South Carolina
Weekly Weather and Crop Progress Report

Cooperating with Clemson University
1835 Assembly St., Suite 1008 · Columbia, SC 29201
(800) 424-9406 · FAX (803) 765-5310 · www.nass.usda.gov/sc

Issue: SC-CW001312
Released: March 26, 2012 , after 4 pm
Week Ending: March 25, 2012
Cooperating Agencies:
Clemson University
SC State Climatology Office
Farm Service Agency

GENERAL

Record high temperatures were present during the week ending March 25th, 2012. Many areas reached 85 degrees on Monday, leading to scattered storms for the rest of the week. Some hail was observed in stronger thunderstorms but little damage was reported. Scattered showers and high temperatures allowed plantings to continue. Soil moisture conditions were 2% very short, 26% short, 69% adequate and 3% surplus. The State average temperature for the period was ten degrees above normal. There were 6 days that were suitable for fieldwork. The State average rainfall was measured at 0.9 inches.

FIELD CROPS

CORN plantings picked up pace with 27% completed by Sunday. Five percent of the crop had emerged. OATS were 10% headed. Conditions were 1% very poor, 5% poor, 25% fair, 60% good, and 9% excellent. WINTER WHEAT was also 10% headed with conditions reported as 3% poor, 27% fair, 64% good, and 6% excellent. TOBACCO transplanting was underway with 5% completed by the end of the week. 

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

SNAPBEANS, TOMATOES, and CUCUMBERS plantings increased steadily with favorable weather. Nine percent of snapbeans, 25% of tomatoes, and 15% of cucumbers were planted by week’s end. CANTALOUP and WATERMELON plantings were estimated at 15% and 20% completed, respectively. PEACH conditions were reportedly 1% poor, 56% fair, 38% good, and 5% excellent. PASTURE conditions were 1% very poor, 9% poor, 44% fair, 45% good, and 1% excellent. LIVESTOCK conditions were reported as 1% very poor, 2% poor, 26% fair, 70% good and 1% excellent. 

Crop Progress for Week Ending March 25, 2012	
Crop and Stage	2012	2011	5-Yr Avg	Crop and Stage	2012	2011	5-Yr Avg	
	Percent	Percent	Percent		Percent	Percent	Percent	
Cantaloup, Planted
Corn, Planted
Corn, Emerged
Cucumbers, Fresh, Planted
Oats, Headed	15
27
5
15
10	NA
NA
NA
NA
NA	NA
NA
NA
NA
NA	Snapbeans, Fresh, Planted
Tobacco, Transplanted
Tomatoes, Fresh, Planted
Watermelons, Planted
Winter Wheat, Headed	9
5
25
20
10	NA
NA
NA
NA
NA	NA
NA
NA
NA
NA	
Note: Historical data is not available for the March month of the Crop Progress Report.

Condition for Week Ending March 25, 2012	
Crop	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent	Crop	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent	
	Percent	Percent	Percent	Percent	Percent		Percent	Percent	Percent	Percent	Percent	
Livestock
Oats
Pasture	1
1
1	2
5
9	26
25
44	70
60
45	1
9
1	Peaches
Winter Wheat	0
0
 	1
3
 	56
27
 	38
64
 	5
6

South Carolina Weekly Weather Summary for the Week Ending March 25, 2012

      The Monday morning 8:00 a.m. observations along the southern coast included dense fog with visibilities reduced to “zero” at Hilton Head and Johns Island. On the last day of winter, date-record warmth was recorded at Greenville-Spartanburg AP (85 degrees), Florence AP (85 degrees) and N Myrtle Beach AP (81 degrees.) A few storm cells dropped south into the northern counties and Pee Dee region on Tuesday morning. Cheraw measured one of the heavier amounts with 0.19 inches of rain. Columbia’s Hamilton-Owens AP reported a March 20, first day of spring, high temperature of 86 degrees. Pockets of heavy rain developed over the Lowcountry during the early afternoon hours of Wednesday. Jamestown received 0.74 inches and Givhans received 0.72 inches. Scattered rains on Thursday left 0.89 inches in the gage at Marion. The thermometers at Kingstree, Hartsville and Hardeeville each indicated a Friday afternoon high temperature of 86 degrees. Thunderstorms formed on Saturday afternoon for much of the Piedmont and eastward to the coast. Hailstones of 1.25 inches in diameter fell on parts of Sumter and Union counties. Large hail of up to one-inch in diameter pelted portions of Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Barnwell and Bamberg counties. Localized flooding was reported in the city of Columbia. Sandy Run measured a rainfall total of 1.53 inches. Winds gusted to 52 mph atop the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston. Sunday morning temperatures cooled to 49 degrees at Johnston and the McEntire ANG AP, located near Eastover. With the exception of the Pee Dee and coastal observation sites, most of the State reported clearing skies on Sunday afternoon and temperatures more in line with the season. The State average temperature for the seven-day period was ten degrees above normal.
      
       The highest official temperature reported was 91 degrees at the University of South Carolina Campus on March 19. The lowest official temperature reported was 48 degrees at W Pelzer on March 25. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.56 inches at the Pelion ending at 7:00 a.m. on March 25. The State average rainfall for the period was 0.9 inches.
 
SOIL:  4-inch depth soil temperature:  Columbia 66 degrees, Charleston 67 degrees. 
RIVERS AND SURF:  South Carolina river stages were below normal. No ocean water temp reports from either the Springmaid Pier in SC or the Johnny Mercer Pier in NC. 

Precipitation	
Location	Total
for Week	Total
for 2012	Deviation
from Average	
Greer AP
Anderson AP
Columbia Metro AP
Orangeburg AP
Charlotte, NC AP
Augusta, GA Bush AP
Florence AP
N Myrtle Beach AP
Charleston AP
Savannah, GA AP	0.32
0.24
1.16
0.43
0.46
0.66
2.41
0.38
1.08
0.66	7.83
7.69
6.33
6.30
7.01
4.52
8.34
6.38
8.42
8.13	-3.6
-3.6
-3.9
-4.5
-3.0
-6.7
-0.5
-3.9
-1.2
-1.3	
		Weekly rainfall totals this period ending midnight Sunday.	

USDA-NASS
SOUTH CAROLINA FIELD OFFICE
1835 Assembly St. Suite 1008
Columbia, SC 29201-2449
Official Business

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