WORLD AGRICULTURAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

August 10 , 2001

UNITED STATES: July featured hot, dry conditions on the southern Plains for the second consecutive month, severely stressing pastures and dryland crops. In contrast, wet weather aided drought-affected small grains on the northern High Plains, but increased disease and grain quality concerns in North Dakota and adjacent areas. Meanwhile in the northern and western Corn Belt, timely rainfall during the second half of July followed a nearly month-long dry spell, easing moisture stress on corn and soybeans. Although soil moisture shortages persisted in some areas at month's end, Midwestern summer crops were largely spared from heat stress. In the Southeast, abundant rainfall favored summer crop development and eased long-term precipitation deficits, especially across Florida. Farther west, scattered showers in the Great Basin and Northwest provided little relief from long-term drought that continued to reduce irrigation reserves and stress pastures and dryland summer crops.

CANADA: During July, periodic heat and dryness stressed reproductive to filling spring grains and oilseeds in sections of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Manitoba, locally heavy rain caused some lodging and threatened crop quality. In eastern Canada, warm, dry weather since mid-July has favored winter wheat harvesting but limited moisture for reproductive corn and soybeans.

SOUTH AMERICA: Below-normal July rainfall reduced soil moisture for germinating winter wheat in portions of central Argentina, but beneficial rain fell in early August. In southern Brazil, above-normal rainfall maintained adequate to abundant soil moisture for vegetative to reproductive winter wheat. Across Sao Paulo and southern Minas Gerais, mostly dry July weather favored coffee, sugarcane, and orange harvesting, except for minor delays due to mid-month rain. Near-normal July rainfall continued to favor cocoa in coastal Bahia. Freezing temperatures burned back wheat in southern Brazil and Argentina.

EUROPE: In July, near- to above-normal rainfall in northern Europe slowed winter grain maturation and harvesting, but maintained adequate to abundant moisture supplies for reproductive summer crops. The heaviest rain fell in northeastern Europe, causing flooding in Poland. Variable showers in northern Spain, northern Italy, and southeastern Europe benefited filling summer crops, while mostly dry weather in southern Spain maintained high irrigation demands. Temperatures averaged near to slightly above normal across the continent.

FSU-WESTERN: In July, oppressive heat and dryness overspread major summer crop growing areas of the eastern two-thirds of Ukraine and southern Russia, placing moderate to severe stress on corn and sunflowers advancing through reproduction. July's hot, dry weather extended as far north as the Volga Valley and Volga Vyatsk regions of Russia, hastening maturity in spring grains, but allowing rapid winter grain harvesting.

FSU-NEWLANDS: In major spring grain producing areas of Russia and north central Kazakstan, near- to above-normal precipitation in July maintained favorable moisture conditions for crops, which advanced through reproduction. The exception was in the southern Urals, where hot, dry weather lowered crop prospects.

MIDDLE EAST AND TURKEY: During July, scattered showers benefited summer crops and boosted irrigation levels across northern sections of Turkey and Iran, but unseasonable warmth maintained high crop moisture demands.

SOUTH ASIA: In southern India, a surge in monsoon activity in early August ended a dry spell in important oilseed and cotton areas. Elsewhere, moisture remained adequate to abundant for summer grain, oilseed, and cotton development. Flooding has been recorded across Pakistan and the eastern rice belt.

EASTERN ASIA: During the first half of July, dry weather returned to the North China Plain, stressing summer crops. While late-month rainfall stabilized yield potentials in Shandong and Jiangsu, pockets of dryness continued to stress summer crops in portions of the region. In Manchuria, near-normal July rainfall favored soybeans in Heilongjiang, but below-normal rainfall stressed corn and soybeans in western Jilin and Liaoning. In the Yangtze Valley, below-normal rainfall reduced moisture supplies and stressed rainfed crops, but the sunnier weather favored rice development. In extreme southern China, much-above normal rainfall provided abundant to excessive moisture for sugarcane and rice. Excessive rainfall during late July and early August caused flooding in North Korea and northern South Korea. In central and southern Japan, warm, dry July weather favored rice development.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: In July, dryness in Thailand reduced moisture reserves for main-season rice, but favored corn maturation. Typhoons Durian and Yutu brought heavy showers to northern Vietnam, causing flooding, but boosting moisture supplies for 10th month rice. Drier weather elsewhere in Vietnam reduced moisture supplies for rice. Several tropical cyclones brought heavy showers to Luzon, Philippines, causing damage to corn. Above-normal rainfall benefited oil palm in peninsular Malaysia. Generally dry weather occurred in Java, Indonesia, where irrigation supplies remained adequate for second-season rice.

AUSTRALIA: Soaking rain in late July brought some drought relief to winter grain areas in Western Australia, Queensland, and northern New South Wales, helping stabilize the condition of semi-dormant crops.