sc-crop-weather
                                                                                
South Carolina Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report
                                                                                
Released:  September 17, 2007
                                                                                
Week Ending Date:  September 16, 2007
                                                                                
Issue:  SC-CW003707
                                                                                
                                    GENERAL                                     
                                                                                
The entire State of South Carolina experienced some level of precipitation 
this past week with much of the State receiving an inch or more of badly 
needed rain.  The only area that was slighted by the rains was a streak 
running from Greenwood to Cheraw.  Despite the rains, soil moisture ratings 
did not improve, as the ground had been extremely dry.  The ratings for the 
week were 30% very short, 50% short, and 20% adequate.  There was an average 
of 6.1 days that were suitable for field work. 
                                                                                
                                  FIELD CROPS                                   
                                                                                
CORN harvest was complete in most of the State.  Yields have been fairly 
decent for most farmers, running around 100 bushels per acre.  More 
defoliants were being applied to COTTON fields.  A few people will begin 
harvesting this week.  The cotton condition was 14% very poor, 33% poor, 38% 
fair, and 15% good.  The rain from the past week will hopefully improve the 
yield potential of PEANUTS.  The condition was 6% very poor, 27% poor, 47% 
fair, 18% good, and 2% excellent.  SOYBEANS have suffered damage from the 
drought, but the rain this past week may help make a crop yet.  Early 
forecast put the crop at only 22 bushels an acre.  The condition of the crop 
was 19% very poor, 25% poor, 45% fair, 10% good, and 1% excellent.  There was 
still TOBACCO remaining to be pulled in some fields.  Yields have been coming 
in at a statewide average of 2,250 lbs. per acre.  
                                                                                
                            OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST                             
                                                                                
LIVESTOCK sales were ongoing due to a lack of forage.  Some PASTURES and HAY 
fields have been overgrazed.  There are a few PEACHES left to be harvested, 
not that there were ever very many to begin with this summer.  The Easter 
freeze made for a very poor year for many of the State's fruit crops.  
Likewise, the APPLE harvest has been disappointing as well.  The condition 
was little changed from the previous week.  Now that we have had rain, 
planting of WINTER GRAZINGS has begun.  Some plantings may not occur, as 
survivability is in question.
                                                                                
                                       Crop Progress for Week Ending September 16, 2007                                      
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         Crop and Stage        :  2007   :  2006   :5-Yr Avg ::          Crop and Stage        :  2007   :  2006   :5-Yr Avg 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               :           Percent           ::                                :           Percent           
                               :                             ::                                :                             
Apples, Harvested              :    37        42        40   :: Sorghum, Harvested             :     42        59        42  
Corn, Matured                  :   100       100       100   :: Soybeans, Pods Set             :     87        95        92  
Corn, Harvested                :    88        80        79   :: Soybeans, Turned Color         :     15        17        19  
Cotton, Bolls Opened           :    55        56        48   :: Soybeans, Leaves Dropped       :      6         3         5  
Hay, Other Hay, Harvested      :   100        99        99   :: Sweetpotatoes, Harvested       :      3        14        15  
Peaches, Harvested             :    96        98        98   :: Tobacco, Harvested             :     95        97        97  
Peanuts, Harvested             :     1         5         9   :: Tobacco, Stalks Destroyed      :     54        74        67  
Sorghum, Turned Color          :    91        95        95   :: Winter Grazings, Planted       :      9        17        17  
Sorghum, Matured               :    70        74        70   ::                                :                             
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                  Condition for Week Ending September 16, 2007                  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Crop       :Very Poor: Poor  : Fair  : Good  : Excellent  ::         Crop       :Very Poor: Poor  : Fair  : Good  : Excellent  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   :                   Percent                    ::                    :                   Percent                    
                   :                                              ::                    :                                              
Apples             :   40       35      25       0         0      :: Peanuts            :     6       27      47      18         2     
Cotton             :   14       33      38      15         0      :: Sorghum            :     8       22      47      23         0     
Livestock          :    7        9      60      24         0      :: Soybeans           :    19       25      45      10         1     
Pasture            :   27       25      44       4         0      :: Sweetpotatoes      :     5       15      80       0         0     
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  South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending September 16, 2007  
                                                                                
On both Monday and Tuesday, afternoon high temperatures were recorded in the 
middle to upper 90's.  A weak frontal boundary dropped southeast Tuesday 
evening with a few welcomed thundershowers. The nearly stationary feature 
became the avenue for increased rainfall coverage for central counties 
eastward to the coast through Thursday.  On Friday, the remnants of once 
Hurricane Humberto, which had made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border 
early Thursday morning, combined with the boundary over the Upstate to 
produce heavy thunderstorms.  Anderson received 3.50 inches of rain and there 
was a tornado report from Clinton in Laurens County. Over the weekend, a 
modified Canadian airmass slowly replaced the longstanding summer heat with 
much cooler weather.  By Sunday afternoon, high temperatures were peaking in 
the lower 80's.  The state average temperature for the period was four 
degrees above normal.
                                                                                
The highest official temperature reported was 99 degrees at Darlington AP on 
September 11.  The lowest official temperature reported was 50 degrees at 
Lake Bowen on the morning of September 16.  The heaviest official 24-hour 
rainfall reported was 3.53 inches at Georgetown AP ending at 7:00 a.m. on 
September 13. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.2 inches.
                                                                                
SOIL:  4-inch depth average soil temperature:  Columbia 82 degrees.
                                                                                
RIVERS AND SURF:  South Carolina river stages were below normal.  Ocean water 
temperatures at S Capers Island were reported at 81 degrees.
                                                                                
                                            Precipitation                                           
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         Location        :         Weekly         :         Jan 1          :       Deviation        
                         :         Total          :         Total          :      from Average      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greer                    :          1.30                    23.45                    -13.4          
Columbia                 :          0.71                    23.62                    -13.9          
Orangeburg               :          2.08                    30.93                     -6.6          
Charlotte, NC            :          0.91                    21.27                    -10.3          
Augusta, GA              :          1.29                    24.69                     -9.3          
Florence                 :          0.77                    26.40                     -7.8          
N Myrtle Beach           :          0.99                    24.97                     -8.7          
Charleston               :          3.41                    30.18                     -9.9          
Savannah, GA             :          1.42                    34.57                     -4.6          
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Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.