Texas Crop Weather Issue: TX-CW4409 Released: November 2, 2009 For the week of: October 26 - November 1, 2009 Cooperating Agencies: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service Agricultural Summary: Showers swept across the eastern part of the state leaving up to 2 to 10 inches of moisture in isolated areas. The rest of the state observed light to moderate amounts of rainfall. Recent rainfall and cooling temperatures improved wheat growing conditions in the High Plains. Cotton harvest was in full-swing across the Plains; however, harvest was delayed in some areas due to wet conditions. Harvest of late-planted corn continued in parts of the Northern High Plains. Wheat planting was delayed due to wet conditions in the Cross Timbers and Blacklands. Wheat emerged and progressed well in the Edwards Plateau and South Texas. Supplemental feeding of livestock increased in localized areas of the state as summer forages became dormant due to the cooler weather. Range and pastures continued to improve due to the recent rainfall across most of the state. Top soil moisture was mostly adequate to surplus across the state. Field Crops Report Small Grains: Recent rainfall and cooling temperatures improved wheat growing conditions in the High Plains. Wheat planting was delayed due to wet conditions in the Cross Timbers and Blacklands. Wheat and oats in the Blacklands were affected by armyworms. Wheat emerged and progressed well in the Edwards Plateau and South Texas. Wheat condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Oat condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Cotton: Cotton harvest was in full-swing across the Plains; however, harvest was delayed in some areas due to wet conditions. Cotton harvest was delayed in the Trans-Pecos due to high winds and wet conditions. Cotton condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Corn: Harvest of late-planted corn continued in parts of the Northern High Plains. Corn condition was mostly very poor to good statewide. Sorghum: Sorghum condition was mostly very poor to fair statewide. Peanuts: Producers continued to harvest peanuts in some areas of the Plains. Peanut harvest in South Texas was delayed due to wet conditions. Peanut condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Rice: Rice condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Soybeans: Soybean condition was mostly poor to fair statewide. Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Report Freezing conditions in the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau caused slight damage to vegetables and chilies in the Trans-Pecos. Cabbage harvest continued while rainfall delayed spinach and onion planting in South Texas. Pecans: Pecans harvest made good progress in the Edwards Plateau and South Central Texas. Livestock, Range and Pasture Report Supplemental feeding of livestock increased in localized areas of the state as summer forages became dormant due to the cooler weather. Stock tank levels were full in most areas of the state. Some hay was still being cut in localized areas of the state and baling was delayed due to wet conditions. Army worms and feral hogs continued to damage hay meadows and pastures in some areas of the state. Range and pastures continued to improve due to the recent rainfall across most of the state. Range and pasture condition was mostly fair to good statewide. Crop Progress Table - Novmeber 1, 2009 --------------------------------------------------------- Percent Crop Stage --------------------------- 2009 2008 Avg 2004-2008 --------------------------------------------------------- Corn Mature 100 100 100 Harvested 91 79 93 Cotton Bolls Opening 91 89 91 Harvested 28 23 31 Peanuts Harvested 54 55 53 Sorghum Coloring 91 99 99 Mature 76 90 93 Harvested 71 74 77 Soybeans Dropping Leaves 94 100 100 Harvested 76 96 93 Sunflowers Harvested 53 55 73 Winter Wheat Planted 76 86 85 Emerged 58 70 66 Oats Planted 82 84 83 Emerged 48 50 42 ========================================================= Crop Condition Table - November 1, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent Index 1/ Crop ------------------------------------------ ----------- Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor 2009 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corn 6 31 24 14 25 54 59 Cotton 7 29 30 18 16 57 60 Peanuts 10 51 38 1 0 80 79 Rice 10 30 39 9 12 64 - Sorghum 3 20 38 16 23 49 67 Soybeans 3 21 47 26 3 57 57 Wheat 4 41 41 10 4 69 75 Oats 7 33 41 15 4 66 43 Range & Pasture 7 34 34 18 7 - - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 - November 1, 2009 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percent of Acreage by District * 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very Short 1 10 4 5 0 0 0 1 23 9 2 7 2 3 90 Short 31 43 27 26 1 0 1 2 45 23 2 33 5 13 10 Adequate 63 44 60 66 62 18 18 37 32 60 84 53 56 82 0 Surplus 5 3 9 3 37 82 81 60 0 8 12 7 37 2 0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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: 96; South Texas: 10-N; Lower Valley: 10-S. ==================================================================================================== Weather Information Table 1/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous National Previous Week Month-to-Date Year-to-Date Annual Three Months Weather Service Accumulation Accumulation Accumulation Normal Percent of Normal Climatic Divisions 2/ (Oct 26 - Nov 1) (Oct 1 - 31) (Jan 1 - Nov 1) (1971 - 2000) (Jul - Sep) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- High Plains 0.43 1.51 14.47 19.64 88 Low Rolling Plains 0.35 2.46 18.43 24.51 96 North Central Texas 0.64 7.49 30.60 35.23 132 East Texas 2.98 11.32 41.92 48.08 140 Trans-Pecos 0.01 0.96 8.57 13.19 57 Edwards Plateau 0.40 3.18 17.03 24.73 80 South Central Texas 1.22 5.44 17.80 36.21 69 Upper Coast 3.19 9.36 30.33 50.31 67 South Texas 0.56 2.17 10.68 24.08 70 Lower Valley 1.15 2.39 12.85 25.43 77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 weather information, please visit the following web sites: www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/precip_analysis_new.php and www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html =============================================================================================================