Widespread Precipitation for Midwest, Cool and Wet Memorial Day Weekend

After a week of warm temperatures, a low pressure system will bring cooler temperatures and precipitation early to the middle of the week. Precipitation will be widespread across the Midwest, ranging from North and South Dakota to Ohio. Southern Missouri to western Tennessee could get up to 5 inches of rain. 

“This isn’t one of those systems where somebody gets an inch, everybody else gets one-tenth of an inch —  most people are going to see some significant rainfall,” Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford said. 

Ford said the forecasted precipitation is welcome for some and unwelcome by others. Southern Illinois and southern Missouri are expected to see the highest rainfall totals over the next seven days, with some exceeding 5 inches. Ford said rainfall in southern Illinois will only add to what’s already been a “really challenging year.” 

“In some cases, planting progress is a real problem, to the point where there’s probably real conversations about prevent plant,” Ford said. “I don’t want to put out that word yet, but it’s something that folks will be considering, especially given the forecast.” 

According to the most recent Crop Progress report, Illinois is 3 percentage points behind the five-year average for corn planted. For soybeans, the state is 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Ford has heard reports of farmers in northern Illinois finishing both corn and soybean planting in record time, while farmers in southern Illinois face continuous delays. 

“A lot of folks in southern Illinois are reporting less than 10% planting progress, which is by late May,” Ford said. “We’re officially in late May, and usually you would expect folks south of I-64 to be nearly done, if not certainly done with beans and finishing up corn in the next week or so.” 

Memorial Day Weekend

Temperatures are expected to be cooler than normal over Memorial Day weekend throughout most of the Midwest. Ford said cooler temperatures for waterlogged areas will slow the drying process.

“Looking at temperatures, they’ll be struggling to make it out of the 60s into the 70s, and that’s going to be lasting all the way through Memorial Day,” Ford said. 

For areas struggling with drought, the precipitation is significant, Ford said. He said west of the Mississippi, precipitation is harder to come by in the summer months. According to the most recent Crop Progress report, 75% of topsoil moisture condition in Nebraska was rated short/very short. In Iowa, 45% percent was rated short/very short. In Minnesota, 31% was rated short/very short. 

“It can be a helpful boost of soil moisture and at least get some water in the ground ahead of what the outlook says looks like a pretty dry summer,” Ford said.