent rainfall. Sorghum planting was underway in the Coastal Bend and the Lower Valley. Soil moisture was mostly very short to short across the state. Eastern Texas received the largest amount of rainfall with 0.10 to 1.5 inches of rainfall. The Panhandle received 0.01 to 1.0 inches of rainfall. The rest of the state observed no rainfall. Livestock continued to be in good shape across the state due to the supplemental feeding of hay and protein. Ranges and pastures continued to be in need of moisture. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Small grains benefitted from the recent showers in the Panhandle and the Blacklands. Irrigation continued in many wheat and oat fields across the state due to lack of moisture. Wheat condition was very poor to poor statewide. Cotton: Field work continued in the Panhandle as cotton producers were preparing their fields for the upcoming planting season. Planting was underway in the Lower Valley. Corn: Corn planting was delayed in the Blacklands and South Central Texas due to the recent rainfall. Sorghum: Producers continued to prepare for spring plantings in the Northern Low Plains. Sorghum planting was underway in the Coastal Bend and the Lower Valley. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Ground preparation was in full swing for vegetable plantings in South Central Texas. Spinach, carrot, and cabbage harvest was active in South Texas. Sugarcane, citrus, and vegetable harvest continued in the Lower Valley. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Livestock continued to be in good shape across the state due to the supplemental feeding of hay and protein. Cattle calving was prevalent across most of the state. Ranges and pastures across the state continued to be in need of moisture. Range and pasture condition was poor to fair statewide. Crop Progress Table - February 24, 2008 ------------------------------------------------------ Average Crop Stage 2008 2007 2003-2007 ------------------------------------------------------ Percent Corn Planted 1 -- -- Sorghum Planted 2 -- -- Winter Wheat Emerged 96 100 100 ====================================================== Crop Condition Table - February 24, 2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Index 1/ Crop ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Percent 2008 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wheat 1 9 26 33 31 35 68 Range & Pasture 2 18 35 30 15 -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 24, 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 59 41 50 51 15 10 0 0 51 58 28 48 0 51 20 Short 36 46 30 31 52 28 10 4 33 31 40 47 6 44 57 Adequate 5 13 20 17 33 55 73 61 16 11 27 5 48 5 23 Surplus 0 0 0 1 0 7 17 35 0 0 5 0 46 0 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 (February 18-24) (February 1 - 24) (Jan 1 - Feb 24) Annual (Nov, Dec, Jan) Climatic Divisions Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Normal Percent of Normal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.01 0.23 0.23 18.87 57 Low Rolling Plains 0.00 0.28 0.32 23.78 32 North Central Texas 0.00 1.04 1.51 34.00 53 East Texas 0.47 3.29 5.35 45.69 67 Trans-Pecos 0.00 0.00 0.17 12.96 72 Edwards Plateau 0.00 0.14 0.22 24.01 54 South Central Texas 0.17 0.92 2.37 34.48 62 Upper Coast 0.59 1.73 6.34 47.63 88 South Texas 0.00 0.06 0.58 23.49 34 Lower Valley 0.01 0.31 1.88 25.34 59 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ================================================================================================================