Hit-and-miss-in-new-harvest-forecast
The monster winter storm in the west means what for Indiana? There are some answers in the new harvest forecast, made possible by First Farmers Bank and Trust, proud to support Indiana farmers, and by Kokomo Grain.
That major winter storm in the upper Midwest and northern plains has changed the harvest landscape there, but what does it mean for Indiana? HAT Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin says that system’s cold front is working its way to the Hoosier state.
“That’s going to change just how things are happening over the next week or so,” Martin explained. “Moisture from the front is not all that impressive. It looks like as we finish out the week, you’re going to be seeing a tenth to maybe seven or eight tenths across most of Indiana, but then the bigger story is going to be the blast of cold air that comes in behind. I think we wake up to some frost on Saturday morning, and that should hit about half to maybe two-thirds of the state.”
So, there is frost in the state, according to Martin, but temperatures will bounce back briefly before a second round of frost.
“Through this upcoming week as we approach harvest again, temperatures are not going to be above normal as they have been, and near normal is all we can really do. We will see temperatures moderate a little bit Monday. Moisture coming through on Tuesday is minor, a few hundredths of an inch to probably half an inch is what we’re looking at in most areas. Coverage is about 70 percent of the state, and behind that we have another incursion of cold air. This one hits the entire state, so I think we’re looking at a re-do of frost across most of the state.”
Martin says harvest operations have a chance to throttle up the second half of next week and into the weekend.
“We’re going to keep most precipitation at bay during that window,” he said. “Our next big round of well-organized precipitation may wait until we get closer into the 19th and 20th. A frontal boundary coming in from the west could bring in a quarter to ¾ of an inch of rain to about 80 percent of the state.”
Get Martin’s full Indiana Harvest Weather Forecast delivered to your inbox on Saturday mornings by signing up to receive the Hoosier Ag Today daily e-newsletter. You’ll also receive news updates throughout the week and Martin’s daily forecast as well.
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