wv-crop-weather State West Virginia Crop Weather Week Ending: April 27, 2008 Issue WV-CW1708 Contact Information USDA, NASS, West Virginia Field Office Phone: 1-800-535-7088 E-mail: nass-wv@nass.usda.gov Website: www.nass.usda.gov/wv/ In cooperation with the West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Charleston, WV. GENERAL The state average temperature jumped 11 degrees above last week's average. Again, afternoon highs hit the low and mid 80s for most sites. The main difference, however, was that overnight lows were a good bit warmer than last week. This week's lows were in the 40s as compared to the 20s last week. Rainfall was down a bit with only four reporting sites over an inch of rain for the week. Statewide, the average rainfall was just a bit below normal. Uncommonly, the Eastern Panhandle was wet, with Martinsburg reporting the most rain for the state. Temperatures: Williamson and Ripley both had the highest recorded temperature of 86 degrees. Terra Alta and Petersburg both had the lowest recorded temperature of 40 degrees. The state average temperature was 62 degrees. Precipitation: Martinsburg had the highest recorded amount of precipitation with 2.40 inches. Wheeling had the lowest recorded amount of precipitation with 0.23 of an inch. The state average precipitation was 0.76 of an inch. Number of days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5 days last week. Total acres plowed that are intended for spring planted crops were 64 percent complete, compared with 52 percent in 2007 and 57 percent for the 5-yr average. TOPSOIL MOISTURE CONDITION Very Short Short Adequate Surplus PERCENT Current Week -- 9 87 4 Last Week -- 3 90 7 Last Year -- 7 79 14 SUPPLIES Hay and roughage supplies ranged from very short to adequate, but were reported as mostly short to adequate. Feed grain supplies ranged from very short to adequate, but were reported as mostly adequate. Farm activities included: plowing, planting trees, applying lime and fertilizer to fields, moving cattle to pasture, building and repairing fences, watching for frost and working in greenhouses and orchards. CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc PERCENT Cattle & Calves 1 9 28 58 4 Sheep & Lambs 1 13 35 48 3 Apples -- 1 74 25 -- Peaches -- -- 79 21 -- Hay 4 6 49 38 3 Wheat -- 1 33 63 3 Pasture 5 9 44 39 3 FRUIT Curled leaf clusters with green peach aphid have been observed in peach orchards. Based on accumulated degree days since biofix (first sustained moth capture in pheromone traps), egg hatch of first generation oriental fruit moth is estimated at 22 percent complete. Apple conditions ranged from poor to good with most orchards in fair condition. Peach conditions ranged from fair to good with most orchards in fair condition. GRAINS and HAY Corn was 20 percent planted, compared with 5 percent last year and 9 percent for the 5-yr average. Oats were 59 percent planted, compared with 29 percent last year and 44 percent for the 5-yr average. Fields were 16 percent emerged, compared with 3 percent last year and 16 percent for the 5-yr average. Winter wheat conditions ranged from poor to excellent, but most fields were reported in good condition. Wheat was 5 percent headed, compared to 3 percent last year and 1 percent for the 5-yr average. Hay conditions ranged from very poor to excellent, but most fields were reported in fair condition. LIVESTOCK and PASTURE Cattle conditions ranged from very poor to excellent, but most herds were reported in good condition. Cattle were 88 percent calved, compared with 91 percent last year and 90 percent for the 5-yr average. Sheep conditions ranged from very poor to excellent, but most flocks were reported in good condition. Sheep were 89 percent lambed, compared with 90 percent last year and 91 percent for the 5-yr average. Pasture conditions ranged from very poor to excellent, but most were reported in fair condition. Temperature and Precipitation Data for the Week Ending 04-27-08 Temperature Precipitation Same Since Week Weekly Week's April 1st Last Season Station High Low Average Deprt Total Norm 2008 Year Normal --NORTHWEST--------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHEELING 81 45 63 0.23 2.32 2.43 PARKERSBURG 84 48 65 10 0.29 0.77 2.35 2.23 3.05 CRESTON 83 42 61 0.36 3.32 3.30 --NORTHCENTRAL------------------------------------------------------------------------ MORGANTOWN 82 48 65 1.16 2.71 3.55 CLARKSBURG 82 46 63 10 0.72 0.83 2.76 4.02 3.22 BELINGTON 81 43 60 0.90 3.88 3.90 WESTON 83 45 63 0.65 3.23 3.98 --SOUTHWEST--------------------------------------------------------------------------- WILLIAMSON 86 45 65 0.63 3.96 5.14 HUNTINGTON 85 42 65 9 0.49 0.80 3.48 3.17 3.04 CHARLESTON 84 43 63 6 0.72 0.78 3.53 4.08 3.00 RIPLEY 86 46 65 0.42 2.72 3.48 --CENTRAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TERRA ALTA 78 40 59 1.19 3.82 3.74 ELKINS 81 41 60 9 0.74 0.86 3.22 3.99 3.26 MARLINTON 76 42 57 0.64 3.03 3.21 BECKLEY 78 42 58 7 0.45 0.84 3.94 4.10 3.10 --SOUTHERN---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PINEVILLE 82 47 62 0.36 4.32 5.25 BLUEFIELD 83 45 61 5 0.86 0.82 3.96 3.70 3.13 WHITE SUL SP 82 48 62 0.76 3.15 3.21 BLUESTONE DAM 83 51 64 1.19 4.33 * --NORTHEASTERN------------------------------------------------------------------------ MARTINSBURG 80 45 61 4 2.40 0.76 7.22 2.80 2.89 ROMNEY 81 42 60 0.76 3.71 3.05 PETERSBURG 81 40 60 0.86 3.66 4.03 State Average Temperature 62 State Average Precipitation 0.76 *No comparison data available. 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