Eastern Cornbelt:
Scattered showers were reported in Illinois during the week, limiting fieldwork in many areas. Another round of storms was expected in northern Illinois on May 16-17.
Indiana and Ohio received a needed break from steady rainfall at midweek, with temperatures climbing to the 70s and low-80s. While scattered showers were once again in the forecast late on May 16 for both states, sources said the coming weekend looked relatively dry, sparking hopes that spring planting would once again shift into high gear.
Corn planting as of May 12 was 42% complete in Illinois and 36% in Indiana and Ohio, with both Illinois and Indiana trailing their five-year averages. Soybean planting was estimated at 39% complete in Illinois, 34% in Indiana, and 27% in Ohio by that date.
Western Cornbelt:
The week got off to a wet start again in Iowa, with most areas reportedly seeing a half-inch or less of precipitation. Highs across the state were expected to reach the mid-80s by the end of the week.
Most of Nebraska enjoyed dry weather during the week, with highs climbing well into the 80s as the week progressed. Forecasts warned of potentially strong storms across central Nebraska over the weekend, however. Rain showers were also tracking though parts of Missouri late in the week.
Corn planting as of May 12 was 72% complete in Missouri, 57% in Iowa, and 55% in Nebraska, while soybean planting had progressed to 36-39% complete the region. Iowa and Nebraska were trailing the average pace for both crops, while Missouri was tracking ahead of average.
Missouri growers also had 87% of the rice and 63% of the cotton planted by May 12, with both tracking ahead of the average pace. Sorghum planting in Nebraska was just 5% complete by that date.
Southern Plains:
Strong thunderstorms moved through parts of Kansas at midweek, packing 60 mph winds, large hail, and 1-2 inches of rainfall. Severe storms were also reported in Oklahoma early on May 16, with reports of very strong winds that did considerable damage in Oklahoma City. More rain was expected in parts of Oklahoma late in the week.
Texas was also bracing for severe weather on May 16, with forecasts warning of large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, and possible tornadoes and flash floods, particularly across central and eastern areas of the state. Scattered showers and thunderstorms were in New Mexico’s May 16 forecast as well.
Kansas growers had 33% of the soybeans and 61% of the corn planted by May 12, while corn planting elsewhere in the region was rated at 80% complete in Texas and 33% in Colorado. Cotton planting was 28% complete in Texas, 18% in Kansas, and 12% in Oklahoma, with sorghum planting rated at 74% complete in Texas, 22% in Oklahoma, 7% in Kansas, and 1% in Colorado.
Wheat conditions varied widely across the region due to drought, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 52-53% of the acreage in Oklahoma and Colorado, 42% in Texas, and just 31% in Kansas. “I’ve seen wheat fields dying, but drive a couple hundred miles and there might be record yields in wheat,” said one Kansas contact.
South Central:
Strong thunderstorms moved through Arkansas, Middle Tennessee, and southern Kentucky early in the week, but dry weather and high temperatures returned as the week progressed, with highs in the 90s possible by the coming weekend.
Tennessee was hit with multiple tornadoes on May 8, causing at least two deaths, widespread power outages, and a wide swath of damage. Another line of storms moved across Louisiana on May 13, sparking at least three tornadoes that left thousands without power. Forecasts warned of damaging winds, large hail, and possible tornadoes in Mississippi at midweek as well.
Planting was advancing rapidly in the South Central region, with rice, soybeans, and cotton seeding all tracking ahead of the average pace. Soybean planting as of May 12 was 79% complete in Mississippi, 76% in Arkansas, 69% in Louisiana, and 40-46% in Kentucky and Louisiana, with corn planting estimated at 73% complete in Tennessee and 58% in Kentucky.
Cotton planting had progressed to 52-54% complete in Louisiana and Mississippi, 48% in Arkansas, and 28% in Tennessee, while rice planting was nearly complete at 97% in Louisiana, 95% in Texas, 94% in Arkansas, and 84% in Mississippi.
Southeast:
Strong storms churned through the Southeast on May 14, spawning four tornadoes in North Carolina and prompting tornado watches in parts of Georgia and Florida.Virginia was also bracing for thunderstorms on May 16, while Alabama was expecting severe weather on May 17-18, with forecasts warning of potentially heavy rain, flash floods, and damaging winds.
Wet conditions continued to delay planting in some parts of the Southeast. North Carolina growers had 95% of the corn and 40% of the soybeans planted by May 12, while cotton planting had progressed to 34-35% in North Carolina and Georgia, 39% in South Carolina, 42% in Alabama, and 54% in Virginia.
Peanut planting as of May 12 was estimated at 30% complete in Alabama, 42% in Georgia and North Carolina, 50% in South Carolina, 55% in Florida, and 62% in Virginia.