Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 8/10/20

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS 
Subsoil Moisture 1 18 72 9
Topsoil Moisture 2 15 73 10

VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus
  

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg. 
4.9              6.1             6.4              5.5 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apples 0 2 13 83 2
Cotton 6 10 27 49 8
Hay 1 3 39 52 5
Pasture 2 6 34 54 4
Peanuts 1 5 23 59 12
Sorghum 2 5 41 47 5
Soybeans 4 9 29 49 9
Sweet Potatoes 1 4 25 62 8
Tobacco: Flue-Cured 5 12 35 42 6
Tobacco: Burley 0 1 44 55 0

VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Yr. Avg. 
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn 5 13 28 46 8
Corn Dough 84 77 90 91
Corn Dented 56 33 67 70
Corn Mature 16 N/A 25 27
Cotton Setting Bolls 74 64 89 82
Peanuts Pegging 91 86 97 96
Soybeans Blooming 74 60 71 76
Soybeans Setting Pods 50 40 47 49
HARVESTED
Apples 14 10 17 19
Corn for Silage 20 10 35 27
Hay: Second Cutting 84 80 87 74
Peaches 67 62 74 70
Tobacco: Flue-Cured 28 16 20 26

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD
Scattered heavy thunderstorms caused minor flooding
along the rivers and creeks in the latter part of the week.
Producers are still trying to finish first cutting hay as above
normal rainfall has occurred this year to date. Corn is good
except in bottomland where portions of the fields have
drowned out. - ASHE

Rainfall was above normal with 1"- 2.5" widespread across
both Jackson and Swain counties while temperatures were
near average for period. - JACKSON / SWAIN

Franklin County needed rain and now it seems to be raining
every day. Some parts of the county have received over six
inches in the last week. - FRANKLIN / HALIFAX / NASH

Rainfall has helped all crops, though some tobacco
is leaning after the tropical storm and growers
were propping/straightening plants. Some were looking at
broadcast treatments for sucker control rather than
spending the labor needed to straighten plants. Harvest has
been slow so far, as our crop is a couple of weeks behind
other areas of the state. Pastures needed the rainfall, and
subsequent scattered showers have helped. Double
crop soybeans are at a standstill until
temperatures moderate a bit. Hot, humid weather is still the
norm. - GRANVILLE

Hurricane Isaias brought much needed rain to our fields
without damaging winds or flooding - RANDOLPH

Some rains this week have slowed potential corn
harvest, but aided soybean growth. - PAMLICO

Recent rainfall has increased soil moisture, but it was too
late for some areas. - JOHNSTON

Hurricane Isaias roared through Monday
evening producing 3" to 4" of rainfall and 50-60 mph
winds. There is a significant amount of corn that lodged
(mild impact) or the tops snapped off (widespread). A
small number of acres (with very high yield potential)
were completely flattened by the wind. The soybean
crop benefitted greatly from the rain. Scattered
heavy thunderstorms later in the week turned adequate
soil moisture into excessively wet soil. This will
create challenges for farmers trying to spray insecticides
or fungicides on beans. Some newly planted
blueberry fields suffered wind damage, requiring a lot of
labor to put bushes back in place. - PENDER

Hurricane Isaias brought much needed rain to the county
followed by scattered showers throughout the week.
Crop conditions improved. There were reports of wind
damage to a portion of the tobacco crop in the
southeastern part of the county. Corn harvest began this
week for a few growers. - ROBESON

Scattered showers throughout the week improved crop
conditions considerably. - UNION

For the full report, click here.