Oklahoma crop weather, 03/25/2013, v.36 no.6

              United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Oklahoma Crop Weather
Oklahoma Field Office
Cooperating with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
P.O. Box 528804 · Oklahoma City, OK 73152-8804
(405) 522-6190 · FAX (405) 528-2296 · www.nass.usda.gov/ok
A combined contribution with Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and Oklahoma Mesonet
-over-
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Information provided by respondents on NASS surveys, will remain completely confidential, as required by
Federal law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
Volume 36, Number 6
Weekly Summary for Mar 18-Mar 24
Issued March 25, 2013
Cool Temperatures Slow Progress
Temperatures were below normal for the week, averaging in the low 40s. Although there were a few warm days early in the week, with a high of 81 degrees in Altus, a cold front the second half of the week resulted in lows into the 20s, to as low as 12 degrees at Kenton. The cold front even brought snow to parts of northern Oklahoma early Sunday morning, but with totals of an inch or less. Precipitation for the week was below normal for March, averaging only two tenths of an inch for the state. A few heavier showers fell in eastern Oklahoma, as high as 1.02 inches recorded at Mt. Herman in McCurtain County. Precipitation for the period since March 1st was only 39 percent of normal for the state. In addition to the lack of moisture, the freezing temperatures put small grains and canola at a risk, as two fifths of wheat and rye were already jointing by the end of the week. Forage and grasses also showed little growth due to the cold temperatures. Topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to short. Subsoil moisture conditions were still rated mostly short to very short with 12 percent of the state rated as adequate. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork on average across the state.
Small Grains: Condition ratings for all small grains and canola continued to improve slightly. Wheat, rye and oats were rated mostly good to fair, while canola was rated mostly fair to poor. Progress of small grains was behind normal for all crops. Wheat jointing was 41 percent complete by Sunday, nine points behind the five-year average. Rye jointing was 40 percent complete, 27 points behind normal progress. Oat planting continued with spring oats and was 86 percent complete by the end of the week, five points behind the five-year average. A small portion of canola was blooming by the end of the week.
Row Crops: Seedbed preparation continued, and a small portion of corn was planted by the end of the week. Corn seedbed preparation was 53 percent complete by the end of the week. Sorghum seedbed preparation was 26 percent complete, and soybean seedbed preparation was 20 percent complete by week’s end. Peanut seedbed preparation was 14 percent complete, and cotton seedbed preparation was 27 percent complete, both well behind normal.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and range improved slightly, but continued to be rated mostly poor to very poor. The recent moisture has allowed for some recovery, but the cooler temperatures have limited growth. Stock pond levels have improved where run-off was received, but most of the state is still waiting for heavier rains. Livestock conditions were still rated mostly good to fair. Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent Week Ending Sunday, March 24, 2013 Moisture Rating Current Week Previous Week One Year Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 18 14 5
Short
33
32
11 Adequate 48 53 64
Surplus
1
1
20 Subsoil
Very Short
45
44
18 Short 43 42 28
Adequate
12
14
50 Surplus 0 0 4 Conditions by Percent For Week Ending Sunday, March 24, 2013 Commodity Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Wheat
10
23
41
25
1 Canola 15 27 32 24 2
Rye
19
15
32
32
2 Oats 10 18 44 25 3
Livestock
4
17
43
32
4 Pasture and Range 36 34 25 5 0