Conditions too wet for fieldwork throughout state

Montana continues to wait for spring conditions to arrive, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Mountain Regional Field Office, Montana. The high temperatures for the state was recorded in Hardin at 62 degrees. The low temperature for the week ending April 8 was recorded in Valentine at -13 degrees. Precipitation in the form of snowfall was reported at 92 weather stations. The highest recorded precipitation for the week was in Rapelje with 2.21 inches of moisture. Topsoil moisture conditions were 89 percent adequate to surplus which is below last year’s 93 percent. Subsoil moisture conditions are 75 percent adequate to surplus which is well below last year’s 87 percent. Reporters noted that conditions remained too wet for fieldwork throughout the state, with snowy conditions reported in much of the state. The remaining snow has made rating the progress and condition of the winter wheat crop difficult in many areas, according to reporters. Winter wheat was reported with 12 percent of the crop breaking dormancy, significantly behind last year’s progress report of 80 percent for the same week. Fifty-eight percent of the winter wheat crop was rated in good to excellent condition, compared to 63 percent last year.