A Potential Setback For Fieldwork Is On The Way

Though we've passed the official first day of spring, winter weather still poses a threat to growers in the North itching to start planting. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says changes are on the way over the next several days for the Northern Plains and Midwest regions that could delay planting progress.

"We are expecting a snowstorm to arrive across the Northern Plains and upper Midwest Thursday, and a second storm arriving over the weekend into early next week," Rippey says. 

He adds areas that have been experiencing snow drought this winter, such as Minnesota and northern Iowa, could potentially see more snowfall in the next few weeks than they have all winter. This map from NOAA shows snowfall accumulation - or lack thereof -  across the country between late September and mid-March.

But while winter weather attempts to slowdown planting in the North, Rippey says growers in the South have gotten a significant head start. As of March 17, Texas reported 34% of corn and 27% of sorghum acreage has already been planted, while Arizona has completed 2% of cotton planting. 

"The bottom line is, for many parts of the country, spring has come early and we expect planting to be normal or ahead of normal given soil conditions," he says. "But as we focus on some of those northern areas, we do expect deteriorating conditions for pre-planting fieldwork due to these late-season snowstorms."

Rippey adds rain is in the outlook for the South, but he doesn't anticipate it delaying planting progress.