Field in Saunders County in east central Nebraska flooded by Sunday storms. (Photo by Keith Stewart)

A pile of grain stands where there once was a grain bin near Cordova in Fillmore County. (Photo by Brandy VanDeWalle)
Seedling corn with yellow leaves in Clay County.
Wheat in Clay County is at the flag leaf stage.

Sunday's storms left a swath of ponded or flooded fields, overturned pivots, and damage from high winds or tornadoes through an area of south central to northeast Nebraska. Precipitation amounts were highly variable across the state. Areas of the Panhandle received 5-8 inches of snow. To view precipitation amounts for your area see reports on NeRain, CropWatch Weather Precipitation, and National Weather Service area offices (Hastings NWS report; Omaha/Valley NWS)

Crop and Field Updates

May 16, 2014

Jenny Rees, Extension Educator in Clay County: I've been receiving calls about newly emerged corn and soybeans that are yellow in color. This could be due to lack of sun and also the cool temperatures we've experienced.  To determine if plants have experienced frost damage, please see resources in this week's CropWatch.

Wheat grew rapidly this past week with flag leaves appearing in Clay County. In a few Nuckolls County fields, the heads are beginning or ready to emerge.

May 13, 2014

Wayne Ohnesorg, Extension Educator in Madison, Wayne, Pierce, and Stanton Counties:  We received about 0.35 inches from the whole system over the weekend. Corn planting is nearly completed and beans are about 60-80% completed.

May 12, 2014

Jenny Rees, Extension Educator in Clay County: Rainfall ranged from 0.70 to 2.9 inches Sunday (May 11) in Clay County. We also had hail of various sizes in portions of the county, but most damage was due to wind and tornadoes. About 15% of the county was affected. The town of Sutton — particularly the downtown area — was heavily damaged.

We're estimating at least 100 pivots are down or partially down — some in the Clay Center area were just replaced last year following the August storm.  For the most part, if they were facing north-south, they were blown over; those facing east-west are OK. Also estimating nearly 40 grain bins down, numerous out buildings/machine sheds also destroyed including some hog facilities near Sutton.

We don't have too much under water here except where corn debris backed up culverts. Prior to Sunday's storm, I had estimated that over 98% of corn and 85% of soybeans had been planted with 40% of corn and 5% of soybeans emerged.  Wheat had jointed and was rapidly growing. We'll have to see how much replant we have. In the past I've seen where tornadoes sucked plants right out of the soil. With the downed power lines and crews working, I didn't try to get into those fields closest to tornado damage today.

People not affected by the storm have been asking about wheat diseases and if they needed a fungicide yet.  Wheat is a few weeks behind here and I haven't seen any diseases yet so told them to be checking after this week's rain, humidity, and cooler weather. 

Gary Stone, Extension Educator at the Panhandle REC, Scottsbluff: Received rain and 5-6 inches of snow. Further west, toward the Nebraska–Wyoming border there was 8-10+ inches of snow.  Field conditions are wet now and smaller amounts of precipitation are predicted during the week.  Growers probably won't be able to get back into the fields until the end of this week at the earliest. Predicted low temperature is 29°F Monday night and 32°F Tuesday night. We'll be watching to see how this affects the winter wheat and any sugarbeets that have emerged.

Ron Seymour: Extension Educator in Adams County: The storm was mostly beneficial in our area, although several fields have standing water in low ends. Marle-sized hail feel Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon and we received just over 2 inches of rain in Hastings.

Suat Irmak, Extension Irrigation/Water Management Engineer: A total of 2.8 inches of rain fell at the UNL South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center from 5 a.m. Sunday to 11 a.m. Monday. The heaviest precipitation rate occurred at 4 p.m. Sunday when 1.02 inches were reported in one hour.

Gary Zoubek, Extension Educator, York County: 5.2 inches of rain with amounts higher and lower around the York area.  Many pivots across the county are down.  Much excess moisture and water running off. 

Troy Ingram, Extension Educator: In Merrick County we only had ~0.30 inches of rain in the last two days. At our place in Greeley County we received just ~0.15 inches.  We could use a good rain event out here. A lot of pivots have been running this past week.

Tyler Williams, Extension Educator in Phelps County: We received sprinkles Sunday through Monday. Western Gosper County: 0.00 inch; eastern Phelps County: ~0.25 inch. The only damage is the lack of precipitation.

Aaron Nygren, Extension Educator: In Saunders County, 4.65 inches of rain was reported near Ceresco. 

Michael Rethwisch, Extension Educator in Butler County: Rainfall amounts in Butler County varied greatly, with increasing amounts from west to east.   Rains last Wednesday ranged from 0.1 inch at Rising City to 1.05 inches near the Saunders County line.  A few higher locations (2 inches) were also reported. Weekend rainfall totals (ending Monday a.m.) followed the same pattern with 2.0 inches near Rising City to over 6 inches in the Bee area in southeast Butler County. Some locations in the past five days have received 8 inches of moisture. As expected, there is damage to fields on hillside that had spring tillage operations, and some reports of roads closed due to bridged being blocked, perhaps by tree debris.

No weevil or aphid activity observed in alfalfa.  Pheromone traps have been collecting some black cutworm moths but not at high populations thus far.

John Wilson, Extension Educator in Burt County: Precipitation amounts of 2-3 inches were typical in the area, with areas ranging to almost 5 inches. There is a little water standing on the Missouri bottom fields, but not a lot. Not much concern about replanting. However, once this soaks in, if we get another heavy rain, that could change. Most of our corn was planted, and folks were probably half done with soybeans so it will hold up the end of soybean planting a few days. The bigger concern for soybeans might be seedling losses if temperatures stay cool and the seed sits in cool, waterlogged soils. The wind blew hard, but there was little damage.