March 18, 2020: The drought-stricken winter wheat belt received widespread rains over the past 24-hours as a weather system tracked through. However, accumulations were inconsistent due to the banded nature of the storm, and where some areas received only around 0.1″, while others benefitted as locally heavier amounts totaled closer to 1″. Of course, any precipitation is welcomed, although it’s going to take a much wetter and longer duration event to replenish below normal soil moistures. There’s another weather system expected into the winter wheat belt early next week that will again provide opportunity to improve conditions, although exact track remains in question. With that said, current projections favor the eastern half of Kansas and Oklahoma, receiving heftier amounts compared to eastern Colorado and western Kansas.
