Eastern Cornbelt:
Wet, windy weather prevailed across much of the Eastern Cornbelt during the week, further delaying spring fieldwork and preplant fertilizer applications.
Damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rain hit parts of central Illinois at midweek. Although highs reached the low 70s earlier in the week, temperatures fell into the 50s on April 14-15.
Severe weather was also in the midweek forecast for central Indiana, although most areas experienced only gusty winds and heavy rain. A wind advisory remained in place for northern Indiana on April 13-14.
Highs in northern Ohio reached the mid-60s at the start of the week, but steady rain moved into the region as the week progressed, with temperatures dipping to the mid-40s. Conditions remained windy for the balance of the week, with slightly warmer temperatures, but continued showers.
Growers had yet to make a mark on corn planting in the region as of April 10. “We are still at a standstill, with nothing done for this cropping season,” complained on Ohio contact. “It’s very wet, and more rain and cool temperatures are on the way.”
Western Cornbelt:
Severe weather moved through eastern Nebraska and western Iowa on April 12, producing damaging winds and large hail in some areas, and prompting a number of tornado warnings.
At least eight tornadoes were confirmed in Iowa on Tuesday, with the strongest reported as an EF2 near Gilmore City. As a result, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Humboldt, Mitchell, Pocahontas, Winneshiek, and Worth counties.
Unsettled weather conditions continued as the week advanced. A wind advisory was in effect for eastern Nebraska on April 14, with wind gusts reaching 40-50 mph across the state.
Strong thunderstorms also battered parts of Missouri during the week. Along with spotty reports of wind damage, as much as 2-3 inches of rain fell in some southern parts of the state, resulting in reports of flash flooding. Parts of Missouri were under a frost advisory on April 14.
Just 1 percent of Missouri’s corn crop was planted by April 10, compared with a five-year average of 4 percent by that date. Corn planting progress had yet to register in Iowa and Nebraska, while oats planting was reported at 13 percent complete in Iowa and 44 percent in Nebraska.
California:
Northern California endured a weather whiplash in early April. Temperatures reached a record 92 degrees in Sacramento on April 8 before tumbling to the low-60s on April 11-14, with nighttime lows falling to the upper 30s during the week.
The cold weather was accompanied by rain and snow across Northern California on April 11. Forecasts warned of a foot of snow in the central Sierra Nevada range early in the week, with rainfall measuring from a tenth of an inch to a half-inch in the Sacramento Valley.
Temperatures ranged in the 60s and low 70s across much of Southern California during the week, along with gusty winds. Highs were expected to reach the upper 70s and low 80s by Easter, however, with the warm, dry weather extending into the following week.
Mostly severe-to-moderate drought covered California in early April, with the worst drought conditions reported in broad patches across the central, northern, and inland southern regions of the state. The dry conditions helped growers get a jump on cotton planting in the state, which had progressed to 35 percent complete by April 10, well ahead of the 6 percent five-year average.
Pacific Northwest:
A powerful winter storm brought snow, ice, gusty winds, and bitterly cold temperatures to much of the Pacific Northwest during the week.
Residents in Oregon and southwestern Washington woke up to widespread power outages and road closures on April 11 due to snow accumulation and strong winds. Another round of scattered rain and snow showers hit the region at midweek, with highs only expected in the 40s across the Willamette Valley as the week progressed.
Most of Washington was missed by the heavy winter precipitation, although the Seattle area saw cold winds and scattered rain showers during the week. In Idaho, 2-11 inches of snow was reported across eastern areas of the state early in the week, along with 35-mph winds. Parts of southern Idaho were hit with more rain on April 14.
Some of the storm’s most significant impacts were felt in Montana, with reports of 12 inches of snow in valleys across southwestern and central Montana, and 20 inches or more at higher elevations. Some locations saw considerably more, with up to three feet of snow reported in Pony, Mont. As the storm churned to the east, multiple road closures were reported across eastern Montana at midweek due to blowing and drifting snow.
Spring fieldwork and the planting of sugar beets and spring grains was underway in the region prior to this week’s storm. “Activity in the PNW varies greatly by geography,” said one regional contact. “It has been start-and-stop, with unusual weather patterns the past few weeks. Snow across the territory this week will halt things for a week or so.”
Idaho growers had 35 percent of the sugar beets planted by April 10, while the planting of spring wheat and barley had progressed to 24-32 percent complete in Washington, 23-26 percent in Idaho, and 7-8 percent in Montana. All states were tracking ahead of their five-year averages.
Western Canada:
A massive spring storm brought heavy snow to southern Manitoba on April 12-14, with reports of 30-50 cm of accumulation in some locations. The snowfall was accompanied by 70 km/h winds that produced blizzard warnings, widespread power outages, and numerous road closures across the province.
The heaviest snowfall in Manitoba was expected around Riding Mountain and Turtle Mountain, where models suggested as much as 80 cm of accumulation was likely by the time the storm moved out.
The system also expanded into southern Saskatchewan on April 13-14, with 3-6 cm of snow reported in Saskatoon and up to 10-20 cm across southeastern areas of the province, along with 60-70 km/h winds. Temperatures dropped to the negative single digits C across Saskatchewan for the balance of the week, and lingering snow flurries and cold temperatures were expected to continue through the Easter weekend.
Strong winds and cold temperatures also hit much of Alberta during the week, while parts of British Columbia endured strong winds, hail, and thunderstorms.
Sources reported virtually no fertilizer demand in the region, prompting one contact to describe the current markets as “hard to quote.” The only location reporting limited fieldwork during the week was southern Alberta.
“Last week there was lot of talk about wanting to get going this week, but the weather has put a halt on that,” said one contact. “I think most of our stuff will go down with seed, as everyone is cutting back because we have not got much required moisture.”