sc-crop-weather South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report Released: June 9, 2008 Week Ending Date: June 8, 2008 Issue: SC-CW002308 GENERAL South Carolina crops were hit hard this past week due to extreme temperatures, and absent rainfall. In one week's time, conditions dropped dramatically for most crops. Soils dried out fast, and hindered late plantings. State average soil moisture ratings were reported at only 40% very short, 47% short, and 13% adequate. Sunny skies were the cause for a statewide average of 6.5 days that were suitable for field work. FIELD CROPS CORN was twisting in the fields. The high temperatures were causing heat compromising stress. Some early corn was tasseling, and is in need of water now. The crop cannot stand the extreme heat without any rain. Corn conditions fell sharply from last week. The crop was mostly good last week. This week, 24% of the crop was reported in very poor or poor condition. COTTON planting was all but complete. Thrips were still a problem for some farmers. Cotton conditions dropped as well and were 2% very poor, 5% poor, 52% fair, 40% good, and 1% excellent. OAT harvest continued at a rapid pace. Conditions were still looking mostly good. PEANUT planting was just about finished. Only 1% of the crop was reported as very poor or poor a week ago. This week 11% of peanuts planted are very poor, or poor. Conditions were 2% very poor, 9% poor, 42% fair, and 47% good. SOYBEAN planting behind small grains has slowed due to dry soils. Conditions dropped from mostly good to mostly fair. SWEET POTATO planting continued. The crop remained in mostly fair condition. Many acres of TOBACCO were being hit hard with Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. The tobacco condition dropped sharply as well, but was still in mostly good condition. WINTER WHEAT harvest was strong and was cutting well. Like oats, conditions were still similar to the prior week. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST LIVESTOCK conditions declined due to the extreme heat and lack of rain. Once again, PASTURE conditions dropped significantly with the hot temperatures. Conditions went from 11% poor, and very poor to 39% very poor, and poor. GRAIN HAY harvest was almost complete. PEACH conditions overall dropped somewhat, but a small percentage was reported in excellent condition due to irrigation. Most VEGETABLE crops suffered from the drought and heat, except for those that were able to get moisture from irrigation. Crop Progress for Week Ending June 8, 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop and Stage : 2008 : 2007 :5-Yr Avg :: Crop and Stage : 2008 : 2007 :5-Yr Avg ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Cantaloup, Planted : 99 100 99 :: Snapbeans, Fresh, Harvested : 25 14 22 Cantaloup, Harvested : 1 4 3 :: Sorghum, Planted : 88 94 83 Corn, Emerged : 100 100 99 :: Sorghum, Headed : 5 17 16 Corn, Silked : 16 17 19 :: Soybeans, Planted : 69 66 62 Cotton, Planted : 98 99 96 :: Soybeans, Emerged : 49 49 47 Cucumbers, Fresh, Harvested : 32 38 35 :: Sweet Potatoes, Planted : 65 61 65 Hay, Grain Hay, Harvested : 98 95 92 :: Tobacco, Topped : 1 1 6 Oats, Turned Color : 99 98 99 :: Tomatoes, Fresh, Harvested : 4 5 7 Oats, Ripe : 89 85 84 :: Watermelons, Planted : 99 100 99 Oats, Harvested : 55 44 34 :: Winter Wheat, Turning Color : 99 97 98 Peaches, Harvested : 13 9 11 :: Winter Wheat, Ripe : 85 82 81 Peanuts, Planted : 97 94 96 :: Winter Wheat, Harvested : 34 28 29 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition for Week Ending June 8, 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent :: Crop :Very Poor: Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : Apples : 0 0 75 25 0 :: Peanuts : 2 9 42 47 0 Cantaloup : 2 6 64 28 0 :: Snapbeans : 0 30 50 20 0 Corn : 8 16 42 33 1 :: Sorghum : 10 12 33 45 0 Cotton : 2 5 52 40 1 :: Soybeans : 2 12 54 32 0 Cucumbers : 10 15 59 16 0 :: Sweet Potatoes : 0 0 80 20 0 Hay : 12 9 52 25 2 :: Tobacco : 0 7 37 55 1 Livestock : 1 9 52 38 0 :: Tomatoes : 5 5 40 50 0 Oats : 0 2 31 60 7 :: Watermelons : 1 14 67 18 0 Pasture : 8 31 47 14 0 :: Winter Wheat : 0 2 28 60 10 Peaches : 9 5 12 71 3 :: : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending June 8, 2008 Needed wet weather was absent for all but a very few locations across the southernmost counties early in the week. Mid-90-degree heat was observed beginning Tuesday for most inland sites while the beaches enjoyed a couple of days with a cooling seabreeze and high temperatures in the lower 80's. The year's hottest afternoons started Wednesday and continued through Sunday. Shade temperatures on Friday climbed to 102 degrees at Chesterfield. Sandhill Experiment Station measured an open pan evaporation water loss of 0.47 inches in 24 hours. Sandy Run recorded a Sunday maximum temperature of 103 degrees. Some relief to the stretch of drying heat came to parts of western Lexington County Sunday afternoon in the form of a brief thundershower. The state average temperature for the period was seven degrees above normal. The highest official temperature reported was 105 degrees at Johnston on June 8. The lowest official temperature reported was 59 degrees at Table Rock on the morning of June 2. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.03 inches at Barnwell ending at 7:00 a.m. on June 3. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.0 inches. SOIL: 4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 83 degrees. RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 82 degrees. Precipitation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Location : Weekly : Jan 1 : Deviation : Total : Total : from Average ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greer : 0.00 16.44 -6.7 Columbia : 0.00 15.19 -5.2 Orangeburg : 0.00 15.40 -5.0 Charlotte, NC : 0.16 15.29 -4.2 Augusta, GA : 0.00 16.89 -3.4 Florence : 0.00 16.64 -1.6 N Myrtle Beach : 0.00 16.44 -0.5 Charleston : 0.01 13.36 -4.7 Savannah, GA : 0.17 13.09 -5.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.