News

Rain provides relief for agriculture

Many parts of the corn belt received much needed rain this weekend.

Eric Snodgrass is the principal atmospheric scientist with Nutrien Ag solutions.

“There were some places in the western parts of the corn belt and parts of the central corn belt and even Illinois, Indiana, and down into Tennessee and Kentucky that over the last couple of days have gotten rain that was desperately needed,” he says. “They’re getting a break in temperatures and this all comes on the heels of what has been so far in June extremely hot and dry conditions.”

He says the rain bought growers some time, but there is the possibility of drought conditions this summer with the developing La Nina and concerns over whether the North Pacific Jet Stream is going to respond to it.

“I hope they stay disconnected and the north pacific jet stream just does it’s thing because if it does we’re going to have big yields and have a great year, but if the two get connected it could make for an ugly second half of the growing season and bring up more concern for drought and heat,” he says.

Snodgrass says he is monitoring the drought in the southern plains because if it continues into July, it increases the possibility of sending the jet stream further north.