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April 2019 Climate Summary Now Available
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2019-05-06 19:32:02
Updated:
Flooding and Heavy Snow Continue
Flooding and snowstorms continued to impact the High Plains region into April. The devastation of the flooding that took place in March throughout portions of Nebraska and South Dakota is now being realized. Road damage was extensive across these areas, and the cost of pavement and gravel materials for repair will be expensive. A stretch of Interstate 29 through northwestern Missouri and near the Iowa/Nebraska border was still closed and is not expected to reopen until June. Some railroad lines were also closed, hindering transportation of goods across this portion of the country. Many agricultural fields were ruined and will not be planted this year, as the receding floodwaters left behind sand and garbage. A strong spring storm system brought heavy snowfall to areas of South Dakota, and with warming temperatures following the storm, rapid snowmelt exacerbated flooding issues. Moderate to major flooding was ongoing in April along the Big Sioux and James Rivers in eastern South Dakota, as well as Devils Lake and the Red River of the North in eastern North Dakota.
Cold and wet soils have delayed planting this year across the region. Areas faring worst were the Dakotas, where persistent cold and snow, as well as flooding, prevented producers from getting out into the fields. According to the April 30th edition of the USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, for the week ending April 28th only seven percent of North Dakota’s sugar beet acreage had been planted, which was far behind the five-year average of 39 percent. In South Dakota, only seven percent of the oats acreage had been planted compared to the five-year average of 62 percent, with similar statistics for spring wheat acreage. Farther south in Nebraska and Kansas, warm and dry conditions in April allowed producers to catch up, with the percent of corn acreage planted only slightly behind by the end of the month. Winter wheat was faring well across the region for the most part. It was a particularly good year for the crop in Colorado, as 76 percent of the winter wheat acreage was rated good to excellent.
For more information on temperature, precipitation, and impacts from climate in April in the High Plains region, please see the link to the full PDF of the summary: https://hprcc.unl.edu/climatesummaries.php
