Released: April 2, 2001 -- 3:00 p.m
For Month of March 2001
SD-CW0901 Volume 50 Issue 13
AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY: The month of March
brought below normal temperatures and wet, thawing
conditions, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricul
tural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included
caring for newborn calves and lambs, accessing feed,
and crop planting preparation. Wet conditions and
muddy cattle lots have made for difficult calving and
lambing conditions this spring. Dormant pastures are
contributing to an already short feed supply condition.
Producers are anticipating little to no field work for at
least the next 10 to 14 days. Statewide, there was
only 0.8 day reported suitable for fieldwork.
This report is based on information from county extension
educators, farm service agency county directors, and other
reporters across the state.
WEATHER INFORMATION: March temperatures aver
aged 32.9 degrees, 5.6 degrees below normal. State
wide precipitation totals since January 1 equal 2.21
inches, which is 0.15 inch below normal. Tempera
tures ranged from a high of 66 degrees in Pickstown to
a low of -1 degree in Watertown. The slow winter
snow melt has pushed spring activities back further
than normal.
SOIL CONDITION: Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 34.8 degrees, compared to 26.5 degrees in February. Topsoil moisture was reported as 78 percent adequate, with 18 percent surplus and 4 percent short. Subsoil moisture is rated as 76 percent adequate, 10 percent surplus, 13 percent short, and 1 percent very short. The slow thaw has limited water runoff. Warmer temperatures and good drying condi tions are required before fieldwork can begin.
FIELD CROPS REPORT: Very little spring field activity was reported, as wet conditions push spring planting further back. Winter wheat and winter rye progress are reported as 30 percent and 5 percent breaking winter dormancy, respectively. Winter wheat condition is reported as 85 percent fair to excellent. Producers are anticipating spring fieldwork to begin on April 15, as long as the weather cooperates.
LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT: Calving and lambing season is well underway, as 37 percent of the calving and 59 percent of the lambing is com pleted. Feed supplies are rated 8 percent very short, 25 percent short, 63 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Stock water supplies are reported as 81 percent adequate, with 9 percent short and 10 percent rated as surplus. Overall, cattle were rated 98 percent in fair to excellent condition, with only 2 percent rated in poor condition. Sheep were rated at 74 percent in good to excellent condition and 26 percent poor to fair. Death loss is mostly average or below average. Pas tures are not yet greening up, forcing producers to continue feeding livestock from their already depleted stocks. Melting snow has provided much needed water supplies for stock dams.
SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING MAR. 4, 2001
(4-inch Depth)
LOCATION TEMP LOCATION TEMP
Beresford 28 Gettysburg 21
Brookings 32 Nisland 30
Caputa 29 Pierre 25
Chamberlain 26 Redfield 27
Cottonwood 27 Watertown 24
CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
AS OF MAR. 4, 2001
ITEM V POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCEL
Percent
Winter Wheat 5 12 39 40 4
Winter Rye 0 1 22 72 6
Cattle 0 4 29 53 14
Sheep 0 3 30 52 15
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 36 +0 56 14| 0.23 1.04 0.00 -0.98 -0.06|
Buffalo 35 -3 54 15| 0.21 0.64 0.00 -0.57 -0.03|
Dupree 36 -2 57 13| 0.12 1.45 0.00 -0.29 -0.05|
Mc Intosh 33 -3 58 8| 0.07 0.61 0.00 -0.91 -0.05|
Newell 33 -5 52 16| 0.15 1.30 0.00 -0.24 -0.04|
Timber Lake 34 -3 56 9| 0.10 1.68 0.00 -0.33 -0.05|
Aberdeen 28 -9 41 8| 0.04 1.85 0.00 -0.39 -0.06|
Eureka 32 -4 48 8| 0.00 0.95 0.00 -0.68 -0.05|
Faulkton 30 -6 44 8| 0.01 2.96 0.00 +0.80 -0.06|
Mobridge 33 -4 56 10| 0.05 0.55 0.00 -1.41 -0.06|
Roscoe 27 -10 42 8| 0.00 1.46 0.00 -0.52 -0.06|
Britton 32 -5 45 7| 0.08 1.57 0.00 -0.18 -0.04|
Clear Lake 25 -12 41 5| 0.03 3.60 0.00 +0.62 -0.07|
Sisseton 29 -9 40 8| 0.10 1.13 0.00 -1.36 -0.06|
Webster 29 -8 41 5| 0.05 1.12 0.00 -1.22 -0.05|
Watertown 26 -11 41 -1| 0.10 0.98 0.00 -1.61 -0.06|
Faith 35 -4 58 14| 0.11 0.55 0.00 -1.31 -0.05|
Milesville 37 -3 58 14| 0.10 1.91 0.00 -0.06 -0.05|
Long Valley 39 -1 59 19| 0.30 2.60 0.00 +0.67 -0.06|
Philip 37 -4 62 14| 0.06 0.46 0.00 -1.22 -0.04|
Rapid City 36 -3 55 20| 0.15 0.84 0.00 -1.15 -0.05|
Spearfish 35 -3 54 15| 0.20 2.77 0.00 -0.09 -0.07|
Chamberlain 32 -8 61 10| 0.23 2.91 0.00 +1.09 -0.05|
Highmore 34 -5 52 8| 0.18 1.04 0.00 -1.09 -0.06|
Huron 28 -11 42 1| 0.37 3.56 0.00 +0.75 -0.06|
Onida 34 -5 55 10| 0.07 1.92 0.00 -0.47 -0.06|
Pierre 35 -5 60 11| 0.06 2.69 0.00 +0.60 -0.05|
Brookings 26 -10 39 3| 0.40 2.04 0.00 +0.00 -0.06|
Madison 28 -8 44 7| 0.66 2.07 0.00 -1.11 -0.07|
Mitchell 30 -10 55 5| 0.83 3.52 0.00 +0.82 -0.07|
Sioux Falls 32 -8 55 9| 0.54 2.96 0.00 +0.10 -0.07|
Custer 30 -6 43 18| 0.14 1.64 0.00 -0.28 -0.04|
Hot Springs 39 -2 62 20| 0.00 1.86 0.00 +0.33 -0.04|
Oelrichs 37 -4 53 23| 0.15 2.72 0.00 +0.75 -0.05|
Porcupine 37 -2 58 18| 0.34 2.79 0.00 +1.27 -0.04|
Murdo 35 -4 59 12| 0.09 2.11 0.00 -0.21 -0.06|
Winner 38 -5 63 13| 0.08 2.80 0.00 -0.10 -0.07|
Armour 36 -6 55 9| 0.00 3.10 0.00 +0.15 -0.07|
Centerville 32 -7 55 10| 0.29 2.52 0.00 -0.32 -0.06|
Marion 30 -9 53 7| 0.41 3.47 0.00 +0.40 -0.08|
Pickstown 35 -5 66 7| 0.55 3.59 0.00 +1.03 -0.07|
Vermillion 37 -6 60 11| 0.25 2.26 0.00 -0.44 -0.07|
Yankton 34 -6 65 9| 0.15 3.67 0.00 +1.10 -0.06|
Map to weather reporting stations
Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Return to the List of 2001 Crop Weather Reports