[Listen] Tom Hoverstad SROC Almost Driest June in 110 Years

June of 2021 was on track to be the driest in 110 years of weather records at the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca (SROC). That was the case until the last 4 days of June when 'in the nick of time" rain arrived. Up until then only .38 inches of rain had been recorded. The previous record for the driest June was .98 inches of rain during the Dust Bowl Years. So, June of 2021 was the driest until 1.65 inches of rain fall the last few days of June.

During that rain event the immediate Faribault area received a little over 5 inches of rain. Tom Hoverstad Scientist at the Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca said it was very unusual in late June to receive that much rain without a lot of hail and wind damage somewhere. There was not even any lightening or thunder, just rain! For the growing season we are still about 7 inches behind normal rainfall.  Next week many corn fields in our area will reach the critical reproductive stage of tasseling and silking. That is when corn will need around 1 inch per week. So, we need more just in time rain!

How hot it was in June was overshadowed by the drought. This last June was the second hottest in history at SROC with an average temperature of 74 degrees.  Typically we will see 12 days with temperatures above 90 degrees during a growing season. In June we already endured 10 days above 90 degrees! Many farmers that are old enough are comparing this June with the 1988 drought. Click on the link and listen to Tom talk about our weather, his thoughts on crop potential and how June 2021 compares to the 1988 drought.