The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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  • A precipitation map from Oklahoma Mesonet shows recent rainfall in the Enid area.

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February 3, 2012

‘A million-dollar rain’: Recent precipitation vital to area’s wheat crop

By Kevin Hassler, Associate Editor Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Friday’s rain was much needed — and much welcomed — by the area’s wheat and other crops.

“It’s kind of a million-dollar rain,” said Jeff Bedwell, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service ag educator for Garfield County. “It could be more than that.”

According to figures from the Oklahoma Mesonet, a statewide network of weather-recording stations, northwest Oklahoma received a healthy amount of rain.

The Mesonet site at Breckinridge recorded 2.11 inches of rain. Farther west, where the rain started Thursday night, the Freedom Mesonet site recorded 4.13 inches, and the Woodward site 3.58.

Other Mesonet sites and rainfall were: Medford, 2.34 inches; Cherokee, 2.53; Lahoma, 2.43; Fairview, 2.52; Alva, 2.45; Seiling, 2.75; Watonga, 1.25; Kingfisher, 1.03; and Marshall, 1.76.

Bedwell said as days get longer, wheat plants start growing more and begin to use more moisture. Also, many farmers have started to put down topdress, extra nitrogen the plants need. In order for that fertilizer to be used by the plants, though, rain was needed, so Friday’s rain was particularly opportune.

It’s not just the wheat crop that will benefit, though.

The rain will go a long way toward “building moisture profiles for summer crops,” Bedwell said. In fields not actively growing crops now, the rain will allow moisture to build up in the soil, Bedwell said.

That was a problem last year. The drought didn’t allow subsoil moisture to accumulate, so summer crops, including corn, didn’t have what they needed to grow.

Friday’s rain also was beneficial for grass pastures and future hay possibilities, Bedwell said.

“It will give us a lot better chance than without rain,” he said.

The drought last year severely limited pasture growth and hay supplies, putting the pinch on farmers and ranchers by limiting feed for cattle and sending hay prices soaring.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for the rain to end. Today is expected to be partly cloudy with a high of 48 and a low of 29. The next chance for rain is Tuesday.

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