Return to the List of 2000 Crop Weather Reports

Released: August 14, 2000 -- 3:00 p. For Week Ending August 13, 2000 Volume 49 Issue 24

GENERAL:    Another week of mostly warm and dry conditions allowed farmers to continue small grain harvest, but severe weather in some areas damaged crops, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major activities by farmers and ranchers were irrigation, haying, caring for livestock, and small grain harvest. Statewide, there were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

SOIL CONDITIONS:    Topsoil moisture conditions improved slightly last week, as 55 percent of the state is reporting adequate to surplus topsoil conditions compared to 50 percent last week. Subsoil conditions decline though with 48 percent of the state reporting adequate to surplus subsoil conditions, down 2 percent age points from last week. 



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON AUGUST 13

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
          This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     11    20    5    17    21     1
Short      34    30   31    35    29    20
Adeq.      51    48   56    44    45    70
Surplus     4     2    8     4     5     9

CROPS:    Warm weather helped producers near completion of small grain harvest which is well ahead of last year and the five-year average. All small grains are above 90 percent harvested with spring wheat the lowest at 93 percent harvested. Corn in dough stage is 1 percentage point behind last year but 21 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Soybean development continues ahead of schedule as 83 percent are setting pods, 16 percentage points ahead of last year and 18 points ahead of average. Sunflower is the only crop developing more slowly than average. Although sunflower blooming, at 89 percent, is ahead of average, both flowers dry and bracts yellow are behind last year and the five-year average. In drier portions of the state, farmers have begun to harvest silage. Corn silage harvested is 2 percent complete and sorghum silage harvested is at 4 percent, both two weeks ahead of average. 

 
            CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS AUGUST 13

ITEM         V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Alfalfa       10      15     28      39      8
Corn           4       8     20      46     22
Soybeans       2       6     20      47     25
Sorghum        1      13     40      43      3
Sunflower      4      11     25      43     17
Cattle         0       1     14      65     20
Sheep          0       1     11      63     25
Range & 
   Pasture     8      14     30      38     10

LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE:    Scattered showers did bring some relief to livestock, but warm temperatures last week continue to shorten water supplies and stress livestock. As dugouts and other water supplies dry up, producers are faced with the task of hauling water or finding an alternative source. With water supplies decreasing, water quality has now become a concern. Livestock remain mostly in good to excellent condition with almost no reports of disease. Second cutting of alfalfa is 87 percent complete, and third cutting is 31 percent complete. Other hay harvested is 90 percent complete.

WEATHER:    Severe weather once again showed up in scattered portions of the state causing wind and hail damage. Although many areas needed the rain, there were numerous reports of crops either being blown flat by the wind or stripped by hail. Several reporting stations recorded highs of 100+ degrees, and a low of 48 degrees was recorded in Spearfish. Precipitation for the week varied as Yankton received 2.38 inches and several areas reported no precipitation for last week. 

             
                 CROP PROGRESS - AUGUST 13 1/
                                                                                                    
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM              Week   Week   Year    Ave
                           Percent
Barley  
 harvested         97     74     72     64
Spring Wheat
 harvested         93     72     77     57
Oats    
 harvested         97     87     82     72
Corn    
 silked            97     86     92     85
 dough             50     28     51     29
 dented            16      8      9      5
 silage harvested   2      0      0      0
Sorghum 
 headed            80     55     49     55
 coloring          25     15     23     12
 silage harvested   4      0      0      0
Soybeans
 blooming          95     88     95     92
 setting pods      83     61     67     65
 dropping leaves    4      0      2      2
Sunflower
 blooming          89     58     66     69
 ray flowers dry   11      7     18     14
 bracts yellow      6      4     16     11
Winter rye
 harvested         97     75     95     89 
Alfalfa  
 2nd cutting       87     84     82     81
 3rd cutting       31     24     20     NA
Other hay
 cut               90     84     83     83

1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.




