Return to the List of 1998 Crop Weather Reports

Released: August 10, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending August 9, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 22

GENERAL
Cooler, wet weather slowed small grain harvest, but benefited row crops, livestock, and range and pasture, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major activities by producers during the week were harvesting small grains, haying, and tending to livestock. Statewide, there were 3.4 days suitable for fieldwork.

Based on information from county agents, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters.

SOIL MOISTURE
Most of the state has adequate soil moisture after weekly rains, with a small area in the east central part of the state reporting surplus conditions. A section of the northwest district is reporting short subsoil and topsoil conditions this week. 



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON -AUGUST 7

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
          This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      2     4    3     1     1     2
Short       8    27   18     9    16     9
Adeq.      80    64   70    76    75    77
Surplus    10     5    9    14     8    12


CROPS
Producers continued harvesting small grains when possible, with winter wheat and winter rye 96 and 92 percent complete; ahead of the five-year averages of 82 and 68 percent. In addition, spring wheat, oats, and barley are 55, 72, and 70 percent harvested; 22, 19, and 26 points ahead of last year. Soybeans are 72 percent setting pods, well ahead of the five-year average of 49 percent. Corn jumped to 40 percent in the dough stage and 8 percent dented, up 21 and 4 percent from last week. Sunflower has 30 percent of ray flowers dry and bracts yellow, both well ahead of the five-year averages. Grasshoppers are still showing up in high numbers statewide. The second cutting of alfalfa is 79 percent complete, with 20 percent cut three times. 



 CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - AUGUST 9

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat  0       2     22      52     24
Winter Rye    0       0      8      71     21
Alfalfa       0       5     21      57     17
Spring Wheat  1       2     17      64     16
Barley        0       2     16      63     19
Oats          0       3     15      61     21
Corn          0       1      8      54     37
Sorghum       0       4     20      67      9
Soybeans      0       2     10      53     35
Flaxseed      0       2     18      68     12
Sunflower     0       5     10      60     25
Livestock     0       0      7      69     24
Range &  
    Pasture   1       4     18      56     21


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Weekly rains kept cattle in good condition this week, with 93 percent reported good to excellent and 7 percent fair. Producers are treating many animals for pink eye. Range and pasture are 23 percent very poor to fair and 77 percent good to excellent. Stock water supplies are 1 percent very short, 4 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Temperatures averaged below normal last week. Statewide, these averages ranged from 7 degrees below normal at Philip to 1 degree below normal at Mobridge and Highmore. The highest temperature was 91 degrees at Pickstown. The lowest temperature was 46 degrees at Custer and Philip. Madison received the most precipitation with 1.76 inches, while Aberdeen received none. 


             

 CROP PROGRESS 1/ - AUGUST 9
                                                                                    
                 This   Last   Last    5-Yr.
ITEM             Week   Week   Year     Ave
  
  
                            Percent
Barley  
 ripe             94     85      83     77 
 harvested        70     44      44     44
Spring wheat
 ripe             96     84      79     70
 harvested        55     36      33     33   
Oats       
 ripe             96     86      83     80
 harvested        72     61      53     55
Corn
 tasseling        98     93      96     84
 silked           88     78      86     69
 dough            40     19      15     13
 dented            8      4       0      1
Flaxseed
 blooming         91     90     100     92
 ripe             90     89      24     17
 harvested        56     54       0      1 
Sorghum
 headed           42     30      54     40
 coloring          8      4       6      4
Soybeans
 blooming         93     86      91     77
 setting pods     72     45      69     49  
Sunflower
 blooming         69     45      58     53
 ray flowers dry  30      8       3      3
 bracts yellow    30     NA       0      2
Winter Wheat
 harvested        96     93      72     82    
Winter Rye  
 harvested        92     90      67     68    
Alfalfa    
 cut twice        79     70      72     68
 third cutting    20     NA      NA     NA
Other Hay  
 cut              82     79      85     73  

1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.
NA = Not available
                                     
                                     

