General 



Montana Crop, Livestock and Weather Digest - 2002 



January: Unseasonably mild temperatures and Chinook winds 

 prevailed in January. An arctic cold front brought a big change in 

 the weather toward the end of the month, but winds and above 

 normal temperatures soon returned to the state. Wind damage to 

 the winter wheat crop was reported at 28% heavy, 35% moderate, 

 and 16%) light at month's end. Due to the mild winter conditions, 

 livestock grazing remained 71% open, with little forage available. 

 Calving and lambing had just begun by the end of the month. 



February: A westerly upper air flow kept Montana warmer and drier 

 than normal until the last week in February when winter returned to 

 the state. Producers welcomed the moisture and snow cover for 

 the winter wheat crop, but more precipitation was needed. Topsoil 

 and subsoil moisture were both rated at very short or short at 

 month's end. Nearly all of the cattle and calves and sheep and 

 lambs were receiving some supplemental feed because of poor 

 range and pasture conditions. Livestock producers reported good 

 calving and lambing progress, with 25%> of calves and 12% of lambs 

 born by month's end. 



year average. By the end of the month, ninety-six percent of the j 

 cattle and calves and sheep and lambs were moved to summer 

 ranges. 



July: Hot weather continued and lasted the entire month. 

 Precipitation was scattered. At month's end, small grain crop 

 conditions were rated mostly fair and good. The winter wheat 

 harvest had just begun and was 6% complete, compared to 37%) 

 last year and the five-year average of 26 percent. Ninety-seven 

 percent of the alfalfa hay was harvested by the end of the month. 

 The second cutting was underway with 23%. complete. 



August: Hot temperatures prevailed in August. Most areas of the 

 state received precipitation the first part of the month. At month's 

 end, the winter wheat harvest was 94%) complete, trailing both last 

 year's and the five-year averages of 98% and 96%, respectively. 

 The spring wheat and barley harvest was well behind last year's. 

 The second cutting of alfalfa hay was 75% complete, compared to 

 81% last year. 



March: March was snowy and cold in Montana. Topsoil conditions 

 improved with this precipitation, but more moisture was needed for 

 the winter wheat and the summer crops. At month's end, the winter 

 wheat crop condition was rated at 1% excellent, 9%> good, 29%) fair, 

 31% poor, and 30% very poor. Calving and lambing were 58% and 

 28% complete, respectively, by the end of the month. 



April: The weather was much colder than normal the first week in 

 April. Some areas in the state reported temperatures below zero. 

 Warmer conditions and scattered rain and snow showers prevailed 

 the rest of the month. Field work progressed slowly. At month's 

 end, field tillage was 27% well underway, compared to last year's 

 49% underway. Sugar beet growers had planted 35%> of their crop, 

 compared with the five-year average of 61% seeded. Calving was 

 90% complete by the end of the month, on-pace with 89% last year 

 and the same as the five-year average. Lambing was 69%) finished, 

 compared to the five-year average of 76%). 



May: Temperatures were near normal during the month. 

 Precipitation was generally scattered the first two weeks. Rain 

 showers, with snow in some areas, fell across the state the third 

 week in May. Bozeman received 2.33 inches of moisture for the 

 week, and other parts of Montana received close to 2 inches. At 

 month's end, 88% of the barley, 80% of the spring wheat, and 84% 

 of the oats acreage had been planted, behind last year when 97% 

 of the barley, 94%) of the spring wheat, and 93% of the oats acreage 

 were seeded. Sugar beet seeding was virtually complete. Fifty 

 percent of the cattle and calves and 43%) of the sheep and lambs 

 had been moved to summer ranges. 



September: Temperatures remained hot for most of Montana until 

 the last week in September when the highs were in the mid-60's to 

 the mid-70's. Precipitation was generally light for the month with 

 portions of the state receiving rain. The winter wheat harvest was 

 complete by the first part of the month. Spring wheat and barley 

 were 91%) harvested by month's end, both behind last year's 

 average of 99%) and the five-year average of 99%. Due to favorable 

 weather conditions, the 2003 winter wheat crop was 74%) seeded 

 at month's end, well ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Forty- 

 three percent of the cattle and calves and 41%) of the sheep and 

 lambs were moved off summer pastures. 



October: Montana had mild temperatures during October, with light 

 precipitation in some areas. Small grains, dry beans, and potatoes 

 were nearly harvested by the end of the month. Sugar beet harvest 

 was 96% complete, and corn silage was 100% harvested. Winter 

 wheat seeding was 98%) complete at month's end, the same as last 

 year. Seventy-one percent of both cattle and calves and sheep and 

 lambs were reported moved off summer pastures. 



November: Above normal temperatures and below normal 

 precipitation prevailed in most areas. The western portion of the 

 state did receive some snow during the last part of the month. 

 Snow cover for winter wheat was rated mostly very poor. By the end 

 of November, winter wheat had emerged on 95% of the seeded 

 acreage. At month's end, 36%) of the cattle and 28%) of the sheep 

 received supplemental feed, compared to 67%) of both the cattle 

 and sheep last year. Livestock grazing lands were reported at 92% 

 open. 



June: Rain fell across Montana in June, which improved crop and 

 pasture conditions. Most of the state saw temperatures in the 70's 

 and 80's until the end of the month when several areas broke the 

 100 degree mark. Glendive set the high at 108 degrees. Crop 

 seeding was complete at month's end. Pasture and range feed 

 conditions were better than a year ago, but still poorer than the five- 



December: December was unseasonably warm and dry. Producers 

 were concerned about the lack of snow cover on winter wheat 

 fields. The winter wheat crop was rated 1% very poor, 25%) poor, 

 55%) fair, 18% good, and l%o excellent. At month's end, grazing 

 lands remained primarily open, but producers fed livestock 

 supplemental feeds due to the lack of forage. 



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