Weather

Organized rains, a few severe storms expanding from the Plains, eastward

Across the Corn Belt, mild, dry weather east of the Mississippi River favors a rapid corn and soybean planting pace.  In the western Corn Belt, warm, humid, showery weather is promoting the emergence of summer crops that have been planted in recent weeks.  By May 7, nearly one-half (49%) of the U.S. corn had been sown, with more than two-thirds of the intended acreage planted in Midwestern States such as Missouri (92%), Illinois (73%), and Iowa (70%). 

On the Plains, a low-pressure system emerging from the central Rockies is producing unsettled, showery weather.  Thunderstorms are providing some beneficial moisture on the central and southern High Plains, although Wednesday’s and Thursday’s large hail and high winds resulted in localized crop and property damage.  Across the northern half of the Plains, rain is causing fieldwork delays but benefiting rangeland, pastures, winter wheat, and emerging summer crops.

In the South, warm, humid weather prevails.  Scattered showers, mainly from eastern Texas to the Mississippi Delta, are disrupting fieldwork but benefiting pastures and emerged summer crops.  Where no rain is falling—including parts of Florida and southern Texas—Friday’s high temperatures will reach or exceed 90°F. 

In the West, dry weather prevails, aside from a mix of rain and snow in the central Rockies.  A warming trend has commenced across the Far West, favoring fieldwork but leading to an increase in the mountain snow-melt rate.