A few days of desperately needed rain have improved crop conditions in Michigan, despite drought worsening in some areas.
Portions of Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola, and Wexford counties moved into the “severe” drought category as of July 4, according to the U.S. drought monitor. Parts of 18 Michigan counties are now experiencing “severe” conditions, and “moderate drought” has crept up into areas of Delta, Menominee and Schoolcraft counties in the southern Upper Peninsula.
On the positive side, sections of Mecosta, Montcalm and Newaygo counties improved from “moderate drought” to “abnormally dry.”
Comparing soil moisture to the previous week shows just how much rain fell — with the percentage of “adequate” topsoil moisture jumping from to 53%, up from 15% in the prior week. Subsoil moisture also saw significant improvement, with “adequate” readings more than doubling to 31%.
It’s worth noting that soil moisture was recorded prior to the soaking rainfall that hit parts of the state on July 5 and 6.
Corn, soybean, barley, oat, dry bean and sugarbeet conditions in Michigan all improved from rain events throughout the week ending July 2, according to the most recent crop progress report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
“Good” and “excellent” corn conditions increased by 5% last week, with the same conditions for soybeans increasing by 7%. Winter wheat conditions were more of a mixed bag, with shifts both ends of the spectrum adding 9% to the “fair” category.
Source: michiganfarmnews.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-awakr10
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Weather