Winter kill in wheat grass reported

Precipitation over the week ending May 20 resulted in full rivers and some flooding in low lying areas in Montana, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Mountain Regional Field Office, Montana. There was no widespread damage to agricultural lands reported. The high temperature for the state was recorded in Plentywood and Sidney at 90 degrees. The low temperature for the week was recorded in Wisdom at 25 degrees. Precipitation was reported at 91 weather stations. The highest recorded precipitation for the week was in Rapelje with 2.40 inches of moisture. Topsoil moisture conditions for the state were 93 percent adequate to surplus, above last year’s 76 percent. Subsoil moisture conditions were 88 percent adequate to surplus which is above last year’s 87 percent. Custer County reported a very large number of crested wheat grass acres suffering from winter kill, and the impact may be in the tens of thousands of acres.