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Cloudy, wet weather and cooler temperatures seenOklahoma Skies were mostly cloudy as drizzle and light rain fell during most of the week ending Oct. 18, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Oklahoma Field Office, Oct. 19. Precipitation ranged from 0.19 in the Southwest district to 1.39 in the Southeast district. The weekend brought windy, but sunnier and milder temperatures across most of the state with temperatures averaging in the low to mid-60s. Soil moisture conditions continued to improve due to the slow, but constant rains, as topsoil was rated 21 percent surplus and subsoil 12 percent surplus. Producers were kept out of the fields the majority of last week due to wet conditions. There were only 2.2 days suitable for field work. Last week's damp and wet weather completely saturated the fields and made it difficult for many producers to continue plantings for small grains. Wheat planted reached 74 percent, a 6 point increase from the previous week, but 6 points behind the five-year average. Wheat emergence jumped 12 points from the week earlier to reach 60 percent complete, 1 point ahead of normal. Rye planted was 95 percent complete, while 90 percent of the crop had emerged, 9 points ahead of normal. Eighty-two percent of oat seedbed preparation was completed, while 38 percent of oats were planted by week's end, 5 points behind normal. Thirty-one percent of oats were emerged, 3 points ahead of the five-year average. Harvesting of row crops continued in most areas although weather conditions were wet and foggy. Row crop conditions continue to rate mostly in the good to fair range. Corn had reached 95 percent maturity by Oct. 18, up 1 point from the previous week but 4 points behind normal. Corn harvest was 77 percent complete by week's end, an 11 point jump from the prior week but still 15 points behind the five-year average. Sorghum coloring reached 99 percent complete by Oct. 18, while 49 percent had reached maturity, 16 points behind normal. Nineteen percent of the state's sorghum was harvested this past week, up 2 points from the previous week, but 19 points behind the five-year average. Fifty-five percent of soybeans reached maturity, up 8 points from the week earlier but 16 points behind normal. Twenty percent of soybeans had been harvested by week's end, up 4 points for the week but 22 points behind the five-year average. Peanuts at maturity reached 81 percent complete, up 11 points from the previous week. Thirty-six percent of peanuts had been dug while 18 percent had been combined, 12 points behind the five-year average. Cotton opening bolls was 92 percent complete, up 3 points from the prior week, but 1 point behind normal. The state had harvested a small portion of cotton by week's end. Wet weather brought haying activities to a standstill in many areas last week. As of Oct. 18, fifth cuttings of alfalfa were 55 percent complete, while sixth cuttings were 10 percent complete, up 7 points from the prior week but 14 points behind normal. Conditions of alfalfa continued to rate mostly in the good to fair range. Seventy-nine percent of other hay received a second cutting, up 1 point for the week but 7 points behind the five-year average.
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