Eastern Cornbelt:
Wet
weather continued to limit sidedress applications in the Eastern Cornbelt.
Highs across central and southern Illinois topped out in the upper-70s and
low-80s as the week progressed, but another round of showers was in the
forecast for June 10. Drier weather was on tap for the coming weekend, however.
Strong
storms pushed through parts of Indiana at midweek, with reports of golf ball-sized
hail, damaging winds, and at least one possible tornado in central Indiana on
June 8. The same system then churned through western, southern, and central
Ohio late on June 8, leaving thousands without power from high winds and at
least one confirmed tornado.
“We have been very busy putting the finishing touches on planting and getting a strong start on the sidedress season as we speak,” said one Ohio source. “We got some rain last night that will keep us out until tomorrow on sidedressing, and they are calling again for more rain later in the week in my area.”
Corn
planting as of June 5 had progressed to 95% complete in Illinois, 92% in
Indiana, and 85% in Ohio, with all three states tracking ahead of their
five-year averages. Soybean planting was also advancing quickly, with 84-88% of
the crop planted in Indiana and Illinois and 71% in Ohio.
Western Cornbelt:
A
band of strong thunderstorms moved through western and central Iowa on June 7,
while rain was reported across eastern Iowa at midweek. Much warmer
temperatures were on tap for the weekend, with highs in Iowa expected to climb
into the 80s before surging into the 90s during the following week.
Parts of eastern Nebraska were hit with
heavy rain early in the week, and a second band of thunderstorms hammered the
state with hail and torrential rain at midweek. Strong thunderstorms also moved
through parts of Missouri at midweek, spawning at least four tornadoes in the
Kansas City area on June 8.
Corn
planting in the region progressed to 95-98% complete by June 5, with soybean
planting estimated at 94-95% complete in Iowa and Nebraska and 61% in Missouri.
Missouri growers also had 96% of the cotton planted by that date, ahead of the
average pace, with sorghum planting in Nebraska also tracking ahead of normal
at 77% complete.
Southern Plains:
High
heat sparked strong thunderstorms in parts of the Southern Plains during the
week, and also worsened drought conditions across a vast swath of Texas, New
Mexico, and western Oklahoma.
Strong
storms spawned at least four tornadoes on June 8 in eastern Kansas, while an
earlier system produced 60-80 mph winds and golf ball-sized hail in parts of
northern Oklahoma. Highs in the mid-90s were expected in much of Oklahoma as
the week progressed, with triple-digit highs common across central and western
Texas during the week.
Corn
growers had 93-97% of the regional crop planted by June 5, while cotton
planting had progressed to 53% complete in Oklahoma, 82% in Texas, and 92% in
Kansas. Kansas growers also had 64% of the soybeans planted by June 5, with
sorghum planting estimated at 31% in Colorado, 33% in Oklahoma, 42% in Kansas,
and 86% in Texas.
The
regional winter wheat harvest was underway, but the drought has taken a toll on
yields and quality. Poor or very poor ratings were assigned to fully 82% of the
acreage in Texas, 55% in Colorado, 49% in Oklahoma, and 41% in Kansas. “Crops
are burning up, especially in the Panhandle,” commented one Texas source at
midweek.
“Our
forecast looks to have a few days of open weather now to let fields, at least
in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas, dry down for fieldwork,” said another
regional source. “Wheat harvest will begin next week. I have not talked to any
farmers that were optimistic about their yields.”
South Central:
Middle
Tennessee was hit with severe storms on June 6-8, which included hail, high
winds, minor flooding, and a few tornado warnings. Tornado watches were also in
effect for several Kentucky counties at midweek.
After
multiple days of rain, Arkansas residents enjoyed some sunshine and
temperatures in the mid-80s on June 9. Temperatures in the upper-80s and 90s
were reported across Louisiana and Mississippi during the week.
Planting
was nearly complete in the South Central region. USDA reported that 95-98% of
the corn was seeded in Kentucky and Tennessee by June 5, while soybean planting
was tracking ahead of average at 73% complete in Kentucky and Tennessee, 86% in
Arkansas, and 95-100% in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Cotton
planting was also equal to or ahead of the average pace, with 94-100% of the
regional crop seeded by June 5. Topdress applications on rice were underway in
some locations, with good or excellent ratings assigned to 76-78% of the
acreage in Louisiana and Arkansas, 68% in Mississippi, and 44% in Texas.
Southeast:
Strong
thunderstorms moved through central North Carolina on June 8, with reports of
hail and damaging winds. Scattered storms also brought torrential downpours and
gusty winds to the D.C. region on that date, including parts of northern
Virginia, where 1-3 inches of rain was reported.
Another
band of thunderstorms moved through northern Georgia at midweek, while steady
rainfall was reported across central Alabama during the early part of the week.
High heat and humidity sparked a number of strong thunderstorms in Florida as
well, just days after Tropical Storm Alex inundated parts of Southern Florida
with torrential rain on June 3-5.
Cotton
planting as of June 5 had progressed to 86-92% complete in the Southeast, with
most states tracking close to their five-year averages. Peanut planting was
estimated at 98% complete in Virginia, 92-95% in Georgia and Florida, 89-92% in
the Carolinas, and 83% in Alabama by that date. North Carolina grower also had
78% of the soybeans planted.
