Eastern Cornbelt:
Cold temperatures resulted in a hard freeze in parts of northern Illinois on April 20-22, with snow flurries and 30-40 mph winds also reported in some areas. Lows in central Illinois dropped to the 40s, with an increased chance of rain as the week progressed.
Parts of Indiana were also blanketed in up to two inches of snow on April 20-21, with temperatures expected to drop into the upper-20s and low-30s, prompting a freeze warning for multiple areas across the state. Snow accumulation in parts of northern Ohio reached four inches or more during the week, but highs near 60 were expected again by the coming weekend.
Planting progress in the Eastern Cornbelt was tracking ahead of the five-year average. USDA estimated that 12 percent of the Illinois corn crop was planted by April 18, along with 7 percent of the crop in Indiana and 4 percent in Ohio. Soybean planting had progressed to 5 percent complete in Illinois and Ohio by that date, just slightly ahead of Indiana’s 4 percent.
Western Cornbelt:
Scattered snow showers were reported in Iowa at midweek as freezing temperatures threatened to deliver record-lows in some locations on April 22. Sources reported thunderstorms in northern Iowa, with highs only reaching the mid-50s.
Winter was also refusing to ease its grip on Nebraska, as another storm brought 4-8 inches of snow to northern areas of the state on April 18-19. Highs topped out in the 40s at midweek in Lincoln, Neb., with a freeze warning in effect for much of southeastern Nebraska.
In Missouri, the Kansas City area collected 3.5 inches of snow on April 20, a record for that date. As the week progressed, rain was expected across central and southern Missouri, but forecasts said a weekend warmup was on the way, with highs possibly reaching the low-80s by April 26-27.
Missouri growers had 14 percent of the corn planted by April 18, compared with 2-4 percent in Nebraska and Iowa, with all three states trailing their five-year averages. Just 1 percent of the soybeans were planted in Iowa and Missouri by that date, while Missouri growers had 26 percent of the rice seeded. Oat planting had reportedly progressed to 66-70 percent in Iowa and Nebraska.
Southern Plains:
Colder temperatures were reported in Kansas during the week, with rain and snow observed in some eastern areas of the state on April 20.
The cold weather also drifted down into Oklahoma and Texas, where temperatures fell into the 30s and 40s at midweek. Lows in Oklahoma City were expected to dip below freezing at midweek, with an increased chance of rain as the week progressed.
In northern Texas, a record low of 37 degrees was recorded in Dallas-Fort Worth on April 21, with freezing temperatures in other parts of northern and western Texas. Northern Texas was bracing for an increased chance of rain and thunderstorms later in the week. Rain, thunderstorms, and snow were also reported in New Mexico early in the week.
Planting continued at a brisk pace in the region, despite the presence of extreme-to-exceptional drought conditions in western and southern Texas. As of April 18, corn planting was fully 60 percent complete in Texas, compared with 15 percent in Kansas and 6 percent in Colorado. Texas growers also had 16 percent of the cotton and 51 percent of the sorghum planted by that date.
“Fieldwork on range and pasture is wide open, and a rain this weekend will give it a big push,” said one Texas contact.
South Central:
Planting progress was mixed across the South Central region at mid-month, with some areas experiencing delays due to cold, wet weather.
Freeze warnings and watches were in effect at midweek for much of northern and western Arkansas, with some parts of northwestern Arkansas picking up a dusting of snow. Lows in the 20s and 30s were reported early on April 21 in northern and central Arkansas. Although things warmed up a bit as the week progressed, another system was expected to bring 1-3 inches of rain to southern areas of the state by the weekend.
A mix of rain and snow was also reported in Middle Tennessee at midweek, while heavy rains across Louisiana during the previous week dropped as much as 5-8 inches of precipitation and caused flooding in some locations.
USDA reported that growers in Kentucky and Tennessee had 26 percent of the corn planted by April 18, while soybean planting had progressed to 2 percent complete in Tennessee, 4 percent in Kentucky, 12 percent in Arkansas, and 10-15 percent in Louisiana and Mississippi. Cotton planting was just 1-2 percent complete in Mississippi and Louisiana by that date.
Rice planting in the region was much further along, with progress rated at 26 percent complete in Arkansas, 36 percent in Mississippi, and 74-79 percent in Louisiana and Texas.
Southeast:
After highs in the 80s during the previous week, much of the Southeast was hit with cold temperatures that prompted several freeze warnings at midweek.
In addition to freeze warnings, parts of North Carolina and northern Georgia were also under red flag fire warnings due to windy and dry conditions. Forecasts warned of up to two inches of rain across northern Georgia over the coming weekend, however.
Temperatures in the upper-80s were common across southern Florida over the prior weekend, but colder temperatures also moved into the Sunshine State during the week. Forecasts warned of thunderstorms in northern and central Florida early in the week, with the precipitation shifting to southern Florida at midweek. Temperatures in the 70s were common throughout the state as the week progressed.
Sources reported an active planting pace in the region during the week, along with some logistics headaches. “Everyone is wide open right now with application,” said one Georgia contact. “Planting has started as well. Railcars are our biggest issue right now; they get bottlenecked in spots and aren’t getting to us fast enough.”
North Carolina growers had 40 percent of the corn and 2 percent of the soybeans planted by April 18, with cotton planting estimated at 5 percent in Georgia, 2 percent in Alabama, and 1 percent in South Carolina and Virginia. Peanut planting was also off to a good start, with progress estimated at 11 percent complete in Florida and 1 percent in Georgia and the Carolinas.
“Corn is 75 percent planted and we’re begging for a rain,” said one South Carolina source at midweek. “Sidedress should start next week, and we’re expecting a big run.”