News

Rain stopping at Michigan border

An ag meteorologist says recent storm systems have flipped precipitation issues across some parts of the Eastern Corn Belt.

State climatologist for Michigan Jeff Andresen says, unfortunately, there seems to be a shutoff valve at Michigan’s southern border with storms fizzling out near the state line.

“In portions of Northern Indiana and Ohio, and east central Illinois, they had two inches of rain,” he says.

Dry conditions across Indiana and Ohio have lifted over the last week while worsening in Michigan.  Andresen is calling for the warmer and drier trend to continue for the month and if scattered rain does fall…

“The evaporative demand will also increase as well so there will be significant demand for water which of course doesn’t exist in many parts, and that will continue to be or maybe even worse than it has been,” he says.

In the latest U.S. Drought Monitor Report, nearly 80 percent of Michigan ranges from abnormally dry to in moderate drought.

Andresen made his comments during the recent MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast.