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MONTANA CROP, LIV ESTOCK, AND WEATHER DIGEST, 1998 



January: The month started out \v;irm, turned very cold, and ended 

 much warmer. Precipitation was below normal, except tor the 

 Southwest. Snow cover of winter wheat lields was rated mostly 

 pt)or to very poor at month's end. Wind damage to winter wheat 

 was minimal. Calving and lambmg had just started by theendot'lhe 

 month. Grazing was rated 72 '7i open and the rest mostly dit'ficuli. 



February: The month was warm and dry until the last week when 

 a snow storm brought precipitation. Snow cover ot winter wheal 

 fields was rated mostly poor to very poor at month's end. Wind 

 damage was mostly light. Calving was 17 ''/< complete and lambing 

 was 1 1 Ic complete by the end of the month. Grazing was rated 

 57% open and the rest mostly closed. 



March: The month had relatively mild temperatures and above 

 normal precipitation. Freeze, drought, and wind damage on winter 

 wheat was mostly light. By the end of the month, winter wheat 

 acreage was 72% greening. Producers had just started planting 

 spring wheat and barley at the end of March. Calving and lambing 

 were iSO?' and 41% complete, respectively. 



April: The month had generally warm temperatures and good 

 precipitation. Spring planting started off slowly due to some wet 

 conditions at the beginning of the month. Producers made good 

 seeding progress by the last week with 40% of the spring wheat 

 seeded, compared to the five-year aserage of 22%. Barley seeded 

 was reported at .^8'/! . The winter wheat crop was rated mostly in 

 good condition. At the end of the month, livestock producers 

 started moving their cattle and sheep to summer pasture. Calving 

 was SQ'Zf complete and lambing was 76% complete, compared with 

 the average of 90% and 74%. respectively. 



May: At the beginning of the month, farmers took advantage of 

 warm, dry weather to seed crops. Spring wheat and barley seeded 

 was 83%' and 85% complete, respectively, and both were about 20 

 points ahead of normal. Precipitation fell in most areas in the next 

 two weeks, but more was needed to improve crop conditions. At 

 month's end, small grains were rated mostly in fair to good 

 condition. Calving and lambing were \ irtually complete at the end 

 of the month, and 79% of the cattle and 77''( of the sheep had been 

 moved to summer ramies. 



many areas of the state. By the end of the month, winter wheat 

 harvesting was well underway and ahead of last year's harvest. The 

 second cutting of alfalfa hay had just begun. 



.'\ugust: Warm, dry weather continued. During the first week, 

 some producers reported major hail damage to their winter wheat 

 and barley crops. At month's end, small grain harvest was well 

 ahead of normal. The winter wheat harvest was 98% complete, 

 and the spring grain harvest was 87'7( complete. Pasture conditions 

 were rated as mostly fair due to the hot, dry weather. The second 

 cutting of alfalfa hay was 79% complete. 



September: The continued hot, dry weather allowed producers 

 to virtually complete harvest of small grains by the middle of the 

 month. Temperatures cooled as most areas in Montana received 

 some precipitation during the last two weeks in September. By the 

 end of the month, winter wheat seeding was about 40% complete, 

 compared with 61% seeded at this time last year. Row crop 

 harvest was progressing well by month's end. About 30% of the 

 cattle and calves and sheep and lambs had been moved off summer 

 ranges. 



October: The first two weeks of the month were marked by lower 

 temperatures and some precipitation in most areas of the state. The 

 weather warmed up the third week but cooled down the last week. 

 with minimal precipitation. Winter wheat seeding was virtually 

 complete as 99'7( of the crop was planted at month's end. Sugar 

 beet and potato harvest was 88% and 95% complete, respectively. 

 About 84% of the cattle and calves and sheep and lambs had been 

 moved off summer pastures. 



November: Most of the state had above normal precipitation and 

 warm temperatures, except for a short cold spell around the 1 2"' of 

 the month. By the end of the month, the winter wheat crop had 

 emerged on 95 percent of the seeded acreage. Snow cover of 

 w inter wheat caused producers concern as condition ratings were 

 23 percent poor and 73 percent very poor. There was some wind 

 damage to the emerging winter wheat. Livestock grazing was 

 reported at 90 percent open. Supplemental feeding continued for 

 53 percent of the cattle and calves and 47 percent for sheep and 

 lambs. 



June: Most of the state received ample rainfall during the second 

 half of the month, which improved crop conditions. \\ month's 

 end. small grains were rated mostly in fair to good condition. Due 

 to the continued rain, the first cutting of alfalfa was 18% complete 

 compared with 29*^ har\esied the previous year. All livestock had 

 been moved to summer ranges by the end of the month. Pasture and 

 range conditions were rated 71% fair to good. 



July: Warm weather during the month kept small grain crops 

 ripening ahead of normal, but the lack of precipitation and the heat 

 stressed crops in some areas. Conditions were rated fair to good in 



December: The first 2 Vi weeks of December were mild and di7, 

 then an .Vrctic front brought very cold temperatures on the 17"'. 

 Cold temperatures dominated the weather the rest of the month. 

 Not much snow came along with the cold weather, and snow cover 

 of w inter wheat continued to cause some concern with ratings of 

 30 percent fair, 13 percent poor, and 25 percent very poor. Wind 

 damage to winter wheat was rated mostly light to none. Livestock 

 were reported in good condition. At the end of the month. 95 

 percent of the cattle and calves were receiving feed, compared w ith 

 88 percent for sheep and lambs. Grazing was rated at 36 percent 

 open. 



