Ag Weather Forum

Limited "Dry" Areas in Past Week

Bryce Anderson
By  Bryce Anderson , Ag Meteorologist Emeritus
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Locations with less than one-half inch of rain in the past seven days were limited to the mid-Mississippi Valley and the southern rim of the Great Lakes. (NOAA graphic by Nick Scalise)

Corn planting progress continues to be behind average for the week ending Easter Sunday, April 16. And there's no question as to why. Showers have been frequent and pretty widespread across the Corn Belt.

A look at the precipitation totals for the past seven days as compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows this very well. Using the one-half inch rainfall total as a benchmark for drier conditions, we find that the south-central Midwest -- central Missouri to southern Illinois -- had a half-inch or less rainfall. Also, the eastern Midwest around the Great Lakes -- especially Indiana and Ohio, along with portions of Michigan -- took in a half-inch or less total precipitation. The Delta had similar precipitation totals. Otherwise, you had to look into the northwestern sector of the Corn Belt -- the Dakotas and northwestern Minnesota -- to find the lower amounts.

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With that relatively low acreage representation with light precipitation, it's no wonder that planting progress is off to a slower start than usual.

Bryce

Twitter @BAndersonDTN

(AG)

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