Wet weather across the Midwest up Against Dry Conditions on the Coast

Rain was more common in the Plains this week than machinery in the field.

Wide systems started on Easter Sunday with rain in much of the Midwest. 

Weekly precipitation levels were in the 1 to 4 inch range from Michigan to Texas.

Oklahoma experienced the triple impact of heavy rain, hail and tornadoes. At least two people were killed by flood waters in the southern part of Oklahoma City over the weekend. 

Fields in Iowa were mostly wet for the week as planting was 18 percent complete, twice as fast as the 5 year average. Nationally, the work is 12 percent complete and is also ahead of the average pace. Wide-ranging rains slowed planting progress in key growing areas. 

The Drought Monitor did reveal minimal change in readings taken before Tuesday morning. However, west of the Missouri River and across parts of the nation from southern Texas to California remain locked in the two most severe drought categories - the highest nationally since November of 2023.  

Wildfires roared across New Jersey as a growing area of concern builds along the East Coast from Florida to Maine with dry conditions posing long-term concerns. 

For Market to Market, I’m David Miller.

contact: miller@iowapbs.org