Freeze expected to have little impact on crops

Freeze warnings were out Tuesday morning for Central Nebraska following a weekend where area rainfall was nearly 2 inches at some locations.

But, according to Jeremy Wesely, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Hastings, the freeze should have little to no impact on the area corn crop.

Heavy rains this spring forced some farmers to delay planting or were forced to replant because of unfavorable weather conditions. Because of that delay, corn moisture content is still high.

And that higher corn moisture content could be expensive to farmers, especially as they have seen a decline in commodity prices, according to Gary Schnitkey, a University of Illinois Extension farm financial management specialist.

"Commercial drying and storage charges for grain will be higher in 2008 than in recent years," Schnitkey said. "Moreover, corn will likely be harvested at higher moisture levels, further increasing drying costs this season."

For corn, Schnitkey believes commercial drying costs could approach 50 cents per bushel for corn harvested at 25 percent moisture. Drying costs for 20 percent moisture corn will range from 15 to 25 cents per bushel.

Field work came to a temporary stop as heavy rains inundated the area over the weekend.

According to the National Weather Service in Hastings, Grand Island received 1.22 inches of precipitation, which brought the monthly total to 2.77 inches, which is more than 2 inches above normal.

Other area rainfall amounts, according to the National Weather, were: Aurora, 1.21 inches; Hastings, 1.64 inches; Ord, 1.44 inches; Kearney, 1.89 inches; Loup City, 0.89 of an inch; Osceola, 0.99 of an inch; Fullerton, 1.14 inches; and Wolbach, 1.15 inches.

Volunteers for the Nebraska Rainfall Assessment Information Network, reported the following rainfall amounts: Kearney, 5 miles northwest, 1.86 inches; Hastings, 2.2 miles west, 1.63 inches; Ravenna, 3.3 miles southeast, 1.61 inches; Doniphan, 3.7 miles northeast, 1.47 inches; Ord, 2 miles northwest, 1.44 inches; Wood River, 5.2 miles southeast, 1.42 inches; Central City, 1 mile northeast, 1.42 inches; Cairo, 2.5 miles north, 1.38 inches; Dannebrog, 0.4 of a mile northwest, 1.33 inches; and Chapman, 1.1 mile northeast, 1.32 inches.

Wesely said the rain over the weekend could impact the freeze.

"What you would like to have is drier conditions then it would be able to cool down a little bit more," Wesely said.

He said factors leading to the freeze were dry air coming in with the cold front, little wind and clear skies.

"The wet ground could modify the temperatures a little bit right near the surface," Wesely said. "If we didn't have that, it could be even colder."

The freeze warning was issued for Ord, Greeley, Fullerton, Loup City, St. Paul, Central City, Kearney and Grand Island.

The freeze warning was in effect from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Overnight low temperatures were expected to drop into the 29 to 32 degree range. Low lying areas were particularly susceptible to a freeze.

Last year, Grand Island's first freeze of the season took place on Oct. 26. The earliest freeze on record for Grand Island, according the National Weather Service, was Sept. 12 1902, and the latest, Nov. 3, 1944.

The average day for the first freeze of the season is Oct. 8, and for a hard freeze of 28 degrees or lower, Oct. 15.

Wesley said the freeze Tuesday morning probably wasn't a hard freeze that would have a direct impact on area crops, but a lighter freeze that is more likely to impact more tender vegetation.

"It's more of a tomato killer," he said.

According to Mary Knapp, Kansas state climatologist, frost can be a tricky thing to predict.

"Generally, temperatures need to be at 32 degrees, which is the freezing temperature of water," Knapp said. "But, sometimes you can have frost when the official temperature reading is at 35 degrees or no frost when it is 28 degrees."

Official readings are taken 5 feet above ground level, Knapp said.

"So, since cold air falls, just as warm air rises, the air can be colder at ground level, than at 5 feet up." Knapp said. That's why low-lying areas get frost before higher areas do.

"Another reason is the dew point," she said. "You don't get any kind of condensation -- including frost -- until the air temperature reaches the dew point level."

Driveways, stone walls, buildings and the like tend to be heat "traps," Knapp said.

"They're radiating their stored heat, which can keep nearby flowers blooming and create those interesting half-and-half frost effects on parked cars," Knapp said.

Wesely said after Tuesday morning's freeze potential, temperatures are expected to be above normal into the last week of October with normal chances of precipitation.