Corn planting nearing completion

One week, record high temperatures; the next, record lows. In between, farmers got rain, along with severe weather including tornadoes, hail and flooding. But farmers still had enough of a window to check up on corn planting.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office, reported that, as of May 15, state farmers had 84 percent of their corn planted, up from 57 percent from the previous week. Last year, 87 percent of the crop had been planted at this time, and the five-year average is 83 percent.
While farmers are catching up on corn planting, corn emergence was rated at 21 percent, compared to 33 percent last year and the five-year average of 33 percent.

During that previous week, Grand Island set a record high of 98 degrees, breaking the old record of 95 degrees set in 1934. One week later, on May 16, Kearney set a record low of 31 degrees, breaking the previous record of 34 degrees in 1931. Also, on the same day, Hastings tied a record low of 34 degrees.
After a dry spell during the first 10 days of May, Grand Island received 2.13 inches of rain. But the rain didn’t come without severe weather, which produced a number of tornadoes over a two-day period, along with strong winds, hail, heavy rains and flooding.
After a break from last week’s rain, more is in the forecast with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms today and a high near 61. There will be an east wind at about 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. There will be a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, with a low around 55 degrees. It will be breezy, with an east wind between 15 and 20 mph and gusts as high as 30 mph.
On Thursday, there will be a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 69. It will be breezy, with an east wind between 20 and 25 mph and gusts as high as 35 mph. There will be a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday night.
There will be a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with a high near 73. The forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday night.
On Saturday and Sunday, temperatures will be near 80. There will be a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday and again on Sunday.
Weather is also impacting major corn planting in other states. While the USDA reported Iowa at 92 percent complete, Illinois, Indiana, South Dakota and Minnesota are behind.
As Nebraska farmers are catching up with corn planting, the USDA reported that soybean planting was 40 percent complete, near the 41 percent complete last year but ahead of the five-year average of 35 percent.
Sorghum planting was 17 percent completed. Wheat conditions were rated 47 percent good or excellent, below last year’s 72 percent good or excellent rating. The USDA reported some first cutting of alfalfa. The crop’s condition was rated 70 percent good or excellent, compared to 88 percent good or excellent last year.
The USDA reported that pasture and range conditions were rated 63 percent good or excellent, well below last year’s 84 percent but near the 68 percent five-year average.

Source: http://www.theindependent.com/articles/2011/05/30/news/local/13371853.txt