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Growing Degree Days |    Temperature past week            
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                 GDD       Departure|          Departure                  
                 Since     from     |  Ave     from        High   Low     
Dist  Station    April 6   normal   |          normal                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      - - - - - - Degrees - - - - - -     
NW  Lemmon            1684       101        69       -2       90       53       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          1828        41        70       -3       85       55       
    Mobridge          1866        60        72       -1       89       55       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         1680         6        67       -4       83       52       
    Webster           1799       167        68       -3       85       56       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            1853       -49        68       -7       90       46       
    Rapid City        1623       -70        68       -5       88       49       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       1911       -30        71       -3       90       58       
    Highmore          1985       187        72       -1       88       55       
    Huron             1969        69        69       -5       84       54       
    Pierre            2084       134        73       -3       89       58       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         1753       137        67       -3       80       56       
    Flandreau         1777        44        67       -4       80       57       
    Forestburg        2008        86        71       -3       87       58       
    Madison           1824        89        69       -3       83       57       
    Mitchell          2042        34        71       -3       89       59       
    Sioux Falls       1822      -108        67       -6       82       NA       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap         NA        NA        NA       NA       NA       NA                   
    Custer            1176        36        62       -3       82       46       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         1917       -40        71       -4       87       59       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            2108       110        72       -3       89       60       
    Centerville       1994        40        68       -5       80       57       
    Marion            1933       -10        68       -5       79       58       
    Menno             2139       125        70       -4       81       59       
    Pickstown         1969      -111        70       -6       91       58       
    Sioux City        2126       -29        71       -4       84       58       
    Yankton           2147       113        71       -3       85       60       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  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.   
                                                                          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Precipitation                        
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                            Totals             |  Departure from normal   
               -----------------------------------------------------------
Dist  Station     Weekly     Yearly  Since 4/1 | Weekly  Yearly  Since 4/1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 - - - - - - - - - - - - Inches - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
NW  Lemmon            0.03      5.70      3.68    -0.39    -7.78    -7.73       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          0.00     18.44     15.52    -0.49     5.44     4.65       
    Mobridge          0.26      8.45      7.29    -0.16    -3.71    -3.01       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         1.60     14.37     12.56     0.97    -0.67     0.00       
    Webster           1.51     26.43     22.28     0.81    12.12    10.22       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            0.07     19.68     16.48    -0.28     7.83     6.23       
    Rapid City        0.23     14.58     11.87    -0.19     2.49     1.68       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       0.71     16.34     14.09     0.22     2.07     2.05       
    Highmore          0.02     16.67     13.71    -0.54     2.67     1.73       
    Huron             1.25     18.89     15.40     0.76     4.60     3.80       
    Pierre            0.06     14.34     10.80    -0.36     0.73    -0.81       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         1.52     10.31      8.74     0.88    -5.07    -4.70       
    Flandreau         1.67     14.92     11.97     1.04     0.08    -0.80       
    Forestburg        1.01     18.47     16.03     0.56     3.62     3.81       
    Madison           1.76     16.73     14.20     1.06     0.79     1.31       
    Mitchell          1.00     16.96     13.84     0.44     1.90     1.35       
    Sioux Falls       0.93     21.06     15.81     0.30     5.92     3.40       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       0.10     13.98      9.78    -0.25     0.98    -1.47       
    Custer            0.23     12.81      8.58    -0.26    -1.09    -3.48       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         0.64     16.25     13.60     0.01    -1.42    -1.37       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            0.49     21.64     18.39     0.00     5.68     5.25       
    Centerville       0.89     24.01     19.70     0.19     7.12     5.54       
    Marion            0.44     17.35     14.20    -0.12     1.39     1.17       
    Menno             0.54     20.03     16.92    -0.02     3.90     3.37       
    Pickstown         0.65     21.47     18.81     0.09     6.31     6.08       
    Sioux City        0.80     24.43     19.16     0.10     7.42     5.30       
    Yankton           0.77     23.63     19.51     0.14     7.56     5.89       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
bar chart showing crop progress compared to the last 10 years

                                     
 
 
 
South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture South Dakota county map showing subsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Black & White Crosshatched Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Black & White Crosshatched Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

Return to the List of 1998 Crop Weather Reports