WORLD AGRICULTURAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
August 12, 1998

UNITED STATES: Drought intensified in the South-Central States, severely stressing livestock and dryland crops. In the Southeast, however, slightly cooler weather and improved rainfall eased crop stress and suppressed the wildfire threat. Meanwhile, Corn Belt temperatures remained mostly favorable for crops entering, and progressing through, reproduction. In addition, drier weather in the Corn Belt reduced pockets of excess moisture, although a few northern areas turned dry by month's end. Portions of the Mid-Atlantic region also turned unfavorably dry. In the northern Plains and Northwest, very warm conditions promoted small grain ripening and harvesting. Warm weather elsewhere in the West favored fieldwork and crop development. Late in the month, heavy rain fell on the central Plains, improving moisture for summer crops but causing localized flooding.

CANADA: A drying trend that began in early July was initially beneficial for reproductive Prairie spring grains and oilseeds. Since late-July, however, western crops have experienced some stress due to heat and dryness. An early-August heat wave is advancing crop development and reportedly causing some pod shattering. Harvesting is already underway in southern growing areas.

SOUTH AMERICA: Near- to above-normal July rainfall increased soil moisture for germinating winter wheat across central Argentina and southern Brazil. However, topsoils are becoming dry in southern Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dry, warm July weather favored coffee and citrus harvesting in central Brazil, but early August rainfall caused some fieldwork delays.

EUROPE: Winter grain and oilseed harvesting progressed northward in July, and was helped by favorable weather in most areas. Timely rains in western and northern Europe favored spring grain and summer crop development. Continued cool, wet weather in Scandinavia slowed winter grain maturation and spring-sown crop development. Although hot, dry weather in Mediterranean areas favored rapid winter grain harvesting, it increased the crop-water requirements of summer crops. A heat wave from July 21-August 5 in southern Romania, Serbia, and Bulgaria stressed summer crops in the filling stage.

FSU-WESTERN: In July, persistent dryness and unrelenting heat in Russia favored winter grain harvesting but worsened conditions for summer crops which advanced through reproduction. Hot, dry weather intensified in southern and eastern Ukraine, stressing corn and sunflowers. Wet weather continued in the Baltics, Belarus, and northwestern Ukraine. Recently, cooler weather and scattered showers eased stress on crops in eastern Ukraine and Russia..

FSU-NEWLANDS: Hot, dry weather in major spring grain producing areas of Kazakstan and Russia accelerated crop development and lowered yield prospects.

SOUTHERN ASIA: The southwest monsoon continued to bring abundant rain to primary grain, oilseed, and cotton areas. Flooding persisted in eastern rice areas, including Bangladesh. Local dry pockets in west-central India have raised some concern for soybeans and rice, but heavy rain in late-July soaked most primary oilseed and cotton area of west-central India.

EASTERN ASIA: Along the Yangtze Valley, excessive showers in late-July caused flooding and possible damage to early rice and delayed late rice planting. Across the North China Plain and Manchuria, near- to slightly below-normal July rainfall mostly favored reproductive summer crops, but local areas experienced stressful conditions. Widespread early August rainfall boosted soil moisture for filling crops. Near-normal July rainfall maintained adequate moisture supplies for reproductive grains across the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: Above-normal July rainfall boosted moisture supplies in western Thailand, while below-normal rainfall reduced moisture supplies in eastern Thailand . Much below-normal showers and warm weather stressed rainfed grains in northern Vietnam. Late July rainfall boosted moisture supplies in southern Vietnam. In the Philippines, below-normal July rainfall continued to stress grains and sugarcane, but widespread showers in early August reversed the trend. Near- to above-normal July rainfall favored oil palm in peninsular Malaysia and second-crop rice and corn in Java.

AUSTRALIA: Moisture levels range from adequate to excessive for vegetative to semi-dormant wheat and barley. Localized flooding has occurred in northern New South Wales, increasing concerns about the potential for disease problems.

(More details are available in the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin.
USDA/Joint Agricultural Weather Facility