Rain drenches northern Plains

For many potato growers, things went from bad to worse this past weekend. Torrential rain fell over much of the Red River Valley region again on Sunday. The heaviest rain fell right in Grand Forks with reports of up to seven inches in the city causing widespread urban flooding. I recorded 5.3 inches at my house in the central part of town. The west side of town received about four inches.

This potato field north of East Grand Forks will take some time to dry out after Sunday’s torrential rain.

Unfortunately the rain was not confined to Grand Forks. Growers were already struggling with wet conditions with potato losses in the northern valley already estimated to be over 30 percent. That same area generally received another two and three inches on Sunday.

Heaviest rain fell on a southwest to northeast path from Jamestown to Grand Forks. The North Dakota Ag Weather Network (NDAWN) station near Jamestown received over four inches from the storms.

The Fargo area only received .03 inches of rain on Sunday. This continued a pattern we have seen all summer. Since May 1, the Grand Forks NDAWN station has recorded 19.71 inches of rain compared to 9.39 inches at the Fargo station just 70 miles to the south.

More rain is expected in the region.

— Ted Kreis, Northern Plains Potato Growers Association

Source: NPPGA Potato Bytes