Dry conditions are stretching across much of farm country as producers push ahead with spring planting, raising concerns about soil moisture levels in key agricultural regions. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says some of the most significant dryness is centered in the Great Plains.
“Starting off in the Great Plains, we will mention that in Colorado’s statewide agricultural regions, topsoil moisture is 96 percent very short to short,” said Rippey. “Other plain states are well above 50 percent very short to short. That list includes Montana at 78 percent, Nebraska at 72 percent, Kansas, at 60 percent very short to short, and then Oklahoma and Texas, both coming in this week at 56 percent very short to short.”
Rippey notes the dryness is not limited to the Plains, with parts of the Southeast also continuing to struggle despite minor improvements in recent days.
“Numbers have improved ever so slightly, but given where we were a week ago, that doesn’t mean a whole lot. We’re still seeing numbers above 80 percent very short to short in states like Virginia, 87 percent, Georgia, 86 percent, and South Carolina at 89 percent. Even with that moisture, we’re still seeing numbers above 50 percent very short to short in a host of other southern states. A short list includes Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, along with North Carolina, and moving into the mountains of West Virginia.”
While dryness dominates much of the map, other regions are experiencing the opposite problem, as excess moisture creates delays in seasonal fieldwork. Rippey says portions of the Midwest and Northeast have seen a notable uptick in soil moisture levels following recent વરસાદ.
“We have seen a lot of recent rainfall in parts of the Midwest and the Northeast, and that has bumped numbers into the surplus category for several states, with New York State coming in this week at 44 percent surplus,” said Rippey. “Michigan has trailed off a little bit as they have finally seen some drier weather there, but still, at 32 percent surplus. Coming in third on the list this week is Ohio at 26 percent surplus. Several other Midwestern states have crept into the low double digits, including Indiana, 19 percent, Missouri, 18 percent, and Illinois, 17 percent surplus. All that moisture in the Midwest, good for crops eventually, but is slowing locally, at least, some of the field work operations, including corn and soybean planting.”
The contrasting conditions highlight a challenging start to the growing season, as farmers in some regions wait for rain while others wait for fields to dry out enough to continue planting.
