Drought Takes Toll On Winter Wheat Crop

Rains which swept through parts of Kansas this weekend missed vast stretches of parched winter wheat crops in western Kansas.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 28 percent of the wheat in Kansas is in poor to very poor condition.

But weather forecasts are predicting heavy rains in western Kansas and eastern Colorado later this week, followed by another generous round of rain expected next week.

Western Kansas could receive as much as 3 inches total from those two upcoming storm systems.

Agricultural meteorologist Don Keeney of MDA Weather Services says that won’t end the drought, but it will be very good for the wheat.

The Maryland-based commodity risk firm is now forecasting the 2015 winter wheat crop will come in at 292 million bushels in Kansas.