Across the Corn Belt, rain across areas from the Mississippi Valley, eastward is slowing fieldwork but providing additional relief from long-term drought. Meanwhile in the eastern Corn Belt, previously delayed planting activities are accelerating amid a spell of warm, dry weather. During the week ending April 28, topsoil moisture rated surplus dropped from 44 to 26% in Ohio and from 35 to 25% in Indiana.
On the Plains, Thursday overnight thunderstorms produced isolated wind and hail damage from Texas into southern Nebraska. Hail at least 4 inches in diameter was reported in parts of Gove County, Kansas, and Donley County, Texas. Early Friday, rain has shifted onto the eastern Plains, with the heaviest showers occurring in eastern Texas. Elsewhere, chilly weather prevails in Montana, where a mix of rain and wet snow is benefiting winter wheat and spring-sown crops.
