AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE NICE FALL TEMPERATURES, WE ALSO CONTINUE WITH OUR DRY SPELL. RAINFALL IN THE AREA HAS BEEN SPARSE , TO SAY THE LEAST LATELY. THIS WEEK, ALL OF FRANKLIN COUNTY HAS BEEN MOVED TO MODERATE DROUGHT STATUS, AND ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER, IT IS LIKELY TO PERSISTS THROUGH AT LEAST NEXT MONTH. THEY ALSO SAY THE STATUS COULD CHANGE TO SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST PARTS OF THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
ALL OF ANDERSON COUNTY IS NOW IN SEVER DROUGHT AND THAT STATUS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. MOST OF MIAMI AND ALL OF LINN COUNTIES ARE ALSO IN SEVERE DROUGHT STATUS.
LACK OF RAINFALL IS BECOMING A CONCERN FOR MANY FARMERS WHO ARE PLANNING ON PLANTING WINTER WHEAT AFTER THE SOYBEAN HARVEST, IT WILL NEED SOME MOISTURE TO SPROUT AND THEN GO INTO A DORMANT STAGE DURING THE COLDER MONTHS AND THRIVE UNDER SNOW COVER. WINTER WHEAT MAKES UP ABOUT 67 PERCENT OF THE WHEAT PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES AND IF THE SOIL IS TOO DRY, IT WONT DO WELL OVER THE WINTER. IN OTHER WORDS, AS MUCH AS WE ALL ARE ENJOYING THE NICE WEATHER, WE COULD REALLY USE SOME RAIN.
