Hear Brownfield’s interview with Drew Lerner.
Ag Meteorologist Drew Lerner says he’s expecting short and inconsistent planting windows throughout May in the Midwest.
“It is going to be one of those situations, certainly in the central part of the Midwest, where we don’t want to wait for optimum conditions…It just looks a little bit unsettled to me.”
Lerner with World Weather Incorporated says the next few weeks feature a mixed weather pattern with frequent shifts between systems.
“Missouri will see an increase in precipitation as we go forward through these next week. So will Illinois and points offward off to the east into Indiana, Ohio, and even back into some of the hard red winter wheat country.”
Lerner says he’s expecting less precipitation in early May across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa and northeast Nebraska.
Heading into mid-month, Lerner says warmer conditions return along with several rounds of rain, with the heaviest moisture shifting north.
“Perhaps the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Iowa will all turn wetter, while maybe Missouri will see a little less frequent and less significant rain pattern. The same would be true for Illinois and Indiana.”
Lerner says it will still rain in those areas, but not as much as the northern areas. The Delta is trending wetter, with more rain expected in the next 10 days, slowing fieldwork.
Overall, Lerner says the crops already planted are in fairly good shape, but wetter areas need less rain and more warmth for better development, and he expects improvement in the second half of May.
