Weather Delays

April showers may bring May flowers, but April snow storms bring delays for baseball fans and farmers.

Weather over the weekend across the corn belt was far from spring-like, with a storm system that brought strong winds and heavy snow to many areas that should be getting ready for spring planting.

The National Weather Service reported up to 16 inches of snow in Western Nebraska and 7-10 inches in parts of Iowa, with additional snow in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Monday morning, up to 7 inches of snow fell on Michigan and about four inches in northern Indiana. Frost and freeze warnings were in effect as far south as northern Texas and east to North Carolina. In Alabama, National Weather Service meteorologists have posted freeze watches and warnings for late Monday and snow showers are forecast for Georgia.

The cold and wet weather is delaying fertilizer application and raising the specter of planting delays, which would have an impact on corn acreage in particular.

Meanwhile, the weather is also causing delays for opening day of the baseball season. The season opener between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox scheduled for Monday has been postponed until tomorrow, and while the St. Louis Cardinals are still (at the moment) scheduled to open their season at 3:15 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with snow in the forecast that game may also be postponed.