Weather

Scattered showers & locally severe t-storms returning to parts of the Heartland

Across the Corn Belt, showers are mostly confined to the Great Lakes region.  Elsewhere in the Midwest, dry weather between storm systems is promoting fieldwork, including corn and soybean planting.  By April 28, nearly one-fifth (18%) of the intended U.S. soybean acreage had been planted, with some progress reported in all production states except North Dakota.  At least one-quarter of the soybeans had been planted on that date in Illinois (26%) and Iowa (25%).

On the Plains, areas from Nebraska southward escaped Tuesday night’s severe weather with only scattered wind and hail damage.  Early Wednesday, a few thunderstorms continue across the southern Plains, with another round of severe weather expected later Wednesday as far north as Nebraska.  In addition to lingering pockets of drought on the central and southern Plains, worsening dryness is a concern in Montana, where topsoil moisture was rated 71% very short to short on April 28.

In the South, warm, mostly dry weather is nearly ideal for fieldwork and crop development.  Any showers are confined to the mid-South and the southern Atlantic Coast.  In recent weeks, a subtle drying trend in the southern Atlantic States left topsoil moisture (on April 28) rated 47% very short to short in Florida, along with 37% in North Carolina and 33% in Virginia and South Carolina.

In the West, chilly weather across the northern half of the region contrasts with above-normal temperatures from the Desert Southwest to the southern Rockies.  Continuing a recent theme, spotty Freeze Warnings were in effect early Wednesday in the Northwest, including portions of Idaho’s Snake River Plain.  A USDA/NASS report from Union and Wallowa Counties in Oregon indicated that recent sub-freezing temperatures “negatively impacted susceptible crops.”