Crop Progress and Condition

USDA, NASS, West Virginia Field Office
Alissa Cowell-Mytar, State Statistician
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 357-5123 
Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/wv

In Cooperation with: 
U.S. Dept. of Commerce - NOAA 
USDA Farm Service Agency
WV Cooperative Extension Service
WV Department of Agriculture

   

Released: April 22, 2024	

                                                                           Issue: 07-24 	

	

Agricultural News:  Days suitable for fieldwork were 3.7. Weather conditions were wet with cooler temperatures later in the week. Some fields are still soggy and damaged from the recent heavy rains and flooding. Farming activities this week included preparing for planting and finishing up calving and lambing.   

SOIL MOISTURE and SUPPLIES for week ending 4/21/24
	
	Very Short	Short	Adequate	Surplus	
	%	%	%	%	
Topsoil	1	4	69	26	
Subsoil	1	3	76	20	
Hay & Roughage	12	42	44	2	
Feed grain	12	22	56	10	

                                 -Represents zero.

TOPSOIL MOISTURE for week ending 4/21/24

CROP and LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS for week ending 4/21/24	
Crop/Livestock	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent	
	%	%	%	%	%	
Apples	-	-	9	90	1	
Peaches	-	-	11	88	1	
Hay	2	1	22	66	9	
Pasture	1	10	30	52	7	
Winter Wheat	-	3	35	60	2	
Cattle & Calves	-	3	19	68	10	
Sheep & Lambs	-	3	11	79	7	
	-	Represents zero.	

CROP and LIVESTOCK PROGRESS for week ending 4/21/24	
Crop/Livestock Stage	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5-Yr Avg	
	%	%	%	%	
Corn planted	3	2	15	10	
Winter Wheat headed	21	2	31	18	
Cows calved	95	90	93	90	
Ewes lambed	96	93	94	92	
	-	Represents zero or data not available.	

Weather Summary- For the week ending April 21, 2024

The third week of April started as a weak cool front sank down across West Virginia and created isolated showers. Some showers caused high water issues along the Ohio River. Tuesday morning, a warm front approached from the south, working northward over the State. The front brought with it unsettled weather in the form of isolated showers and storms, as well as warm tropical-like air. Many stations across the State reached the 80s in the afternoon, and a few locations in the southernmost counties broke the 90-degree mark. Wednesday was a mix of sun and clouds, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. A cold front pushed through the northern tier of counties beginning in the afternoon, and produced locally heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. The front worked to the south through the evening, producing showers and storms overnight. Drier and cooler air moved in early on Thursday, dropping temperatures back closer to normal and clearing out any lingering weather. Friday began a little cooler as showers drifted over, ahead of the next stronger cold front. That front moved over the region during the afternoon and evening, bringing along with it more showers and thunderstorms. Saturday began clear and cold, as the winds shifted from the southwest to the northwest after the front. High pressure kept any unsettled weather from forming, and under clear skies, temperatures reached the 60s for most areas. Appalachia remained under high pressure for Sunday, with even cooler temperatures. Most stations only reached the 40s or 50s during the afternoon. Overnight temperatures heading into Monday dropped low enough for freeze warnings and frost advisories. The lowest readings dropped into the mid-20s. Even with the cooling trend over the weekend, most of West Virginia still averaged around five degrees above normal. The Eastern Panhandle was somewhat cooler at only one degree above average.

Temperatures: Williamson had the highest recorded temperature of 90 degrees. Elkins had the lowest recorded temperature of 26 degrees. The state average temperature was 60 degrees.

Precipitation: Bluefield had the highest recorded amount of precipitation with 1.42 inches. Huntington had the lowest recorded amount of precipitation with 0.02 inches. The state average precipitation was 0.48 inches. 
Temperature and Precipitation Data for the Week Ending 4/21/24	
	Temperature	Precipitation	
			Weekly	Week’s	Since April 1st
 2024	Same Week	Season	
Station	High	Low	Average	Departure	Total	Norm		Last Year	Normal	
--NORTHWEST		
WHEELING	82	33	59	6	0.31	0.82	4.33	1.40	2.42	
PARKERSBURG	86	29	60	4	0.94	0.85	3.20	1.74	2.47	
CRESTON	84	28	59		0.70		4.89	1.17		
--NORTHCENTRAL		
MORGANTOWN	85	30	61	6	0.25	0.90	3.69	1.27	2.67	
CLARKSBURG	83	29	59	6	0.36	0.93	2.61	1.14	2.72	
BELINGTON	86	35	62		0.30		2.73	1.40		
WESTON	85	29	58		0.48		3.30	1.96		
--SOUTHWEST		
WILLIAMSON	90	34	65		0.21		2.31	2.63		
HUNTINGTON	89	31	65	7	0.02	0.92	2.45	3.59	2.61	
CHARLESTON	86	30	63	5	0.97	0.97	4.67	2.61	2.77	
RIPLEY	88	30	62		0.29		3.66	1.81		
--CENTRAL		
TERRA ALTA	83	27	57		0.49		3.76	2.62		
ELKINS	83	26	57	5	0.46	0.96	3.28	1.86	2.78	
MARLINTON	80	29	58		0.37		2.58	2.65		
--SOUTHERN		
BECKLEY	81	29	61	6	0.67	0.83	2.44	1.77	2.45	
PINEVILLE	84	31	61		0.70		3.03	1.88		
BLUEFIELD	78	31	59	5	1.42	0.87	4.06	2.37	2.47	
WHITE SUL SP	82	29	59		0.32		2.63	2.80		
BLUESTONE DAM	83	30	60		1.02		3.14	2.11		
--NORTHEASTERN		
MARTINSBURG	82	28	56	1	0.05	0.77	2.86	0.53	2.23	
KEYSER	83	28	57		0.24		4.22	1.29		
MOOREFIELD	82	29	58		0.08		1.92	1.25		
										
State Average Temperature	60									
State Average Precipitation	0.48									

Source:
Weather comments and data - Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service, Charleston, WV.

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