Warming Needed To Boost Soil Temps

The following content was provided by meteorologist Gail Martell of MartellCropProjections.com: 

Unseasonably Cold in Midwest Corn Belt

Abnormal cold persisted last week in the northern United States and Canadian prairies, perpetuating worries about spring planting delays. On the positive side strong warming developed last week in the Eastern Midwest corn states Indiana and Ohio. This is a bright spot in an otherwise threatening cold spring. Corn planting delays are certain in Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska where wave train of polar air masses have occurred this spring. Corn seeds need 52 F to germinate. Iowa soil temperatures April 14 were 37-40 F, the top U.S. corn state. Warming of frozen fields has been painfully slow, though soil temperatures have warmed up 7 degrees F since April 1.