Released: December 4, 2000 -- 3:00 p.m CST
For Week Ending December 3, 2000
SD-CW4800 Volume 49 Issue 48
AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY: Wintery weather pro
vided some early challenges for producers at the end of
November, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricul
tural Statistics Service. Many producers were trying to
keep the snow cleared to do chores. Ranchers were
kept busy moving hay and grain to feed cattle. Addi
tional snowfall stopped fieldwork and made finishing
the corn harvest more difficult. Moving grain and
inside work were the main activities for farmers.
This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.
WEATHER INFORMATION: Near normal temperatures
and frequent snows have brought an early start to
winter for the state. Precipitation accumulation last
week (rain or melted snow) ranged from 0 inch in the
northwest to 1.0 inch in Aberdeen. The statewide
average was 0.21 inch. Average temperatures ranged
from 22 to 30 degrees, with departure from normal
ranging from 4 degrees above to 4 degrees below
normal.
SOIL CONDITION: Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 32.8 degrees, 0.9 degree cooler than average, but not cold enough to freeze the ground. Topsoil moisture was rated short or very short for 33 percent of the state. Subsoil moisture was rated short or very short for 52 percent of the state.
FIELD CROPS REPORT: Winter wheat and rye were reported as having mostly good snow cover (62 and 56 percent, respectively), but many late planted fields did not completely emerge. Most of the state had no field activity last week. There were a few scattered reports of small amounts of corn and sunflower being har vested, as the snow and weather allowed. Outside rows were reported as full of blown snow, while central acres in these fields could be harvested. Since last report, corn harvest advanced 3 points, to 96 percent complete. This is 2 percentage points behind the five-year average. Winter wheat emerged, at 83 percent, remains low compared to the five-year aver age and 17 percentage points behind last year.
LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT: Due to snow cover, there is little or no fall grazing, forcing ranchers to start feeding hay or silage. Feed supplies are rated 4 percent very short, 12 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Water supplies are rated 17 percent very short, 22 percent short, 54 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. There were few reports of problems with ice cover. Cattle and sheep rated 78 and 72 percent in good to excellent condition, respectively.
SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 12
(4-inch Depth)
LOCATION TEMP LOCATION TEMP
Beresford 28 Gettysburg 33
Brookings 36 Nisland 34
Caputa 32 Pierre 35
Chamberlain 33 Redfield 36
Cottonwood 32 Watertown 32
CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS AS OF DEC. 3
ITEM V POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCEL
Percent
Winter Wheat 9 10 41 36 4
Winter Rye 12 1 31 47 9
Cattle 0 3 19 58 20
Sheep 1 3 24 51 21
CROP PROGRESS AS OF DECEMBER 3 1/
This Last Last 5-Yr.
ITEM Week Week Year Ave
Percent
Corn
grain harvested 96 93 100 98
Winter wheat
emerged 83 74 100 99
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.
TEMPERATURE and PRECIPITATION
for week ending December 3, 2000
TEMPERATURE ----- PRECIPITATION -----
----------- SINCE SINCE SINCE SINCE
CURRENT WEEK CURR JAN 1 APR 1 JAN 1 APR 1
STATION AVG DFN HI LO WEEK TOTAL TOTAL DFN DFN
------- -- -- -- -- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Bison 26 +2 43 14 0.00 16.20 13.67 -0.35 -0.86
Buffalo 27 +3 45 16 0.01 12.23 11.48 -1.40 -0.93
Dupree 25 +0 44 13 0.00 18.09 14.32 +1.90 -0.13
Mc Intosh 23 +0 40 10 0.00 17.40 11.13 +1.32 -3.43
Newell 25 +0 45 8 0.00 15.62 14.06 +0.83 +0.81
Timber Lake 25 +2 41 12 0.16 18.43 14.01 +1.19 -1.22
Aberdeen 24 +3 36 12 1.03 26.80 24.63 +8.58 +8.65
Eureka 24 +4 35 16 0.25 22.06 18.11 +5.43 +3.11
Faulkton 24 +3 38 10 0.88 23.48 21.33 +5.23 +5.24
Mobridge 26 +4 40 13 0.07 16.72 14.12 +0.20 -0.44
Roscoe 22 +1 35 6 0.74 25.52 21.93 +7.16 +5.55
Britton 22 +1 35 11 0.54 21.27 20.11 +2.77 +3.36
Clear Lake 22 +0 37 8 0.63 20.36 18.47 -3.38 -2.30
Sisseton 23 +0 37 9 0.01 20.72 18.46 +0.07 +0.30
Webster 22 +1 33 12 0.78 19.22 17.49 -1.38 -0.77
Watertown 23 +0 34 12 0.05 19.31 17.94 -2.50 -1.28
Faith 26 +2 43 13 0.00 18.83 15.96 +2.59 +1.58
Milesville 28 +3 46 16 0.00 16.61 13.02 -1.01 -2.63
Long Valley 30 +1 47 15 0.20 18.08 14.20 +0.62 -1.33
Philip 30 +4 50 15 0.01 12.67 10.57 -3.03 -3.45
Rapid City 30 +2 50 17 0.02 19.87 16.19 +3.64 +1.95
Spearfish 28 -3 44 14 0.00 18.89 16.70 -2.59 -1.92
Chamberlain 26 +0 41 15 0.26 15.65 14.70 -1.43 -0.56
Highmore 27 +3 38 16 0.21 17.20 15.57 -2.11 -1.60
Huron 25 +2 37 15 0.25 17.76 16.66 -1.93 -0.22
Onida 27 +4 41 16 0.17 18.81 17.20 +0.85 +1.63
Pierre 29 +3 42 15 0.25 10.60 9.38 -7.56 -6.69
Brookings 22 +1 34 9 0.11 22.56 20.35 -0.06 -0.23
Madison 23 +1 37 5 0.10 24.12 22.23 +0.66 +1.95
Mitchell 26 +0 39 12 0.02 22.79 19.46 +1.26 +0.63
Sioux Falls 25 +1 37 9 0.31 26.16 23.50 +2.88 +3.08
Custer 27 -2 43 8 0.02 15.56 14.44 -2.99 -2.19
Hot Springs 30 -2 52 14 0.00 13.73 11.55 -1.78 -2.43
Oelrichs 30 +2 49 8 0.05 16.49 13.93 +0.01 -0.58
Porcupine 28 +2 48 12 0.30 21.23 16.89 +5.69 +2.87
Murdo 28 +3 45 15 0.15 17.06 14.78 -0.58 -0.54
Winner 29 +0 42 17 0.27 16.63 15.75 -6.38 -4.37
Armour 27 -1 39 14 0.07 20.01 17.94 -2.36 -1.48
Centerville 24 -1 39 10 0.05 24.03 20.80 -0.43 -0.82
Marion 25 +1 38 12 0.08 22.80 20.45 -1.11 -0.39
Pickstown 30 +3 46 20 0.26 17.01 14.95 -4.70 -4.20
Vermillion 26 -3 39 9 0.50 22.96 20.66 -1.20 -0.81
Yankton 24 -4 41 7 0.08 27.96 25.07 +4.97 +4.64
Map to weather reporting stations
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