As the rain continues to fall around the state this spring, we have both excitement and apprehension. We want to get the seeds in the ground and know the clock is ticking. However, every farmer in Iowa is also very aware of the fact that we need to get a lot of moisture in the ground to help our soil recharge from another growing season. Two hundred-plus weeks of some form of drought has farmers appreciative of what we are getting, but we are also watching the weather forecast for the summer and beyond.
The drought has been because of an overactive La Niña the past few years. Usually, we see a return to El Niño between rounds of La Niña to break up the dry patterns, however, it took until this past fall to see those patterns finally change.
But it didn’t last long. La Niña is already on the way back. Does that mean the drought recovery is not lasting long?
During my trip to Washington, D.C., I heard from Brad Rippey, the USDA Meteorologist. He talked first about what is going on nationwide.
I asked him for specifics about what he expects for Iowa during the 2024 growing season.
Many things can change as the year goes on, and no weather pattern is guaranteed. This is the way things seem to be shaping up at this point. We will have to go along for the ride to see what Mother Nature has planned.
