After much bigger rain totals yesterday than anticipated, we do get back to dry, warm and windy weather today. The question will be: do we see enough drying today and tomorrow to see any harvest progress before the next front arrive. Helping the cause will be well above normal temps in the upper 70s and low 80s, lower humidity and strong breezes. Hindering the cause will be rain totals yesterday that were near or over an inch in spots. Still, we should be able to see good drying over the next 48 hours.
Our next front impacts the state overnight Tuesday night into Wednesday, but initially will not have that much moisture with it. WE like plenty of clouds to come in overnight Tuesday and perhaps a few spits or sprinkles. But, as the front stalls over central Indiana on Wednesday, we expect the boundary to light up with rain and thunderstorm action, which will continue to develop right on into Thursday morning. WE like the best action from mid afternoon Wednesday through 10 am Thursday. Rain totals can be from .25” to 1.5” with coverage at nearly 80% of the state. The best coverage will be in central Indiana, where the biggest threat of thunderstorms or heavy rains will be. But…we do like rains in many parts of the state overall.
Drier air is back for the balance of Thursday on through the weekend and early next week. However, temps do pull back and will be closer to normal in that period. Humidity values will drop. But with the strong rain potential, we think that there may be a bigger delay in getting back to the field as we finish this week. Still, with 5 full days, one has to think we can get something going over the weekend or early next week.
The next system arrives Tuesday night into Wednesday of next week with rains of .25”-.5
and coverage at 60%. This system is not as impressive, but still has the potential to bring another harvest slowdown closer to the 26th. Temps will remain near normal.
In the extended window, we don’t see anything significant until the end of the 15 day window…with a system coming out of the central and southern plains around the 30thj and 31st. This will bring rains that can be from half to 1.5” and coverage should be around 100%. This looks like it could be a significant, slow moving rain event, one that can bring down some significantly cooler air behind it. Still, its timing means we may not have a significant frost threat until sometime into early November.