va-crop-weather Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service P. O. Box 1659 Richmond, VA 23218-1659 Phone (804) 771-2493 http://www.nass.usda.gov/va Issue VA-CW-2704 Week of: Aug 30 - Sept 5, 2004 Number: 27 Released: September 7, 2004 CROP SUMMARY FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 5, 2004 The remnants of Hurricane Gaston passed through the State this week. Central and eastern Virginia experienced the heaviest rain from this storm. However, counties within these regions experienced a wide variety of rainfall from flooding conditions with several inches to just barely a sprinkle. The western regions of the State received little to no rainfall; this combined with hot temperatures has created extremely dry conditions. Days suitable for fieldwork were 5.7. The dry areas of the State have made good progress with harvesting corn and tobacco, applying chemicals, and making hay. Farmers in the flooded regions have suffered; road closures have delayed milk pick-ups, hay bales have been washed away or ruined, and low lying crops were damaged. Nevertheless, despite the harsh weather conditions the State has experienced, the majority of all of Virginia's crops, except for apples, are in good or excellent condition. Other farming activities included marketing lambs and cattle, attending County Fairs, and repairing flood damage. TOPSOIL MOISTURE PERCENT Week Ending Very Short Short Adequate Surplus September 5, 2004 8 18 62 12 August 29, 2004 0 14 72 14 August 22, 2004 0 9 67 24 August 15, 2004 0 5 64 31 August 8, 2004 0 8 71 21 CROP CONDITION PERCENT Crop Very Poor Fair Good Excellent Poor Pastures 1 5 22 51 21 Livestock 0 0 13 69 18 Other Hay 2 6 24 53 15 Alfalfa Hay 1 2 26 52 19 Corn for Grain 0 1 7 48 44 Soybeans 1 4 12 49 34 Burley Tobacco 0 1 33 52 14 Peanuts 0 0 19 46 35 Cotton 0 0 18 37 45 All Apples 4 2 55 38 1 Grapes 2 1 4 93 0 CROP PROGRESS PERCENT - WITH COMPARISONS Crop This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average Corn for Grain Dent 90 79 69 75 Corn for Grain Mature 69 49 38 51 Corn for Grain Harvested 14 4 9 12 Corn Silage Harvested 73 50 40 37 Soybean Dropping Leaves 10 5 2 4 Winter Wheat Seeded 1 0 0 0 Barley Seeded 1 0 1 0 Tobacco, Flue-Cured Harvested 65 55 46 48 Tobacco, Burley Harvested 44 20 26 43 Tobacco, Dark Fire-Cured Harvested 86 78 54 67 Cotton Bolls Opening 68 54 22 26 Fall Apples Harvested 35 12 25 14 Peanuts Dug 5 0 0 0 VA Cooperative Extension Service VA Tech VA State University WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 5, 2004 TEMPERATURE (degrees Fahrenheit) PRECIPITATION (inches) WEATHER Departure Departure STATION HI LO Avg From Normal TOTAL From Normal Days NORTHERN Woodstock 92 55 73 3 0.09 -0.62 1 The Plains 87 54 71 0 0.00 -0.84 0 Winchester 7 90 53 72 3 0.00 -0.77 0 SE Dale 87 53 70 2 0.07 -0.70 1 Enterprise WESTERN Glasgow 88 59 74 3 0.12 -0.58 2 Roanoke AP 87 59 73 3 0.04 -0.80 1 Waynesboro 88 56 71 3 0.22 -0.60 1 Staunton AG 84 57 71 3 0.06 -0.76 1 CENTRAL Somerset 88 56 72 0 0.16 -0.68 2 Piedmont Res 87 60 73 2 0.08 -0.76 1 ST Bremo Bluff 94 54 74 2 0.52 -0.30 1 Richmond AP 89 64 76 3 6.68 5.86 2 EASTERN Eastville 86 63 76 2 0.93 0.11 1 Wallops Island 86 64 76 1 1.59 0.82 2 Williamsburg 86 63 75 2 2.20 1.15 3 Keysville 90 60 74 3 3.10 2.24 1 SOUTHWESTERN Blacksburg AG 84 54 68 2 0.03 -0.80 2 Wytheville 84 55 68 2 0.04 -0.66 1 Saltville 88 56 70 3 0.02 -0.77 1 Richlands 84 55 70 7 1.13 0.34 5 SOUTHERN Stuart 87 60 72 2 0.09 -0.95 2 Danville AG 85 64 74 0 0.71 -0.06 2 Chatham 84 58 71 0 0.05 -0.79 2 Martinsville 86 57 71 1 0.05 -0.84 1 SOUTHEASTERN Norfolk VA 89 64 77 3 1.02 0.04 1 Oceana 87 63 77 2 0.51 -0.67 3 Emporia 90 64 76 4 2.27 1.32 2 Newport News 91 64 79 5 1.72 0.74 4 Departure from Normal based on 1961-90 Normals. Precipitation Days=Days with precip of 0.01 inch or more.