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Released: October 19, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m For Week Ending October 18, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 32

GENERAL
Cool, wet weather across the state slowed harvest for another week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Despite the late week rain, row crop harvest remains ahead of the five- year average. There were 3.7 days suitable for fieldwork.

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

SOIL MOISTURE
Soil conditions across the state continue to improve after the rains at week's end. The majority of the state is reporting adequate subsoil and topsoil moisture, with the exception of the extreme northeast corner reporting surplus topsoil conditions. There were also other pockets of surplus topsoil condi tions reported around the state. 



   

 
 SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - OCT. 16 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     0    1     0     0     1
Short       3     3    6     8    11    10
Adeq.      84    88   86    83    80    79
Surplus    13     9    7     9     9    10


CROPS
Rains at the end of the week slowed row crop harvest for the second week in a row. Dry, warm weather is needed to complete row crop harvest. Corn harvest remains ahead of the five-year average, with 42 percent harvested. Soybean harvest is 75 percent complete, behind last year's 81 percent complete, but remains ahead of the five-year average. Sunflower harvested is 66 percent complete, compared to 55 percent one year ago and 43 percent on average. Winter wheat seeding is almost complete, 1 point behind last year and on track with the five-year average. Winter wheat emerged is 88 percent, behind last year's 94 percent emerged. 



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - OCT. 18

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn           0       1      6      49     44
Sorghum        0       0     12      61     27
Soybeans       0       1     10      52     37
Sunflower      0       7     27      48     18
Winter Wheat   0       1     15      72     12
Winter Rye     0       1     35      53     11
Livestock      0       1     10      70     19
Range &
  Pasture      1       8     22      57     12


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Pasture conditions continued to improve due to much needed precipitation, with conditions rated mostly fair to good. Producers report the rains have put pastures into good condition for the winter and next spring. Livestock conditions continue to improve across the region, with producers weaning calves and moving cattle to market and feedlots. Stock water supplies rated 5 percent short, 86 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Temperatures statewide ranged from 5 degrees below to 6 degrees above normal. The highest temperature was 81 degrees at Sioux City. The lowest temperature was 25 degrees at Aberdeen and Brookings. Aberdeen and Watertown received the most precipitation, with 3.49 and 3.08 inches, respectively. 


             


         CROP PROGRESS 1/ - OCTOBER 18
                                                                                       
              This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Corn    
 grain harv      42     31     30     22   
 silage harv     98     98     99     92   
Sorghum    
 mature          99     95     98     94
 grain harv      62     35     44     38   
 silage harv     99     91     99     88
Soybeans    
 harvested       75     55     81     66
Sunflower  
 mature          99     98     99     95 
 harvested       66     51     55     43   
Winter Wheat 
 seeded          98     93     99     98 
 emerged         88     78     94     88
Winter Rye   
 emerged         95     75     95     91   
 
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.  





                    SOIL TEMPERATURES
                      (4-Inch Depth) 

LOCATION       TEMP           LOCATION    TEMP

Beresford       56            Gettysburg   50
Brookings       52            Nisland      53
Caputa          51            Pierre       52
Chamberlain     54            Redfield     49
Cottonwood      50            Watertown    49



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Growing Degree Days |    Temperature past week            
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                 GDD       Departure|          Departure                  
                 Since     from     |  Ave     from        High   Low     
Dist  Station    April 6   normal   |          normal                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      - - - - - - Degrees - - - - - -     
NW  Lemmon            2753       341        42       -5       63       26       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          2803        95        44       -5       59       25       
    Mobridge          2876       144        45       -5       59       27       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         2639       143        46       -1       62       34       
    Webster           2786       365        46        0       60       31       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            2818      -127        48       -2       66       34       
    Rapid City        2680        32        50        1       69       38       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       3022        44        48       -3       64       30       
    Highmore          3069       313        48       -1       62       31       
    Huron             3071       192        49       -1       65       30       
    Pierre            3234       225        49       -3       65       32       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         2688       278        46       -1       66       25       
    Flandreau         2754       172        49        1       66       31       
    Forestburg        3090       191        51        1       65       37       
    Madison           2803       202        46       -3       65       28       
    Mitchell          3104        71        49       -2       67       31       
    Sioux Falls       2884        -3        52        3       69       37       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap         NA        NA        NA       NA       NA       NA                   
    Custer            2037       202        43       -1       62       26       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         3037        49        52        1       68       36       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            3237       216        51        0       66       37       
    Centerville       3116       200        53        3       75       32       
    Marion            3005       103        51        0       71       33       
    Menno             3318       292        52        1       69       33       
    Pickstown         3100       -79        51       -2       72       33       
    Sioux City        3347       127        59        6       81       33       
    Yankton           3326       245        54        2       75       34       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  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            0.18     11.41      9.39    -0.03    -5.42    -5.37       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          3.49     27.98     25.06     3.21    10.87    10.08       
    Mobridge          1.36     14.01     12.85     1.10    -1.51    -0.81       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         3.08     22.68     20.89     2.66     2.64     3.33       
    Webster           2.75     30.33     26.56     2.40    11.11     9.59       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            0.97     20.91     17.56     0.72     6.12     4.37       
    Rapid City        0.62     17.77     15.06     0.34     2.58     1.77       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       2.44     21.97     19.72     2.10     3.58     3.56       
    Highmore          2.18     21.12     18.16     1.89     3.00     2.06       
    Huron             1.55     23.79     20.30     1.20     5.52     4.72       
    Pierre            1.73     18.82     15.28     1.45     1.76     0.22       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         1.67     16.40     14.83     1.31    -4.65    -4.28       
    Flandreau         1.83     20.32     17.37     1.41    -0.31    -1.19       
    Forestburg        2.01     25.45     23.01     1.59     6.22     6.41       
    Madison           1.93     24.85     22.32     1.51     3.39     3.91       
    Mitchell          2.58     24.24     21.15     2.23     4.35     3.83       
    Sioux Falls       1.46     27.21     21.96     1.04     5.90     3.38       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       0.29     23.90     19.70     0.05     7.73     5.28       
    Custer            0.52     19.83     15.60     0.31     2.35    -0.04       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         0.22     26.21     23.56    -0.14     2.73     2.78       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            1.13     27.33     24.08     0.78     6.53     6.10       
    Centerville       0.99     30.66     26.35     0.58     7.99     6.41       
    Marion            1.60     24.10     20.95     1.21     2.14     1.92       
    Menno             1.38     26.52     23.41     1.03     5.09     4.56       
    Pickstown         0.80     25.00     22.34     0.45     4.89     4.66       
    Sioux City        1.42     28.81     23.54     1.00     5.65     3.53       
    Yankton           0.34     24.61     20.49    -0.01     3.35     1.68       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
 

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