July 2001

WEATHER BRIEFS

China: June Rainfall Benefits Summer Crops in Eastern North China Plain

Long-term drought continued in northern China through early June, reducing yield prospects for 2001/02 winter wheat and stressing summer crops. During the weeks of June 10 - 16 and June 17 - 23, widespread moderate-to-heavy rainfall spread across the eastern North China Plain and southern Manchuria (Liaoning and Jilin provinces). The rain increased topsoil moisture, relieved crop stress, and stabilized yield prospects for summer crops in many areas. The northernmost province of Heilongjiang had mostly hot and dry weather in June (30 to 40 percent of normal precipitation), which increased soil moisture deficits and stressed soybeans and spring wheat. Dry and hot weather also persisted in the western and southern part of the North China Plain through June. During the first week of July, light to moderate rain benefitted summer crops in Shandong province, while mostly dry weather limited moisture supplies for crop development elsewhere on the North China Plain. In the Northeast, widespread showers continued to increase soil moisture for summer crops in Liaoning and Jilin, while light rain provided limited relief for soybeans across Heilongjiang.

India: Dry in Southern India, Strong Monsoon Elsewhere

From about June 17 through July 10, the southwest monsoon was rather weak over southern India, with below-normal rainfall persisting in important oilseed, cotton, and coarse grain areas. Since mid-June, rainfall totaled less than 10 millimeters per week over a broad section of the southern interior (Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka), reducing available moisture for newly planted summer crops. Above-normal temperatures exacerbated the effects of the dryness. Beneficial rain (25-50 mm or more) returned to Gujarat during the week of July 1 - 7, increasing moisture levels for vegetative summer crops. Rainfall that week spanned central India, with very heavy rain (200 millimeters or more) likely causing localized flooding in the soybean belt (western Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan). Locally heavy rain (100 millimeters or more) also fell in coastal rice areas of Orissa as well as in local cotton and rice areas of north-central India. The currently dry growing areas in southern India generally account for over 35 percent of the country’s groundnut growing area and about 10 percent of the soybean crop area.

Mexico: Recent Dryness Raises Concerns in Major Corn Growing Area

From June 17 through July 7, 2001, rainfall has been spotty and below normal across Mexico’s eastern and southern corn growing areas. Earlier, rainfall was seasonal and frequent. During June 17 - 23, this drying trend was seen as beneficial, aiding late corn planting and other fieldwork. Soil moisture for the most part in mid-June was adequate for corn germination and establishment. However, by the first week of July, dry soils were becoming a limiting factor. During the week of June 24 - 30, showers eased short-term dryness in Veracruz, but more rainfall is needed to maintain favorable conditions for coffee, oranges, and corn. That week unseasonable dryness continued in the southern states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. During July 1 - 7, moderate showers favored vegetative corn across the western corn belt, while below normal rainfall and spotty showers continued to limit soil moisture in eastern and southern Mexico. Corn is usually planted in Mexico during May and June, begins the moisture- and temperature-critical "silking" and reproductive stages during mid-July to mid-August, and is harvested from October through December.

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