Return to the List of 1997 Crop Weather Reports

Released: September 15, 1997 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending September 14, 1997 Volume 46 Issue 28

GENERAL
Row crops continued to make good progress while producers made excellent gains in winter wheat seeding during the week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major activities by South Dakota farmers and ranchers during the week were harvesting corn and sorghum for silage, working stubble fields, and spraying. Topsoil and subsoil conditions rated mostly adequate, with scattered dry pockets across the state. Statewide there were 5.7 days suitable for field work.

This report is based on information from county agents and other reporters around the state. 

SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               TOPSOIL           SUBSOIL
          This  Last  Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week  Year  Week  Week  Year
                        Percent
Very 
 Short      2     3   12     1     2     9
Short      16    12   41     8     9    37
Adeq.      75    76   47    82    79    52
Surplus     7     9    0     9    10     2


CROPS
Warm, sunny weather spurred the maturity of row crops during the week and enabled the seeding of winter crops to progress unhindered. The amount of corn reaching dough stage increased to 96 percent, 6 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Corn dented jumped to 78 percent, an increase of 22 points from last week. Corn rated mature is at 19 percent. Soybeans dropping leaves increased to 47 percent, 11 points ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans considered mature are 9 points ahead of normal. Sunflower development was also ahead of normal, with 92 percent of the ray flowers dry, 73 bracts yellow, and 23 mature. Winter wheat seeding is now 47 percent complete, an increase of 32 points from last week. Producers are 14 points ahead of normal in their winter wheat seeding. Winter wheat is 10 percent emerged, compared to 5 last week. 

CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD  EXCEL
                          Percent
Flaxseed       0       1     28     60     11
Sorghum        0       1     10     71     18
Soybeans       0       5     15     51     29
Sunflower      0       1      9     61     29
Corn           0       4     12     54     30
Livestock      0       0      7     68     25
Range &
  Pasture      1       3     15     58     23


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Pasture and livestock conditions rated mostly good to excellent. Silage harvesting was ahead of the five-year average, with corn at 15 percent and sorghum at 16 percent. Stock water supplies were 2 percent short, 91 adequate, and 7 surplus.

WEATHER
Average temperatures generally ranged from 1 degree to 7 degrees above normal. The highest temperature was 95 degrees at Milesville and Oelrichs. The lowest temperature was 27 degrees at Deerfield, followed by Camp Crook at 34 degrees. Huron received the heaviest precipitation with 1.47 inches, followed by Yankton with 0.60 inch. 

CROP PROGRESS
AS OF SUNDAY, September 14, 1997   1/
             This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM         Week   Week   Year   Ave
                      Percent
Barley
 harvested       99     97    100   100
Corn    
 dough           96     88     94    90
 dent            78     56     68    64
 mature          19      8     13    17
 grain harv       0      0      1     0   
 silage harv     15      5     10    11   
Flaxseed     
 harvested       89     73     97    72      
Soybeans    
 drop leaves     47     27     53    36
 mature          21      6     20    12
 harvested        0      0      1     0   
Sunflower  
 ray flowers dry 92     72     94    87 
 bracts yellow   73     46     72    64
 mature          23      4     15    16    
Sorghum    
 coloring        81     65     84    58
 mature          21     14     27    17 
 silage harv     16      4      7     9 
Winter Wheat 
 seeded          47     15     24    33 
 emerged         10      5      5     8
Winter Rye   
 seeded          39     18     25    34
 emerged         18      3     NA    NA      

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

NOTICE: South Dakota Weekly Crop-Weather Reports are also 
available via an automated electronic mailing list.  You
can subscribe to receive this report and have it sent directly 
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                Growing Degree Days |    Temperature past week
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                 GDD       Departure|          Departure
                 Since     from     |  Ave     from        High   Low 
Dist  Station    April 7   normal   |          normal 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      - - - - - - Degrees - - - - - - 
NW  Camp Crook        2184      -134        65        4       87       34
    Newell            2299       -43        68        6       88       47
    Lemmon            2290        62        67        7       85       44
    Dupree            2337      -202        67        3       89       43

NC  Mobridge          2412       -77        68        6       88       49
    Faulkton          2418      -143        67        4       87       47
    Aberdeen          2288      -184        66        5       84       44

NE  Waubay            2285      -130        66        4       83       51
    Watertown         2167      -201        64        3       82       43
    Milbank           2379      -121        65        2       82       46

