Weather

Midwestern fieldwork at a virtual standstill

On the Plains, very cold weather prevails. In fact, Freeze Warnings were in effect as far south as Texas’ northern panhandle. In recent weeks, freezes have adversely affected winter wheat on the southern High Plains, while widespread precipitation has aided wheat farther north. During the last 3 weeks, the portion of the wheat rated very poor to poor has increased from 49 to 60% in Texas, but has decreased from 76 to 53% in South Dakota.

Across the Corn Belt, a brief spell of warmth in the Ohio Valley contrasts with unusually cold weather elsewhere. A mixture of rain and snow accompanies the latest cold surge, aggravating lowland flooding. Fieldwork remains at a virtual standstill, with corn planting just 1% complete by April 21 in Illinois and Indiana.

In the South, cool conditions linger, especially along the Atlantic Coast. Fieldwork is running behind schedule in some areas, particularly in the Delta, due to a cool, occasionally wet spring. On April 21, rice planting was just 7% complete in Mississippi, compared to the 5-year average of 48%.

In the West, freeze warnings are in effect across parts of the Northwest, where a series of cold mornings has led to protective measures being used to guard against injury to fruit crops. In contrast, warm, dry weather favors fieldwork and crop development in California and the Desert Southwest.