Across the Corn Belt, cool weather continues to limit spring fieldwork. In addition, rain is falling in much of the eastern Corn Belt, while scattered showers dot the upper Midwest. On Thursday, the Mississippi River crest—4.72 feet above flood stage—passed Genoa, Wisconsin, where the only higher water levels on record occurred in April 1965, 1997, and 2001.
On the Plains, patchy rain is occurring primarily from Oklahoma to South Dakota. On April 23, prior to this week’s rain, topsoil moisture was rated at least one-half very short to short, statewide, in Oklahoma (79% very short to short), Kansas (76%), Nebraska (71%), Texas (66%), and Colorado (54%), with corresponding drought-related impacts on rangeland, pastures, winter grains, and emerging summer crops.
