Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 10/15/18

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 0 5 61 34
Subsoil Moisture 0 8 76 16
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus


DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
4.5 6.5 5.5 4.9

CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Cotton 9 22 34 31 4
Pasture 1 9 35 52 3
Peanuts 7 14 35 35 9
Sorghum 3 14 30 52 1
Soybeans 8 17 25 41 9
Sweet Potatoes 5 20 39 33 
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent 3



CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS 
This Week  Last Week  Last Year 5 Yr. Avg. 
PLANTED:
Barley 10 N/A 15 20
Oats 25 17 26 20
PHENOLOGICAL:
Cotton Bolls Opening 95 93 89 90
Soybeans Dropping Leaves 85 73 75 67
HARVESTED:
Apples 85 81 84 80
Corn for Grain 91 88 92 91
Cotton 17 N/A 19 13
Hay: Third Cutting 75 70 83 73
Peanuts 31 25 39 31
Sorghum 39 33 76 44
Soybeans 17 11 25 13
Sweet Potatoes 48 38 64 53
Tobacco: Burley 74 65 76 82
Tobacco: Flue-cured 94 92 93 93

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

With Hurricane Michael dropping approximately 10-11 inches of
rain here caused a lot of washed out roads and power outages.
Several tobacco farmers that had tobacco curing in the barns loss
these. Several people across the county are still without electrical
power. This second hurricane for the season pretty much
devastated the remaining tobacco crop that needed to be
harvested and soybeans and corn that needed to be harvested.
Joey Knight – Caswell County Extension

Rutherford County received 4 - 6 inches of rain over the last week
due to Hurricane Matthew. Soybeans are just beginning to drop
leaves as the air is becoming cooler. Producers are going into
winter with an abundance of hay and the pastures are still green,
thus sustaining the livestock that are grazing them at this time.
Janice Nicholson – Rutherford County FSA

Rain has halted all harvesting and planting of small grain. Some
creeks and the river over flowed their banks from the rain received
from Hurricane Michael.
Julia Houck – Ashe-Alleghany County Extension

Rainfall averaged 1.30", which is above normal for the period and
the soils are "Above Average Wet." Temperatures were near
normal with more seasonal conditions.
Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension

Lots of rain and wind this week. Some flooding the county but not extensive
Donna Teasley – Burke County Extension

The remnants of Hurricane Michael brought significant rainfall to
the county resulting in flash flooding and several road closures.
Precipitation levels were variable across the county and ranged
from 2.5" in the more northern sections to nearly 10" in the
southern portions of the county. Damage was primarily isolated to
streamside flooding with minimal crops damage since most crops
had been harvested at this point. Temperatures cooled
considerably following the storm with lows mainly in the lower
40's. There were reports of some snow flurries late week in the
higher elevations.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Farmers are still cleaning up and fixing paths from Hurricane
Florence. Peanuts and Sweet Potatoes are being harvested.
Soybeans are beginning to be harvested. The tobacco that was
still in the field when Florence hit is no good. Cotton is being
defoliated and harvest will begin soon. There was a lot of wind
damage and hard lock in cotton from Florence..
Blake Sandlin – Duplin County Extension

Hurricane Michael blew a lot in Pender but thankfully very little
rain fell. The hay and pasture situation continues to be bad. Large
quantities of hay were damaged by rain or completely flooded.
Many pastures were damaged or destroyed by flood water during
Florence or in the 10 days after with flood water from the rivers.
Warm weather has promoted the regrowth of some summer
annual grasses but emergency hay donations are going to be
needed in this county/region throughout the winter.
Mark Seitz/Tim Mathews – Pender County Extension

For the full report, click here.