WC  Spearfish         2259       -25        66        4       85       48
    Rapid City        2252      -214        66        4       91       45
    Cottonwood        2373      -203        66        1       90       41
    Milesville        2476      -148        70        5       95       44
    Deerfield           NA        NA        56        5       78       27
    Lead                NA        NA        63        4       82       38

C   Pierre            2629       -52        70        6       90       47
    Highmore          2391      -234        66        1       86       44
    Huron             2529       -60        67        5       85       45

EC  Mitchell          2552      -235        66        0       87       45
    Brookings         2197       -96        62        1       82       37
    Sioux Falls       2366      -281        64        2       83       43

SW  Oelrichs          2359      -212        70        5       95       44
    Martin              NA        NA        64       NA       NA       NA
    Custer              NA        NA        62        6       80       37
    Hot Springs         NA        NA        68        4       91       42

SC  Murdo             2491      -191        70        5       89       49
    Kennebec          2700      -117        69        2       87       45
    Winner            2598      -299        70        2       87       50

SE  Pickstown         2674      -172        69        3       86       48
    Yankton           2670       -68        68        2       87       48
    Sx City, IA       2641      -204        66        1       86       43
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  1/ Growing degree days are calculated by subtracting 50 degrees (F) 
     base temperature from the average of the maximum and minimum
     temperatures for the day. The daily maximum is limited to 86
     degrees (F) and daily minimum of 50 degrees (F). NA=Not Available.


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                                     Precipitation
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                            Totals             |  Departure from normal
               -----------------------------------------------------------
Dist  Station     Weekly     Yearly  Since 4/7 | Weekly  Yearly  Since 4/7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 - - - - - - - - - - - - Inches - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NW  Camp Crook        0.05     11.86      9.81    -0.23     0.89    -0.01
    Newell            0.00     11.68      9.20    -0.28     0.04    -1.23
    Lemmon            0.00     14.95     12.04    -0.35     0.54    -0.45
    Dupree            0.00     13.90     10.85    -0.28     0.97    -0.35

NC  Mobridge          0.03     15.11     11.62    -0.29     1.74    -0.26
    Faulkton          0.00     17.23      9.09    -0.36     2.14    -4.26
    Aberdeen          0.37     15.18     10.37    -0.08     0.38    -2.60

NE  Waubay            0.38     16.62     11.63    -0.05     0.40    -2.92
    Watertown         0.05     14.34     10.16    -0.44    -2.98    -4.98
    Milbank           0.29     19.00     12.56    -0.20     1.68    -2.58

WC  Spearfish         0.03     15.18     11.52    -0.32    -1.05    -2.29
    Rapid City        0.00     19.62     17.49    -0.28     6.29     5.85
    Cottonwood        0.00     23.31     19.62    -0.28    10.68     8.30
    Milesville        0.00     20.76     16.23    -0.35     6.54     3.63
    Deerfield         0.07     21.71     19.02    -0.42     6.83     5.78
    Lead              0.01     26.86     18.29    -0.41     5.98     1.63

C   Pierre            0.02     26.34     20.00    -0.39    11.41     6.81
    Highmore          0.00     20.40     15.40    -0.35     5.82     2.38
    Huron             1.47     19.55     16.09     1.05     3.94     2.66

EC  Mitchell          0.18     15.28     11.83    -0.38    -2.16    -3.47
    Brookings         0.07     12.48      8.67    -0.48    -4.14    -6.44
    Sioux Falls       0.36     16.87     13.56    -0.40    -1.05    -1.97

SW  Oelrichs          0.00     19.29     16.28    -0.28     5.34     4.32
    Martin              NA        NA        NA       NA       NA       NA
    Custer            0.40     17.69     15.78     0.06     2.51     2.09
    Hot Springs       0.12     23.39     20.16    -0.23     9.43     7.94

SC  Murdo             0.00     23.95     19.65    -0.28     9.84     7.25
    Kennebec          0.02     21.85     17.67    -0.33     7.83     5.20
    Winner            0.19     16.78     14.12    -0.30    -1.40    -1.73

SE  Pickstown         0.41     19.71     14.33    -0.06     2.65    -0.67
    Yankton           0.60     17.25     14.43     0.04    -1.17    -2.06
    Sx City, IA       0.47     15.14     12.07    -0.23    -4.34    -4.87
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