News

Snow, severe weather expected to hit most of Corn Belt

An ag meteorologist says a massive storm system is expected to move across the Corn Belt this week/weekend and it could disrupt harvest in many areas.

Brownfield’s Greg Soulje says it will begin in the Nebraska Sandhills where it could receive its first snowfall of season and sweep along the I-80 corridor from the Great Plains through Ohio where areas could receive up to 3-4 inches of rain by Sunday. “Some harvest delays anticipated across a wide area of the Corn Belt. Western areas are in much better shape for maturities versus the Eastern areas, but this is the time of year where you want to get moisture into the ground before we firm it up and freeze it up.”

But, he says, 30 to 55 miles per hour winds won’t be uncommon and it could damage the corn crop. “Those stalks have and remained weakened due to drought and dryness. On the corn side of things there could be some lodging and some blowdown potential could come into play. On top of that, obviously, wet conditions will be materializing.”

Soulje doesn’t expect many flash flooding events and the moisture could significantly improve drought conditions in many areas.

Greg Soulje: