April showers bring May flowers
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Spring is in full swing as flowers begin blooming, grasses turn greener and pollen makes a comeback.
A common saying about spring’s weather is, “April showers bring May flowers.” So far, that holds true, as the first week of April brought multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, providing essential moisture for farming and gardening to some.
March precipitation ran a bit below average, with 1.38 inches of rain compared to the normal 2.06 inches at St. Joseph’s Rosecrans Airport. April has been a different story so far, as the second day of the month delivered a healthy round of thunderstorm activity.
Much of Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas received at least an inch of rain early Wednesday morning. St. Joseph even set a daily record of 1.2 inches of rain, breaking the old one of 0.92 inches. While drought conditions have not yet developed for much of the immediate area after a semi-dry March, the recent round of rainfall was beneficial for dry surface soils and emerging vegetation.
For those with a green thumb, maintaining proper soil moisture is key — not too dry, but not too wet. The timing of planting varies depending on the type of crop or flower, and keeping an eye on weather patterns is essential. Not only do you need sufficient precipitation for growing trees, plants and grasses to thrive, spring’s wide temperature swings also can present challenges. With plenty of chilly nights to come over the next five to seven days, frost will be something to keep an eye out for over the coming weeks, especially after the welcome rains have promoted fresh growth of tender vegetation.
In terms of local precipitation over the next two weeks, a drier pattern is forecast to develop. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, below-average precipitation is favored for much of the interior U.S. through mid-April. In many cases, the decrease in rainfall will not be significant enough to trigger drought conditions, but it could make pollen more prevalent with less shower activity to wash it away.
