USDA told us earlier this week that 76% of Michigan corn and 67% of the state’s soybeans have been planted. Will the weather cooperate to get the last of it in the ground? Michigan Ag Today Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin shares his thoughts with his Planting Weather Forecast presented by Greenstone Farm Credit Services.
Martin is tracking a minor weak low-pressure area coming southward out of Hudson Bay for your Friday. He says it’ll bring afternoon and evening clouds.
“And we also won’t rule out some hit-and-miss scattered shower action, but of those scattered showers, a few hundredths to a tenth or two, that is all. Coverage is probably 50% of the state. So, we’re not drying during this next 24-hour period, but we’re not getting sopping wet either. This is just a minor, minor blip before we turn off and get pretty doggone nice for a several day stretch.”
After that, Martin is forecasting sunshine and rain-free conditions for 5 days from Saturday right on through Wednesday.
“We are going to be seeing temperatures a bit on the cool side for Saturday and especially Sunday, below normal temperatures in The Thumb. We can be looking at some quite chilly air there, especially early Sunday morning. But then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of next week, well above normal temperatures, strong southwest winds, good evaporation, and good dry down. We are going to be seeing clouds increase and probably seeing some moisture in the UP on Wednesday, but in Lower Michigan, nothing really happens until late Wednesday afternoon or evening.”
Martin does see a strong frontal boundary making its way through Wednesday night and Thursday next week.
“Right now, I’m penciling in anywhere from a quarter to one inch of precipitation with coverage at 80%. Behind it, though we dry down fairly quickly, and maybe as soon as Thursday afternoon and then we put together a dry Friday, Saturday, and Sunday timeframe. I’m going to even say we start Monday, the 9th, off on a dry note before our next front starts to arrive.”
Martin will have more forecast details on our website, michiganagtoday.com, later Friday.
