Released: September 4, 2001 -- 3:00 p.c. CST
For Week Ending September 2, 2001
SD-CW3501 Volume 50 Issue 35
AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY: Hot, dry, and windy
weather across the state stressed moisture conditions
and added to producers' concerns about row crop and
cattle condition, according to USDA's South Dakota
Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities for
the week included harvesting alfalfa, cutting silage,
spraying pesticides, and preparing for winter wheat
planting. Statewide, there were 6.7 days 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: Generally, warm weather
continued across the state last week, with only a few
thundershowers. Temperatures ranged from 2 to 9
degrees above normal. Highs in the upper 80's and
90's were common, topping out at 101 in
Chamberlain. Lows ranged from 41 in Porcupine to 56
in Pickstown. Precipitation was scarce, as many areas
reported no rain during last week. Most rain fell in the
southern and eastern parts of the state. Sioux Falls
received the most rainfall last week, measured at 1.06
inches.
SOIL CONDITION: Lack of significant rain, high temperatures, and wind depleted topsoil moisture across the state. Areas rated with adequate topsoil moisture dropped 14 percentage points, with only 19 percent of the state now reporting adequate topsoil moisture. This leaves 81 percent of the state rated as short or very short of topsoil moisture and 67 percent as short or very short of subsoil moisture.
FIELD CROPS REPORT: Moisture conditions did not improve last week, prompting many reports that rain now is necessary for pods to fill on soybeans. Many reporters observed early firing on corn and that crop progress was being pushed. Corn condition declined from a week earlier, with 63 percent dented and 7 percent mature, compared to 57 and 10 percent last year, respectively. Soybeans are 29 percent dropping leaves and 2 percent mature, compared to last year's 21 percent dropping leaves and 5 percent mature. Sorghum coloring, at 72 percent, is 20 points ahead of last year, while the 4 percent rated mature is behind last year. Dry conditions pushed silage harvest into full swing, with sorghum silage 20 percent and corn silage 19 percent complete. Sunflower crop progress edged ahead of last year, with ray flowers dry at 70 percent and 44 percent bracts yellowing, while sunflower mature is a scant 2 percent. Topsoil moisture is too dry for seeding winter crops, as only 2 percent of winter wheat and 1 percent of the rye are seeded, compared to the five-year average of 6 and 9 percent, respectively.
LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT: Many comments on dry, browning, or used-up pastures have ranchers concerned as to how long they can pasture the cattle. Range and pasture conditions continue to decline, with only 40 percent of the state in good to excellent condition, down 3 points from a week earlier. Feed and water supplies remain mostly adequate, however, one fifth of the state now has short stock water supplies. Cattle and sheep remain mostly in good to excellent condition.
SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
AS OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2001
TOPSOIL SUBSOIL
This Last Last This Last Last
RATING Week Week Year Week Week Year
Percent
Very
Short 32 26 24 23 12 24
Short 49 41 43 44 42 38
Adeq. 19 33 32 33 46 35
Surplus 0 0 1 0 0 3
CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
AS OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2001
ITEM V POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCEL
Percent
Alfalfa 5 21 36 33 5
Corn 4 13 29 39 15
Soybeans 5 18 27 39 11
Sorghum 2 5 48 40 5
Sunflower 2 4 35 49 10
Cattle 0 1 19 64 16
Sheep 0 1 19 66 14
Range &
Pasture 5 18 37 33 7
CROP PROGRESS AS OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2001 1/
This Last Last 5-Yr.
ITEM Week Week Year Ave
Percent
Barley
harvested 99 94 100 98
Corn
dough 93 86 89 87
dented 63 43 57 49
mature 7 1 10 8
silage harvested 19 6 19 9
Sorghum
coloring 72 48 52 49
mature 4 1 7 8
silage harvested 20 5 19 8
Soybeans
dropping leaves 29 21 21 17
mature 2 0 5 4
Sunflower
ray flowers dry 70 51 69 63
bracts yellow 44 16 42 43
mature 2 0 5 4
Winter wheat
seeded 2 0 3 6
emerged 0 0 0 2
Winter rye
seeded 1 0 3 9
emerged 0 0 1 5
Alfalfa
2nd cutting 95 93 94 95
3rd cutting 51 50 51 NA
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.
TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
WEEK ENDING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2001
TEMPERATURE | ----- PRECIPITATION ----- | GDD BASE 50F
----------- | SINCE SINCE SINCE SINCE| ------------
CURRENT WEEK | CURR JAN 1 APR 1 JAN 1 APR 1|SINCE APRIL 1
STATION AVG DFN HI LO| WEEK TOTAL TOTAL DFN DFN| TOTAL DFN
------- -- -- -- --|----- ----- ----- ----- -----| ----- ----
Bison 73 +8 97 51 0.00 15.70 14.59 +2.01 +2.86 2400 +336
Buffalo 74 +9 95 47 0.00 12.66 12.02 +1.66 +2.20 2271 +310
Dupree 71 +4 97 47 0.00 11.05 9.60 -2.47 -2.23 2465 +201
Mc Intosh 70 +5 98 46 0.00 14.68 14.07 +1.43 +2.29 2262 +145
Newell 69 +4 92 45 0.08 12.11 10.56 +0.09 +0.04 2245 +191
Timber Lake 72 +6 96 50 0.00 13.39 11.71 -0.92 -0.64 2404 +246
Aberdeen 70 +4 93 46 0.00 16.89 15.04 +2.18 +2.51 2408 +231
Eureka 71 +6 91 48 0.00 16.44 15.49 +2.87 +3.50 2429 +395
Faulkton 72 +6 93 47 0.00 14.76 11.80 -0.14 -1.00 2556 +426
Mobridge 73 +7 94 50 0.00 14.74 14.19 +1.20 +2.55 2465 +249
Roscoe 69 +3 91 47 0.04 14.55 13.09 -0.61 -0.15 2233 +97
Britton 71 +5 89 48 0.00 15.44 13.95 +0.72 +0.94 2597 +378
Clear Lake 67 +2 88 49 0.87 23.92 20.32 +5.34 +4.65 2228 +89
Sisseton 68 +2 90 44 0.16 15.64 14.51 -0.73 +0.57 2297 +33
Webster 70 +5 88 52 0.00 14.81 13.69 -1.76 -0.59 2353 +222
Watertown 69 +4 91 45 0.05 16.27 15.29 -0.93 +0.62 2330 +182
Faith 74 +7 97 50 0.00 10.87 10.32 -2.66 -1.40 2509 +259
Milesville 73 +5 97 49 0.10 15.71 13.80 +1.23 +1.24 2592 +196
Long Valley 74 +6 99 48 0.00 14.16 11.56 -0.64 -1.37 2606 +246
Philip 74 +5 98 49 0.28 8.46 8.00 -4.62 -3.44 2723 +259
Rapid City 73 +8 95 51 0.00 12.33 11.49 -1.05 +0.05 2387 +355
Spearfish 73 +8 91 54 0.02 15.32 12.55 -1.97 -1.95 2428 +488
Chamberlain 73 +3 101 51 0.00 20.11 17.20 +5.84 +4.70 2616 +22
Highmore 73 +5 98 48 0.00 15.91 14.79 +0.11 +1.06 2640 +292
Huron 72 +5 96 46 0.00 21.08 17.52 +5.26 +4.45 2640 +317
Onida 73 +5 96 51 0.00 15.54 13.62 +0.70 +1.11 2515 +98
Pierre 74 +6 97 52 0.01 15.42 12.73 +0.50 -0.15 2756 +274
Brookings 68 +4 90 44 0.32 17.06 15.02 -0.57 -0.63 2257 +310
Madison 69 +4 92 47 0.31 17.66 15.59 -0.59 +0.45 2384 +261
Mitchell 72 +4 96 51 0.29 18.09 14.57 +1.26 +0.37 2650 +157
Sioux Falls 71 +4 92 51 1.06 22.31 19.35 +4.84 +4.67 2585 +248
Custer 64 +5 81 43 0.21 17.53 15.89 +2.03 +2.27 1545 +200
Hot Springs 71 +4 95 46 0.02 10.71 8.85 -2.07 -2.44 2326 +91
Oelrichs 72 +4 97 45 0.00 13.12 10.40 -0.54 -1.34 2373 +36
Porcupine 69 +2 94 41 0.00 15.33 12.54 +2.33 +1.02 2301 +39
Murdo 74 +7 96 50 0.00 17.24 15.13 +2.62 +2.77 2575 +245
Winner 77 +7 98 55 0.00 21.32 18.52 +2.47 +2.50 2814 +110
Armour 73 +5 94 53 0.26 22.92 19.82 +5.20 +4.98 2777 +192
Centerville 70 +3 91 51 0.35 19.37 16.85 +0.16 +0.42 2550 +195
Marion 70 +4 92 50 0.36 22.90 19.43 +4.69 +4.21 2475 +164
Pickstown 75 +6 97 56 0.14 20.51 16.92 +3.55 +2.45 2705 +175
Vermillion 73 +4 92 49 0.02 16.72 14.46 -2.23 -1.86 2861 +177
Yankton 73 +5 95 52 0.24 20.49 16.82 +2.33 +1.17 2798 +323
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