Global Crop Watch

Global Crop Watch Summary for August 8, 2003.   Cool and showery in Argentina for the young wheat crop, but hot and dry in Canada for the maturing wheat crop.  Wet and cooler than normal for soybeans in Northeast China, but hot and dry for summer crops in western Europe. Favorable rain in western Mexico, but continued hot and dry in the western US.  Wet weather lingers in the eastern US.

Drought in Southern China, Cool and Wet in Northeast China and Korean Peninsula.    Continued unseasonably dry and hot weather stressed crops in southern China, while cooler than normal weather and abundant showers covered Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, and parts of Japan.  The North China Plain has seasonable weather for early July.

Typhoon Etau Hits Japan August 7 - 9, 2003.   Typhoon Etau struck Okinawa on August 7, 2003 and then headed for Japan's main islands of Kyushu and Shikoku.  The storm, with winds above 135 knots and heavy rain caused blackouts, flight cancellations and property/crop damage to the areas.

Briefly Cooler Temperatures in Western Europe Last Week, But Hot Weather has Returned.  Drought continues to plague western Europe, with record maximum temperatures reported in several countries.  Crop stress and fire danger remains very high.  

United States and Mexico - 7 Day Cumulative Precipitation Map for the Period Ending August 6, 2003.   Last week's weather pattern continued.  Monsoon showers brought limited relief to part of the Southwest, but temperatures were very high.  Cooler and more-humid weather eased fire danger in the Northwest.  The eastern Corn Belt remains moist.  Wet and relatively cool weather lingers east of the Mississippi, while hot temperatures dominate the Plains, especially in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Long-term Palmer Drought Severity Index Map ending July 26, 2003.  The map clearly shows the sharp difference between surplus moisture in the eastern U.S. and the persistent drought in the western U.S., which has expanded into sections of the central Plains in recent weeks.