The big agricultural story is the ongoing delay getting corn and soybeans planted over the Midwestern US. The initial delays in April and early May were due to cold soils, snow, and generally wet conditions. The recent delays are due seemingly non-stop rains. The featured map depicts an analysis of the longest period between a 24 hour accumulation of at least a quarter of an inch. For this analysis, the 24 hour accumulation is evaluated hourly based on NOAA Stage IV data. The map shows that windows of dry weather have been tight for much of the area. Some portions of Iowa are indicated in the four to seven day range, which is not much time to get needed field work done. The crops that did get planted are running a week or two behind now on development. It has been a miserable spring for farmers.

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