             TEMPERATURE       -----  PRECIPITATION -----     GDD BASE 50F
             -----------          SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  ------------
            CURRENT WEEK    CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1 SINCE APRIL 1
STATION     VG DFN  HI  LO  WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN  TOTAL   DFN
-------     --  --  --  -- -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  ----
Bison       79  +7 101  56| 0.11  13.43  10.90  +0.64  +0.13|  1819  +112
Buffalo     79  +8 105  57| 0.21   9.17   8.42  -1.15  -0.68|  1789  +167
Dupree      79  +6 101  58| 0.05  15.56  11.79  +2.94  +0.91|  1828   -50
Mc Intosh   78  +7 103  54| 0.00  14.45   8.18  +2.31  -2.44|  1710   -54
Newell      73  +1  97  49| 0.15  12.39  10.83  +1.14  +1.12|  1552  -150
Timber Lake 78  +7 100  57| 0.08  15.37  10.95  +2.26  -0.15|  1797    -7
Aberdeen    74  +3  92  54| 0.01  17.81  15.64  +4.39  +4.46|  1794   -31
Eureka      76  +5  97  58| 0.00  17.29  13.34  +4.91  +2.59|  1790   +93
Faulkton    77  +6 100  57| 0.00  18.43  16.28  +4.94  +4.95|  2040  +254
Mobridge    77  +5  98  57| 0.02  14.61  12.01  +2.09  +1.45|  1812   -38
Roscoe      74  +3  97  57| 0.00  20.79  17.20  +6.82  +5.21|  1655  -128
Britton     76  +4  93  55| 0.00  15.33  14.17  +1.94  +2.53|  1957  +100
Clear Lake  74  +3  92  60| 0.04  13.94  12.05  -2.86  -1.78|  1665  -135
Sisseton    75  +3  98  54| 0.01  15.71  13.45  +0.99  +1.22|  1732  -171
Webster     75  +4  92  56| 0.00  14.06  12.33  -0.85  -0.24|  1751   -41
Watertown   73  +2  91  55| 0.00  14.69  13.32  -0.89  +0.33|  1750   -52
Faith       78  +5 102  58| 0.08  16.68  13.81  +3.91  +2.90|  1800   -66
Milesville  80  +5 105  57| 0.00  13.81  10.22  +0.44  -1.18|  1926   -65
Long Valley 80  +6 101  56| 0.00  14.29  10.41  +0.51  -1.44|  2057   +96
Philip      79  +4 104  53| 0.00  10.42   8.32  -1.81  -2.23|  1962   -85
Rapid City  78  +7 102  54| 0.05  17.28  13.60  +4.85  +3.16|  1795  +117
Spearfish   72  +2  96  48| 0.15  13.16  10.97  -2.99  -2.32|  1598    -6
Chamberlain 79  +4 101  57| 0.48  11.72  10.77  -1.42  -0.55|  2028  -138
Highmore    79  +5  99  58| 0.00  14.26  12.63  -0.25  +0.26|  2083  +128
Huron       77  +4  97  56| 0.02  14.60  13.50  -0.08  +1.63|  2048   +99
Onida       78  +4 101  55| 0.00  13.21  11.60  -0.44  +0.34|  1868  -147
Pierre      82  +7 105  57| 0.01   8.83   7.61  -5.14  -4.27|  2271  +204
Brookings   73  +4  89  56| 0.36  16.94  14.73  +1.04  +0.87|  1678   +37
Madison     74  +4  91  55| 0.78  18.29  16.40  +1.78  +3.07|  1808   +21
Mitchell    77  +4  97  59| 0.14  16.97  13.64  +1.57  +0.94|  2045   -56
Sioux Falls 75  +3  89  57| 0.89  19.99  17.33  +4.36  +4.56|  1906   -63
Custer      71  +6  91  50| 0.00  13.01  11.89  -1.36  -0.56|  1162   +57
Hot Springs 75  +3  98  51| 0.14  10.84   8.66  -1.19  -1.84|  1841   -16
Oelrichs    78  +5 101  53| 0.24  12.81  10.25  +0.09  -0.50|  1880   -56
Porcupine   77  +4  99  53| 0.00  15.48  11.14  +3.22  +0.40|  1746  -141
Murdo       79  +7 101  60| 0.23  14.14  11.86  +0.41  +0.45|  1988   +42
Winner      81  +6 100  58| 0.14  13.29  12.41  -4.22  -2.21|  2275    +6
Armour      79  +5  99  60| 0.52  12.91  10.84  -3.40  -2.52|  2270   +95
Centerville 76  +5  94  57| 0.64  15.84  12.61  -1.64  -2.03|  2064   +68
Marion      75  +4  90  61| 0.77  16.46  14.11  +0.02  +0.74|  1930   -27
Pickstown   81  +6 102  62| 1.12  10.52   8.46  -4.98  -4.48|  2233  +113
Vermillion  79  +6  97  60| 1.11  14.69  12.39  -2.52  -2.13|  2283    +8
Yankton     79  +5  97  63| 2.38  19.85  16.96  +3.25  +2.92|  2162   +72

 
Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches.
Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit.


 
 
 
South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture South Dakota county map showing subsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

Return to the List of 2000 Crop Weather Reports