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Released: November 23, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending November 22, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 37

GENERAL
A week of sunshine and warmer temperatures melted snow, leaving behind muddy fields and making fieldwork difficult, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Harvest resumed in some areas of the state as a couple nights of cold weather froze the muddy fields, allowing some combines back to work. There were 1.4 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 be adequate, with other areas report ing surplus conditions from the snow melt across the state. The areas in the northeast and western parts of the state continue to report surplus topsoil and subsoil moisture, along with the southeast area of the state reporting surplus topsoil conditions. 



SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - NOV. 20 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     0   NA     0     0    NA
Short       0     0   NA     0     1    NA
Adeq.      59    54   NA    69    66    NA
Surplus    41    46   NA    31    33    NA


CROPS
Sunshine and warm weather created muddy fields for producers to work in last week. Some areas of the state had a few cold nights, allowing the ground to freeze enough to let combines back in. Some producers managed to combine corn in the snow-packed fields. Harvest progressed slowly with 86 percent of the corn harvested, up 4 points from last week but behind the five-year average of 95 percent. There were reports of ears falling off stalks. Sunflower harvested is 94 percent complete, up 2 points from last week but 5 points behind the average. Sorghum is 89 percent harvested, remaining behind the five-year average of 98 percent. Storage still remains a concern as many areas are reporting grain being piled on the ground. Emerged winter wheat and rye remain in good to excellent condition. 



 

 
     CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - NOV. 22

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       0     13      67     20
Winter Rye     0       0     20      42     38
Livestock      0       1     14      62     23


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Cattle remain in good to excellent condition, with many still on summer pasture and stubble fields. Producers are moving livestock to winter feeding areas and to market, but are hampered by the muddy conditions. There are some reports of stress to livestock from the wet conditions, with isolated areas reporting some death loss. Stock water supplies rated 1 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 24 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Temperatures ranged from 1 degree below to 5 degrees above normal last week. The highest temperature was 62 degrees at Rapid City, with the lowest temperature of 0 degrees at Watertown. Little to no precipitation was received in most locations across the state. Aberdeen and Lemmon received the most, with 0.27 and 0.21 inch, respectively. 


             



       CROP PROGRESS - NOVEMBER 22
                                                                                       
              This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Corn    
 grain harv      86     82     99     95   
Sorghum    
 grain harv      89     89     98     98   
Sunflower  
 harvested       94     92    100     99   
__________________________________________


                SOIL TEMPERATURES
                 (4-Inch Depth) 

LOCATION       TEMP           LOCATION    TEMP

Beresford       40            Gettysburg   38
Brookings       37            Nisland      41
Caputa          39            Pierre       40
Chamberlain     40            Redfield     35
Cottonwood      38            Watertown    35



----------------------------------------------------
                   Temperature past week            
               -------------------------------------
                         Departure                  
                 Ave     from        High   Low     
Dist  Station            normal                     
----------------------------------------------------
                - - - - - - Degrees - - - - - -     
NW  Lemmon            33        4       55       19       
                                                          
NC  Aberdeen          28       -1       38        8       
    Mobridge          32        2       45        6       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         27       -1       40        0       
    Webster           29        2       40        8       
                                                          
WC  Philip            37        4       56       17       
    Rapid City        36        2       62        7       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       36        5       59       20       
    Highmore          33        4       48       12       
    Huron             32        1       46        6       
    Pierre            35        2       54        2       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         30        1       42       16       
    Flandreau         32        2       42       19       
    Forestburg        34        3       45       23       
    Madison           33        3       44       20       
    Mitchell          36        3       52       23       
    Sioux Falls       33        2       47       19       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       NA       NA       NA       NA                   
    Custer            33        3       54        5       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         37        4       56       21       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            38        5       55       24       
    Centerville       36        3       50       22       
    Marion            35        3       48       23       
    Menno             36        3       50       24       
    Pickstown         39        4       58       26       
    Sioux City        40        5       57       23       
    Yankton           37        3       55       24       
----------------------------------------------------
  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            0.21     14.46     12.44     0.07    -3.21    -3.16       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          0.27     27.87     24.95     0.13     9.90     9.11       
    Mobridge          0.00     17.03     15.87    -0.14     0.67     1.37       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         0.06     24.01     22.22    -0.15     2.50     3.19       
    Webster           0.11     31.38     27.61    -0.03    11.04     9.52       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            0.00     24.08     20.73    -0.08     8.51     6.76       
    Rapid City        0.00     21.56     18.85    -0.14     5.53     4.72       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       0.01     24.98     22.73    -0.13     5.51     5.49       
    Highmore          0.06     22.65     19.69    -0.08     3.55     2.61       
    Huron             0.02     24.61     21.12    -0.12     5.18     4.38       
    Pierre            0.01     20.68     17.14    -0.13     2.66     1.12       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         0.00     18.09     16.52    -0.21    -4.29    -3.92       
    Flandreau         0.02     24.59     21.64    -0.19     2.49     1.61       
    Forestburg        0.01     26.48     24.04    -0.20     5.90     6.09       
    Madison           0.03     28.48     25.95    -0.22     5.41     5.93       
    Mitchell          0.00     27.00     23.91    -0.21     5.82     5.30       
    Sioux Falls       0.02     30.82     25.57    -0.24     7.93     5.41       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       0.00     27.48     23.28    -0.14    10.47     8.02       
    Custer            0.00     22.43     18.20    -0.14     4.11     1.72       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         0.00     26.13     23.48    -0.21     1.32     1.37       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            0.00     30.57     27.32    -0.21     8.44     8.01       
    Centerville       0.00     34.70     30.39    -0.21    10.63     9.05       
    Marion            0.00     28.45     25.30    -0.28     4.95     4.73       
    Menno             0.00     30.47     27.36    -0.21     7.60     7.07       
    Pickstown         0.00     27.22     24.56    -0.21     5.82     5.59       
    Sioux City        0.00     30.65     25.38    -0.25     5.84     3.72       
    Yankton           0.00     28.39     24.27    -0.21     5.74     4.07       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------    
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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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