Released: January 6, 2002 -- 3:00 pm CST For Month ending December 31, 2002 SD-CW5202 Volume 51 Issue 52

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    The month of December brought trace amounts of snowfall with above normal temperatures, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Primary farm activities included caring for livestock, repairing machinery, selling grain, and planning for the coming year. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

WEATHER INFORMATION:   Temperatures ranged from 5 to 12 degrees above normal for the month of December. The average temperature for the state was 28 degrees, 9 degrees above normal. The lowest daily temperature reported was -11 degrees in Milesville and the highest daily temperature reported was 65 degrees in Newell and Long Valley. Precipitation was reported at 42 of the 43 weather stations during December. Webster reported the greatest amount of precipitation at 0.98 inch, while Bison was the only station to report no precipitation. The average snow depth for the state is 1.2 inches as of January 5th.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 30.7 degrees. This is down 7.6 degrees from November 24th. Soil temperatures averaged 1.8 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Trace amounts of precipita tion, in the form of rain and snow, fell over South Dakota cropland in the month of December. The lack of snow cover on winter wheat and rye has become a concern; however, if the mild weather continues, problems may not arise. Winter wheat snow cover is rated 98 percent poor and 2 percent adequate. The condition of winter wheat is slightly lower than mid- November's reported condition. As of November 24, 50 percent of the winter wheat was rated good to excellent, compared to 36 percent now. Winter wheat is rated at 8 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Winter rye snow cover is rated 84 percent poor, 15 percent adequate, and 1 percent excellent. The condi tion of winter rye is rated 1 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 44 percent fair, 33 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Alfalfa snow cover is rated 90 percent poor, 9 percent adequate, and 1 percent excellent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Feed supplies varied for the month of December, with 25 percent very short, 31 percent short, 42 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Mild weather for this time of year has allowed producers to stretch feed supplies and take full advantage of crop residue grazing. Stock water supplies are rated at 29 percent very short, 30 percent short, 40 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Cattle and sheep remain in fair to good condition. Cattle are rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. Sheep are rated 2 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Calf deaths are 39 percent below average, 60 percent average, and 1 percent above average. Lamb deaths are rated at 32 percent below average, and 68 percent average. The livestock feed and water supply comparison table was added to show current conditions.

     FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
         AS OF JANUARY 5, 2002 

              FEED             STOCK WATER 
            SUPPLIES            SUPPLIES 
         This  Last 5-Yr.    This  Last  5-Yr.
RATING   Year  Year  Ave.    Year  Year   Ave.

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     25     1    NA     29      4   NA
Short      31     7    NA     30      8   NA
Adeq.      42    83    NA     40     83   NA
Surplus     2     9    NA      1      5   NA


    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF JANUARY 5, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   8      14     42      31      5
Winter Rye     1       9     44      33     13
Cattle         1       3     25      56     15
Sheep          0       2     26      65      7



              SOIL TEMPERATURES
 WEEK ENDING January 5, 2002 (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      30              Gettysburg   31
Brookings      30              Nisland      32
Caputa         31              Pierre       32
Chamberlain    31              Redfield     32
Cottonwood     31              Watertown    28


                   TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                Month ENDING December 31, 2002
                                     
