sc-crop-weather State South Carolina Crop Weather Release Date, Week Ending Date Week Ending May 1, 2005 Issue SC-CW1409 Agricultural Summary Below average temperatures continued to hamper crop development across the state. Unseasonably cool weather at the beginning of the week slowly turned back to normal by week's end and allowed producers ample time for field activities. There were 5.7 days suitable for field work. Strong winds and hail were reported in Hampton and Colleton counties on Saturday. Vegetable planting was starting to wind down. Soil moisture was 17% short, 77% adequate and 6% surplus. Field Crops Report Eight percent of the State's SOYBEANS had been planted by the end of the week. CORN was in fair to mostly good condition with planting at 97 percent and 85 percent of the crop emerged. Twelve percent of the COTTON crop and 38 percent of the SORGHUM crop were reported planted by week's end. PEANUT planting was 16 percent complete. TOBACCO transplanting was 84 percent complete at the end of last week. Sweet Potato planting began last week and was 8 percent completed. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Report CANTALOUPE planting was 81 percent complete and WATERMELON planting was 86 percent complete at the end of the week with both crops in mostly fair condition. CUCUMBER planting was 95 percent complete and SNAP BEAN planting was 88 percent complete with both crops in mostly good condition. Ninety-six percent of the TOMATO crop was planted and was in fair to good shape with 18 percent in excellent condition. PEACHES were in mostly good to excellent condition. Small Grains, Pastures and Livestock Report LIVESTOCK remained in fair to mostly good condition as did PASTURES. All SMALL GRAINS were in mostly good condition. Some additional heat units are needed to encourage ripening. Eighty-eight percent of WINTER WHEAT, 69 percent of BARLEY, 90 percent of RYE, and 83 percent of OATS had headed by week's end, with 13 percent, 12 percent, 23 percent and 20 percent turning color respectively. Crop Progress Table ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 Yr : 5 Yr Crop Phase 2005 2004 Avg :Crop Phase 2005 2004 Avg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --Percent-- --Percent-- Barley Headed 69 72 75 :Rye Headed 90 91 90 Barley Turned Color 12 17 20 :Rye Turned Color 23 22 25 Cantaloups Planted 81 86 82 :Snap Beans Planted 88 85 85 Corn Planted 97 98 93 :Sorghum Planted 38 43 43 Corn Emerged 85 83 81 :Soybeans Planted 8 9 9 Cotton Planted 12 18 15 :Tobacco Planted 84 94 88 Cucumbers Planted 95 93 97 :Tomatoes Planted 96 99 96 Grain Hay Harvested 31 38 38 :Sweetpotato Planted 8 10 17 Oats Headed 83 89 90 :Watermelons Planted 86 89 90 Oats Turned Color 20 16 24 :Winter Wht. Headed 88 93 91 Peanuts Planted 16 19 20 :Winter Wht. Turned Color 13 15 22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crop Condition Table ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Very Excel- Very Excel- Crop Poor Poor Fair Good lent :Crop Poor Poor Fair Good lent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Percent -- -- Percent-- Apples 0 0 25 25 50 :Peaches 0 0 6 63 31 Barley 0 0 28 46 26 :Rye 0 0 20 78 2 Cantaloups 0 0 94 3 3 :Snap Beans 0 0 8 70 22 Corn 0 5 31 58 6 :Tobacco 0 3 25 69 3 Cucumbers 0 0 35 45 20 :Tomatoes 0 0 32 50 18 Livestock 0 1 21 68 10 :Watermelons 0 5 73 21 1 Oats 0 1 24 69 6 :Winter Wheat 0 1 17 70 12 Pastures 0 1 26 59 14 : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending May 1, 2005 Near record cold temperatures were observed on Monday morning. Sites upstate reported a freeze while the usual cold pockets throughout the central counties reported a frost. Milder air began a push from the south on Tuesday with a few showers passing west to east. By Friday afternoon temperatures were back to normal and near 80 degrees. A frontal boundary crossed the State on Saturday with widespread thunderstorms. Hampton County reported hail and high winds. Skies began to clear during the day on Sunday. For the period, the State average temperature was four degrees below normal. The highest official temperature reported was 82 degrees at Cades, Orangeburg and Jamestown on April 29. The lowest official temperature reported was 29 degrees at Chester and Johnston on the morning of April 25. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.00 inches at Ridgeville ending at 7:00 a.m. on April 27. The average Statewide rainfall for the period was 0.4 inches. SOIL: 4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 67 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 65 degrees. Precipitation Weekly Jan 1 Deviation Total Total From Avg Greer 0.84 13.9 -3.7 Columbia 0.32 13.1 -3.1 Orangeburg 0.52 12.8 -3.2 Charlotte, NC 0.68 13.2 -1.8 Augusta, GA 0.34 16.4 0.2 Florence 0.36 10.7 -3.3 Myrtle Beach 0.23 9.1 -4.0 Charleston NA NA NA Savannah, GA 0.32 13.4 -0.5 Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday. Contact Information Robert A. Graham, Director Jim Johnson, Agricultural Statistician Phone: 803-765-5333 E-mail: nass-sc@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/