Global Crop Watch

Global Crop Watch Summary May 23, 2003.  Rain benefited early winter wheat across western and southern Australia. While rain fell across western and northern Europe, Italy and southeast Europe were hot and dry.  Scattered showers fell across the North China Plain, but Manchuria was dry.  Most of the U.S. benefited from rain.  However, the southwest was too dry and the southeast was extremely soggy, delaying field work and crop progress.

Cumulative Precipitation Map for Europe.  Rain continued to benefit small grains and summer crops across western and northern Europe.  Heavier rains fell across France and Germany after May 17, 2003, the ending date of this map. While dry weather was welcomed in Spain, dry and hot weather across Italy and Southeast Europe was unfavorable.  Earlier in the year soil moisture was encouraging  across Italy and Southeast Europe's growing areas.

Precipitation Compared to Normal for the Canadian Prairies for April 1 through May 20, 2003.   Precipitation across the Canadian Prairies has been normal to well above normal since April 2003.  Soil moisture is much better than last year across the major wheat, barley, and canola growing areas.  For more information on Canadian Crop Growing Areas see our Canadian Country page.

Australia Cumulative Precipitation for the Week Ending May 22, 2003.   Rainfall this week benefited recently planted winter wheat and encouraged planting across Western Australia, Southern Australia, and Victoria.  While rainfall was much lighter this week across New South Wales and southern Queensland, soil moisture remains adequate due to recent precipitation.  Wheat planting can continue well into June across Australia. USDA's current forecast has Australia planting a "record" area to wheat this growing season. 

U.S. Cumulative Precipitation Map for the Week Ending May 22, 2003.  This week rainfall continued to benefit most of the central and northern plains, providing moisture for winter wheat entering the reproductive and grain fill stages, and recently planted spring grains.  Oklahoma and northern Texas received much needed moderate-to-heavy rainfall, favoring winter wheat which was recently hurt by persistent dry weather.  The southeast and mid-Atlantic remain soggy, resulting in continued delays for summer crop planting. The Southwest remained too dry, while central California received favorable warmer and drier weather, promoting crop development, which was stunted due to recent cold and wet weather.

Soil Moisture Comparison Maps for the Southern Plains.  These maps compare soil moisture as of May 20, 2003 with soil moisture from a year ago.  Available moisture continues to benefit winter grains and pastures across most of Kansas, and all but western Nebraska.  As of May 20, 2003, western and northern Texas and southern Oklahoma were too dry and causing stress to winter wheat in the "grain filling" stage. However, rainfall after the 20th eased the decline in crop conditions there.  Colorado is also more moist than last year, but long term drought conditions continue there and across New Mexico.