Midwest and Plains to Stay Wet

Weather patterns across the central U.S. show no easing of heavy rain potential going into the final two weeks of May, especially west of the Great Lakes. That means the continued chance for many acres of crops to not get planted in the 2019 growing season. It also means that river basin flooding, which began in mid-March, will either remain or even re-strengthen, possibly for another six weeks. "Wet weather in the Midwest during the next seven days will disrupt and delay corn planting already well behind normal in most areas," DTN Senior Ag Meteorologist Mike Palmerino noted on Friday. "Cold, unsettled weather in the Northern Plains during the next seven days will delay planting of spring wheat and corn. Wet weather in the Southern Plains next week will increase disease pressure on wheat."The cause for this ongoing wet forecast is a weather pattern that has not changed for almost three full months. "We basically have the same pattern as we did in March," said Ohio Basin River Forecast Center Hydrologist Jim Noel. "There has just been a parade of storm systems coming off Asia toward North America. And, there's nothing to indicate that that's going to change."