U.S. Plains Moisture Bolstered; Greater Sunshine Needed
By Andrew Owen
Kansas City, April 18 (World Weather Inc.) – Widespread rain of significance fell across a large part of the U.S. Plains Friday into Monday. Resulting rainfall was great enough to seriously bolster soil moisture except in portions of the Texas Panhandle, west Texas and southeastern Colorado where little to no rain fell. Hail was reported in portions of the high Plains region April 15 and may have damaged some of the more advanced wheat. 
Areas that received the greatest amount of rain in Kansas and Nebraska may have experienced minor damage due to flooding as well. Despite the hail and flooding for portions of the production region, the rain was a welcome change to the dry tendency that had dominated some areas in recent weeks. Wheat growth will advance aggressively in the next few week weeks. However, if rain the rain frequency remains high for a while there could be some concern about wet weather disease in a portion of the production region. Summer crop planting will advance more aggressively once the topsoil firms.
Rainfall fro the three-day period ending Monday morning from Oklahoma and northern fringes of the Texas Panhandle through much of Colorado, western and central Kansas, and southern Nebraska ranged from 1.50 to 5.50 inches with local totals up to 8.00 inches in portions of central Kansas and southern Nebraska. Eastern Kansas received up to 1.50 inches of rain. Rainfall in the remaining portions of the Texas Panhandle varied with a few areas receiving up to 1.25 inches of rain. However, several areas also missed out on the precipitation.
Topsoil moisture is now excessively wet in a large portion of hard red wheat country. The only exceptions to the abundant moisture are in the areas in the Texas Panhandle that were dry or mostly dry in recent days and portions of eastern Kansas. A few days of drying may be needed before farmers are able to resume fieldwork.
Wheat growth conditions are now favorable in much of the central and southern Plains. Little to no rain will be needed in the near future. Any additional rain in the next few days could actually slow growth and negatively impact crop quality prospects. General fieldwork will be sluggish in the next few days until the ground has a chance to firm up.
Light and erratic precipitation will continue through Wednesday as a cut-off upper level low pressure center slowly advances across the central and southern Plains. Rainfall will be light in most locations, but enough to lower drying rates and extend fieldwork delays in a few locations. Hard red winter wheat country will trend dry Thursday through Saturday before another system tracks across the region Sunday into next Monday. The second disturbance could promote isolated thunderstorms that produce locally heavy 
rainfall in portions of Texas and Oklahoma. Confidence for the thunderstorms verifying is low and a close monitoring of the situation is warranted.
Temperatures will trend near to below average through Wednesday as the cut-off low pressure center drifts across the central and southern Plains. Highs will warm into the 60s and lower 70s Fahrenheit most often with portions of the high Plains region only warming into the 50s today and Tuesday. Warmer weather will evolve for the remainder of the coming week with highs in the 70s and lower 80s most often. Portions of the southern Plains will also warm into the upper 80s over the weekend. The warm weather and lack of rain later in the forecast period will increase drying rates and help firm up the topsoil.
There are no major concerns for hard red winter wheat country during the next few days. Topsoil moisture will slowly decrease to more adequate levels for wheat growth and the temperatures will promote a more aggressive environment for development.
Sorghum, soybeans and corn planting will advance favorably across the region in May because of the mid-April rain. There is some concern that additional rain will fall a little too frequently in the next few weeks and that might raise the potential for wet weather disease. Such a threat is not imminent, but drier weather is needed to help stave off such conditions.
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