November 17, 2000

Colder Weather Crosses the Major Hard Red Winter Wheat Growing Area

The 2001 Hard Red Winter Wheat Crop for the most part has undergone stressful conditions since planting began in early September 2000. Planting began with very limited top soil moisture across most of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. Planting progress lagged behind normal (and recent years) as producers waited for rainfall. During the second half of October and continuing into the first half of November, frequent storms finally brought moisture in the form of soaking rains and snow. As of November 12, 2000, the NASS state statisticians reported that 93 percent of the Kansas wheat crop has been planted, but rainfall the prior week virtually halted new planting fieldwork. During the same week of November 1999, 100 percent of the Kansas wheat crop was planted, and during the past 5 years 99 percent of the Kansas crop was planted by November 12. Only 67 percent of the Oklahoma wheat crop has been planted as of November 12; last year 96 percent of the crop was planted, and 97 percent is the 5 year average. Across Texas, 83 percent of the wheat crop has been planted, while last year 86 percent of the crop was planted, and the 5 year average is 91 percent. Nebraska and Colorado report that 100 percent of their wheat was planted by November 12, 2000 and 100 percent was last year's level as well as the 5 year average. A Hard Winter Wheat Major Crop Area and Cotton Growing Area Maps illustrate typical area distribution of hard red winter wheat production across the U.S. and indicate that planting should be nearing completion by early November. Cotton harvest continues during November and December.

Satellite imagery and weather data are continually monitored across this region. Snow cover, temperatures maps and precipitation graphs are provided to illustrate the distribution of recent cold weather across the region, to show the areas covered by "protective snow", and to show examples of the recent increased precipitation.

A NOAA 14 satellite image of the Southern Plains shows the snow cover on the morning of November 13, 2000. Snow covered all of eastern Colorado, most of Nebraska, and the northwest corner of Kansas, diminishing to the east. Also, winter wheat is quite visible (the red areas on the image) across central Kansas, central Oklahoma, and northern and eastern Texas. A Snow Cover map for November 13, 2000, uses data provided to the Center for Remote Sensing Analysis by the U.S. Air Force. Minimum Temperature maps, also created using U.S. Air Force data, for November 1, and November 10 - 13, 2000, illustrate the distribution of cold temperatures. A November 1, minimum temperature map is shows the warm temperatures favoring winter wheat emergence and growth prior to the beginning of the cold weather on November 10. During November 10 and November 11, freezing temperatures extended across Colorado, Nebraska, and all but southernmost Kansas. Frost occurred across southernmost Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. These temperatures favored cotton defoliation and maturation across the Texas High Plains. November 12, and November 13 were warmer across southern and central Texas. However, following the frontal passage on the 11th, colder air moved across Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Some of the newly emerged winter wheat in Kansas and Oklahoma could be expected to be burned back and possibly killed. Across Colorado, Nebraska, and northwest Kansas, where the temperatures were the coldest, snow provided protective cover.

Due to the increase in frequency and amounts of precipitation since mid-October 2000, soil moisture levels have greatly increased from the "drought levels" seen during Summer 2000. "Palmer Drought Maps" created by the NOAA's Climate Prediction Center illustrate the change in moisture seen across the Southern Plains in recent weeks. The November 11, 2000 map is provided and compares with maps from June 24 and September 9, 2000. Note the declared end of "long-term" drought across Texas and the "unusual moist spell" and "very moist spell" declarations across Kansas and Oklahoma and the diminishing of droughts in Colorado and Nebraska.

Precipitation graphs (below), from weather stations across the Southern Plains show the increase in precipitation across the region since mid-October. Station precipitation amounts have gone from Summer 2000 drought to now about normal in most areas and across central Texas much above normal. Abilene, San Angelo, and especially Junction, went from drought since June to "soaking rain" and "flash flooding" by early November.

Precipitation Graphs

Temperatures and precipitation will continue to be monitored and reported on regularly.

All the graphics included on this page are also being made available via an Adobe Acrobat file. This file was created with Adobe Acrobat 4.0 and it is recommended that you use version 4.0 or greater to view it.

For more information, contact Carl Gernazio with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division, Center for Remote Sensing Analysis at (202) 690-0136.