             TEMPERATURE  |    -----  PRECIPITATION -----   
             -----------  |                   SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE
            CURRENT WEEK  | CURR  DEPT FROM  JAN 1  APR 1    JAN 1  APR 1
STATION    AVG DFN  HI  LO| MONTH   NORMAL    TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN
Bison  	    29	10  60	 0  0.00    -0.47     7.13    6.54   -9.82   -8.45
Buffalo	    31	12  61	 0  0.10    -0.29     5.43    5.06   -8.50   -7.69
Dupree	    28	9   60	-3  0.24    -0.11     8.46    7.84   -8.04   -6.97
McIntosh    25	9   57	-3  0.21    -0.23     7.91    7.12   -8.57   -7.89
Newell	    30	10  65	 3  0.09    -0.26    11.40   10.17   -3.66   -3.39
Timber Lake 27	10  58	-2  0.23    -0.27     8.45    7.63   -9.24   -8.10
Aberdeen    23	9   54	-8  0.28    -0.13    15.25   14.41   -3.30   -1.96
Eureka	    25	11  52	-4  0.19    -0.13    13.99   13.34   -2.95   -2.02
Faulkton    26	11  58	-2  0.14    -0.22    17.14   15.85   -1.39   -0.58
Mobridge    26	10  59	-6  0.06    -0.41     7.95    7.77   -8.99   -7.27
Roscoe	    23	8   52	-4  0.31    -0.06    13.20   12.36   -5.45   -4.37
Britton	    23	9   49	-7  0.35    -0.04    12.76   12.00   -6.05   -5.10
Clear  Lake 23	8   54	-4  0.37    -0.19    19.04   16.10   -5.19   -5.22
Sisseton    24	8   52	-5  0.21    -0.34    19.34   19.12   -1.78    0.43
Webster	    22	8   49	-3  0.98     0.44    21.38   20.53    0.32    1.76
Watertown   23	7   51	-7  0.31    -0.19    17.55   16.84   -4.68   -2.86
Faith	    30	10  60	 0  0.20    -0.16     8.64    8.45   -7.92   -6.30
Milesville  29	10  61	-11 0.35    -0.14    11.98   10.38   -6.09   -5.77
Long Valley 31	7   65	 0  0.02    -0.31     4.32    4.03  -13.43  -11.85
Philip	    31	9   61	-9  0.11    -0.25     8.61    8.22   -7.41   -6.16
Rapid City  33	9   63	 1  0.04    -0.43    10.66    9.74   -5.98   -4.96
Spearfish   34	9   63	 7  0.15    -0.66    15.51   13.37   -6.69   -6.04
Chamberlain 29	9   59	-9  0.05    -0.34    14.67   12.95   -2.76   -2.71
Highmore    28	10  55	-6  0.21    -0.21    15.29   14.89   -4.38   -2.71
Huron	    27	10  57	-5  0.36    -0.11    13.15   11.74   -6.93   -5.59
Onida	    28	10  58	-6  0.18    -0.36    13.54   12.92   -4.88   -3.17
Pierre	    29	9   62	-6  0.32    -0.23    14.47   13.99   -4.20   -2.64
Brookings   24	9   56	-4  0.16    -0.17    23.26   20.39    0.37   -0.52
Madison	    25	10  52	-7  0.28    -0.50    16.82   15.55   -7.30   -5.46
Mitchell    27	9   58	-8  0.33    -0.27    20.20   17.90   -1.85   -1.52
Sioux Falls 27	10  57	-3  0.15    -0.55    24.08   22.25    0.22    1.18
Custer	    29	5   56	 2  0.12    -0.44    17.54   16.04   -1.49   -1.11
Hot Springs 32	6   61	 1  0.17    -0.19    14.68   12.27   -1.15   -2.07
Oelrichs    32	8   63	 1  0.22    -0.25    13.23   10.76   -3.64   -4.19
Porcupine   30	9   64	-4  0.14    -0.23    13.48   11.81   -2.41   -2.60
Murdo	    30	10  64	 1  0.16    -0.39    10.25    8.96   -7.88   -6.91
Winner	    33	9   62	-4  0.10    -0.51    13.75   12.15   -9.80   -8.57
Armour	    30	9   58	-9  0.09    -0.63    17.10   16.07   -5.96   -4.11
Centerville 27	10  57	-10 0.12    -0.54    21.75   20.70   -3.25   -1.52
Marion	    27	10  56	-5  0.15    -0.59    21.50   20.02   -3.03   -1.52
Pickstown   31	9   61	 0  0.09    -0.55    17.00   15.88   -5.25   -3.88
Vermillion  30	9   58	-9  0.05    -0.62    23.78   22.66   -0.94    0.57
Yankton	    29	9   58	-7  0.10    -0.44    20.78   18.76   -2.68   -2.19

       

Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.




The next Monthly Report for January will be released on February 4. 
Thank You.


           USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service