Looking at the agriculture reports this morning I am seeing the same for surrounding states as we have had in Michigan – wet conditions are holding back the planting of corn and soy beans. Driving around Kalamazoo and Allegan counties yesterday I found many fields remain unplowed.
58% of corn was planted in 18 key corn-producing states. The 2014-18 average for corn planted by May 26 is 90%, so planting is off 35.5% in comparison.
Corn planting remains behind schedule in 17 of the 18 states. Soybean planting also is behind in 17 of the 18 key soybean-producing states, according to the report. So far, just 29% of soybean planting has taken place, compared to the five-year average of 66% by May 26, meaning soybean planting is off 56%.
Three of the top six corn-producing states remain far off pace for the season. Illinois’ five-year average for corn planting by May 26 is 95%, but it’s at 35% this year. Indiana’s five-year average is 85% but currently just 22% of the state’s corn has been planted, and South Dakota is well below its average of 90% with 25% planted.
Severe weather hasn’t helped the cause either with record or near record reports of severe weather over half the country. Below is a graphic from NOAA showing the amount of tornadoes reports from January 1st to May 30th.
Here is the graphics for May:
and finally the tabulation of all severe weather events for the month of May (for the U.S.):
Daily Tabulation – May 2019
|
Day
|
Total
|
Torn
|
Hail
|
Wind
|
|
83
|
9
|
44
|
30
|
|
|
69
|
17
|
15
|
37
|
|
|
85
|
6
|
32
|
47
|
|
|
97
|
5
|
37
|
55
|
|
|
184
|
23
|
101
|
60
|
|
|
117
|
4
|
70
|
43
|
|
|
108
|
24
|
54
|
30
|
|
|
75
|
15
|
11
|
49
|
|
|
122
|
5
|
40
|
77
|
|
|
10
|
0
|
2
|
8
|
|
|
51
|
2
|
4
|
45
|
|
|
50
|
1
|
2
|
47
|
|
|
38
|
3
|
21
|
14
|
|
|
33
|
0
|
25
|
8
|
|
|
53
|
0
|
37
|
16
|
|
|
129
|
1
|
63
|
65
|
|
|
144
|
39
|
72
|
33
|
|
|
269
|
28
|
37
|
204
|
|
|
169
|
8
|
27
|
134
|
|
|
170
|
35
|
64
|
71
|
|
|
105
|
41
|
16
|
48
|
|
|
237
|
43
|
37
|
157
|
|
|
222
|
17
|
86
|
119
|
|
|
129
|
16
|
37
|
76
|
|
|
251
|
17
|
52
|
182
|
|
|
285
|
31
|
68
|
186
|
|
|
199
|
52
|
86
|
61
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
3486
|
442
|
1142
|
1902
|
We currently have some thunder and lightning moving into the area, and of course some more rain.
Scattered thunderstorms will move across southern Lower Michigan this morning, mainly south of a Muskegon to Lansing line. The main threat from these storms will be cloud to ground lightning strikes, locally heavy downpours and perhaps some small hail. Storm movement will be northeast at around 30 mph.
There is a frost advisory for the northern counties for tomorrow morning where temps could drop into the low to mid 30s.
Seven Day Forecast
Pollen Forecast
87* inches of snowfall out at thee YARDofBRICKS this past Winter! Way above average for Plainfield township to be exactly where I live NE GR..lol.. Probably over a 100 inches if it was not so windy…Who really cares …Bring on 80’s it’s been awhile that’s what INDY’S ready for …INDY!
What a winter (above snowfall and below temps) and now a cool, wet Spring! The beat goes on!
And below normal snow fall for Met Winter. Best time to get snow is before December or after February because it’s usually gone in a short time.
Feels like October outside 59* degrees and rain still falling out at thee YARDofBRICKS NE GR .Cool end of May we are having INDY!
