Corn Planting Well Behind Schedule

For the second consecutive year, a cool, wet weather pattern has delayedcorn planting in the nation's breadbasket. Corn planted after the middle of Mayis more vulnerable to summer heat and may not reach maturity before the firstfrosts arrive. Much of an area from Missouri to Ohio has been very wet duringthe month of April with rainfall running 120-200% of normal. One differencebetween last spring and this spring is that all of the Midwest was runningbehind schedule last year at this time, while this year, it's mostly the areafrom Missouri to Ohio and Michigan. The northwestern corner of the Midwest cornbelt is actually running ahead of schedule, as of late April. The cool, wetpattern is forecast to last another 1-2 weeks across the Midwest. By the middleof May, corn planting from Missouri to Ohio may be running as much as three tofour weeks behind schedule.Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Dale Mohler.