Our recent stretch of record heat and limited precipitation has warmed our soil temperatures to levels one would expect in late April. The featured chart presents daily time series of four inch depth soil temperatures for each year since 1988. The red line represents this year and shows the unprecedented current soil temperature levels. Sustained temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit are typically considered necessary to plant corn, so our current average temperatures well north of 60 degrees would be sufficient. The problem is that the calendar still says the middle of March and there is plenty of time for cold weather to return or even snow!

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Tags:   soiltemp