The 2000 cropping season will be remembered as one of the driest in recent years. March through October precipitation was only 64% of the 30-year average for our area. Moisture was the main concern of area crop producers throughout the entire growing season. Only the months of June and July recorded slightly above normal rainfall totals. For the most part, temperatures during the first one-half of the growing season averaged cooler than normal, whereas above average temperatures prevailed during the rest of the year. The area experienced a very warm month of October for the second consecutive year when temperatures averaged more than 10 degrees above normal.