Slim, I looked back at your post on March 2 and I noticed the numbers you posted then for Met Winter (Dec 1 – Feb 28) are quite different than the numbers you posted below, particularly with regards to snowfall totals. On March 2 you had GR with 54.1” and a average of 57.5, but below you have 68.5 with a average of 64.5. Why the rather large discrepancy? Just wondering what changed.
Whoops the numbers I posted today are from the NWS seasonal report and I put down the numbers from the wrong line. Dam it is bad getting old and using glasses to try and read. The correct numbers are 54.5″ for last year and 57.5 for the average. That 68.5 would include the snow fall for November. Good catch. Thanks.
Slim
As many numbers and stats as you provide, I think you are allowed a “slip” here and there. Thanks for clarifying the actual stats!
Non weather news, looks like we will finally be getting cheaper auto insurance rates. I find it amazing that 49 other states had it figured out long ago, and it took until 2019 for Michigan to catch up.
Ok, In the world of weather records what could 2019, 1997, 1983, 1947, 1924 and maybe 1973 have in common?? The answer I will post on Saturday.
Slim
I have no idea, but I’ll guess wettest years ever the way this year is going.
Below normal temps rule!
It has been a while since we took a look at some of the web cams from the up so here are some of them.
https://www.mtu.edu/webcams/walker/
this next one is of Mt Ripley and yes that is still snow there.
https://www.mtu.edu/webcams/ripley/
and this one of Lake Superior
https://video.nest.com/live/kjMvMPX4Rb
Slim
Just under another quarter inch of unneeded rain this morning. I talked with the farmer who rents our field for planting yesterday, and he said they are falling way behind with planting this year because it’s so wet. Although not critical yet, they like to have most of the seeds in the ground by June first. After that, their decrease in yield starts costing them more each day. We need a solid week or so to dry out or it will not be a good year for them.
With it so wet over such a large area of the US we may have to pay much higher prices for much of our food later on this year and into next year.
Slim
Everything is behind this year. We caught a bunch of fish last weekend. Bluegills were still on their beds and the largemouths were still full of eggs.
Note I changed the snow fall totals to the correct amounts. Thanks for Barry’s good eye
Slim
To shed some light on last winter. At Grand Rapids the official report for that location (the airport) reported snow fall for December 1st to February 28th 54.1″ the reported average for that time is 57.5″ The reported mean was 26.6 and the average mean for that time is 26.8. As far as the records will go Grand Rapids will have reported 81.5″ of snow for the winter season of 2018/19. As for Muskegon they recorded 51.7″ for Dec/March and for the season their total was 77.2″ and that was mostly due to much less lake snow in December. Lansing… Read more »
Slim with such a windy Winter we had im sure snowfall total would of been much higher in GR from the airport lot of the snow blew off the measuring board lol..INDY!!
Not sure how the NWS handles that Indy.
Slim
Great Sprites still talking about Frost Advisory’s in Michigan when it’s the last few days of May shuuu!! Going to have to applause Rocky on this cool Spring into summer we are having once again he nailed it..7 days in a roll now with measurable rain and over 7 months with out a 80* degree temptures out at thee YARDofBRICKS NE GR!! Have a super Thursday… INDY!!
Rock on Indy and keep the facts coming!
The showers are weakening, and that’s fine with me. I’m having to mow every 3 or 4 days.
Incredible sunset last night. Looked like the whole sky was on fire:
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=jJm7XUcEEIw%2BQ1I85AIA6oh4l5k2TGxc#.XO-8W7IpChA
Nice pic, Barry!
Let’s clear up the fake news from yesterday. This past winter GR was above normal for season snowfall! All experts were wrong! Seasonal snowfall average for GR is 74.9 inches and the actaual snowfall was a whopping 81.3 inches! What a winter and now 5 straight months with below normal temps! Wow!
Can’t read? Here’s exactly what I said:
“Met Winter ended up just below normal snow fall, and all the seasons combined were just above except for the lakeshore areas which ended up well below because of the winds. ”
Note the part about all seasons combined was just above. If that is false, then you’re saying GR was below for the combined seasons.
Lol…INDY!
Lol and rock on!