Area farmers are keeping their fingers crossed that a prediction of rain on Sunday is accurate.
Micah Mitchell with Madison County Weather Updates said most of the county is considered to be abnormally dry; neighboring Tipton and Howard counties are considered to be in moderate drought.
Mitchell said there has been no widespread rain in Madison County since May 10 and May 20 when Anderson picked up .79 inches of rain.
He said northern Madison County did receive some isolated rain on June 3.
“The dry conditions are being made worse by the very low humidity we’ve had over the past month,” Mitchell said. “That allows for even faster evaporation of any remaining moisture.”
The normal average rainfall in Madison County in May is 4.56 inches. Mitchell said the area received only 2.23 inches of rain last month.
Mitchell said rainfall in April was approximately one inch below normal, but the first three months of the year was 3.5 inches wetter than normal.
Josh Dusang, who farms 450 acres in Madison County, said Friday all his corn and soybean crop has been planted.
“Right now, we’re spraying fertilizer,” he said.
“It’s pretty dry,” Dusang said. “We have had no rain since before May 20.
“The lack of rain is stressing the corn,” he said. “The corn is pale green in color and the leaves are turning upward. We’re in much need of rain. We’ve got our fingers crossed.”
Joey Miller works on a farm that plants several thousand acres in the Pendleton area.
“Our planting is all done and right now we’re applying some pre-emergent fertilizer,” he said.
“We need some rain, hopefully this weekend,” Miller said. “Right now, the crops are not terrible, but we have had to replant some.”
He said some places around Pendleton received between a half inch and an inch of rain recently.
“Rain this weekend will make a big difference,” Miller said. “We need a couple of inches of rain, but not all at once. A soaking rain would be good.”
Source: kokomotribune.com
Photo Credit: science photo library-igor-stevanovic
Categories: Indiana, Weather