May Monsoon: Minnesota crops lag; Severe risk Wednesday

Soggy Days

If you don't like the weather in Minnesota, just wait 15 minutes. What a difference 3 months can make. Light switch monsoon.

Whatever tired weather cliche you choose, it's been a remarkable turnaround from drought to soggy soils...even standing water in some Minnesota farm fields.

Minnesota's farmers had a great crop in 2012...and got excellent prices as drought withered crops in much of the rest of the USA.

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This spring it's a struggle just to plant, and those who have crops in are waiting for them to emerge in waterlogged fields.

Nature of the beast.

In this Updraft a soggy crop update and a growing midweek severe threat.

Did I mention the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season starts Saturday?

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40% of Minnesota's corn crop emerged as of this week

100% emerged last year by this time

95% 5 - year average

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Crops lag in wet spring of 2013:

Ask a farmer in Minnesota about our spring weather and you may hear a few 4-letter words.

Heres' the latest on how our wet spring is stalling crop development from the latest Minnesota Crop Report.

Wet weather slowed crop planting in Minnesota for the week

ending May 26th, 2013, according to the USDA, National

Agricultural Statistics Service. Most weather reporting stations

showed cooler than normal temperatures along with greater than

normal precipitation.

Despite the weather conditions, emergence

of corn and small grains moved along. Minnesota farmers saw a

statewide average of 1.9 days rated suitable for fieldwork.

Topsoil moisture supplies increased to 0 percent very short,

4 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 26 percent surplus.

Subsoil moisture supplies also increased to improve to 3 percent

very short, 16 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 9 percent

surplus.

Eighty-eight percent of the corn land has been prepared, compared

with 100 percent last year, and the five-year average of 97 percent.

Corn planting was 82 percent complete, compared to 100 percent

last year, and the average of 95 percent. Corn emergence increased

32 percentage points to 40 percent emerged. Even with that large

increase, corn emergence remains well behind last year's

91 percent and the average of 67 percent. Fifty-six percent of the

soybean land has been prepared, compared with 99 percent last

year, and the average of 85 percent. Soybeans were 42 percent

planted, compared with 92 percent last year and the average of

76 percent.

Soybeans did not emerge as rapidly as corn and were

estimated to be 3 percent emerged, which was 36 percentage points

behind last year and 22 percentage points behind average.

Next Up: More rain...and some thunder

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A northbound warm front triggering flooding rains and severe weather pushes north into Minnesota Wednesday. SPC has the southern half of Minnesota under a slight risk.

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We'll need to get some sun before severe storms fire in Minnesota Wednesday...and that has been tough to do lately.

The red "moderate risk" area from Omaha to Oklahoma highlights another potential tornado outbreak Wednesday.

Paul Huttner