Extreme Weather Events Cause Agricultural Disasters in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin
Damage and losses caused by the combined effects of blizzards, excessive snow, excessive heat, excessive rain, high winds, hail, freeze, frost, tornadoes, flooding and lightening that occurred between January 1 and May 11, 2012 prompted USDA to declare disaster in 94 counties across 4 states.
List of the 72 Michigan counties declared Primary Disaster Areas
List of 10 Michigan counties declared Contiguous Disaster Areas
The following 12 counties in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin have also been designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.
- Indiana: Elkhart, Lagrange, La Porte, St. Joseph and Steuben counties.
- Ohio: Fulton, Lucas and Williams counties.
- Wisconsin: Florence, Forest, Marinette and Vilas counties.
March Heat, April Freezes
According to a report by the Central Region Climate Response Team, March Heat, April Freezes, March 2012 “was the warmest March on record for 25 states east of the Rockies, and for 15 other states this March ranked among the ten warmest.”
“During the middle of March maximum temperatures were averaging 40 degrees F above normal. Maximum temperatures regularly reached the low and mid 80s
well north into Wisconsin. Many locations broke daily records by more than 20 degrees F.”
However, April 2012 experienced “at least three significant cold air masses” that crept into the Midwest and caused freezing temperatures.
- Iowa. The freeze caused a 50% destruction of the grape crop, about 90% damage to the apple and fruit tree blossoms and caused significant damage to corn and other crops.
- Illinois. The 2012 apple crop in parts of the state was a total loss due to freeze on April 11.
- “Sweet corn grower in Vermilion County planted sweet corn on March 19. Plants were up a couple of leaves when back‐to‐back freezes hit (26F and 27F), reducing stand by 5,000 plants per acre.
- “Sleepy Creek Vineyard in Vermilion County reported earliest budding grapevines had 100 percent damage, and others had 80 percent damage.”
- Michigan. “Thousands of acres of this year’s grape crop have been lost across southwest lower Michigan.
- “A surveyor for National Grape Cooperative, better known as Welch’s Foods, said he went through hundreds of acres before even finding a live bud. John Jasper estimates more than 10,000 acres were destroyed April 12, mostly in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.
- “Many apple, peach, cherry and blueberry orchards have also had substantial losses across northern Indiana and southern Lower Michigan.”
- Wisconsin. “Cherry growers in Door County, WI, anticipate losses of 70% …”
- Kentucky. Frost damaged apples, peaches, pears, plums, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes to varying degrees across the state.
- “Wheat harvest began two weeks early in Kentucky due to warm weather, but warm temperatures, and then a brief cold snap, have wreaked havoc on the crop’s yield, which some farmers say has been cut nearly in half. Some farmers are getting 12 bu/acre, compared to a normal of 80 bu/acre,” said the report (PDF file).
Other Global Disasters, Significant Events
Up-to-date weekly average CO2 at Mauna Loa
- Week of June 24, 2012: 395.33 ppm
- Weekly value from 1 year ago: 393.50 ppm
- Weekly value from 10 years ago: 375.08 ppm
Recent Mauna Loa CO2
- May 2012: 396.78 ppm
- May 2011: 394.16 ppm
- May 2002: 375.65 ppm
- May 1962: 321.01 ppm
- [1-year increase: 2.62 ppm; 10-year increase: 21.13 ppm; 50-year increase: 75.77 ppm]
Recent Global CO2
- April 2012: 394.01 ppm (1-year increase: 2.18 ppm)
- April 2011: 391.83 ppm
New Zealand Earthquake
- A Richter magnitude 7.0 quake struck the Cook Strait, west coast of North Island, NZ, about 100km SSW of New Plymouth and 170 km north-west of Wellington (40.00°S, 173.75°E), at a depth of about 230km on Tuesday, July 3 2012 at 10:36UTC.
- NO tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
- NO report of casualties, as of posting.
- The quake shook Wellington and was felt as far away as the Bay of Plenty and Christchurch, reports said.
U.S. Heat Wave
US Weather Hazards Map, July 3, 2012. “The heat wave continues for a large portion of the central and eastern U.S., with high temperatures this afternoon forecast to be 10-15 degrees above normal. Combined with high levels of humidity, this will create dangerous heat index values as high as 100-110 degrees for locations such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis,” said NWS.
The core of the record heat in the central United States is forecast to move gradually to the east this week, however heat alerts and heat indices to 105 degrees will continue. “Much of the eastern half of the country will continue to bake under clear skies, high temperatures and a lack of significant rain,” said NOAA forecasters.
Continued relentless heat through most of the week from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast will dominate the weather events.
Current Warnings Prompted by Unrelenting Heat
Red Flag Warnings, Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories issued in parts of 26 states from Wyoming to North Carolina.
Heat Advisories
Heat Advisories are in effect until this evening for parts of the Northern Plains, Ohio Valley and the Southeast:
- North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.
Record Daily High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012
All Time Record High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012
Mid-Atlantic Derecho
- Death toll has climbed to 22 after the weekend derecho that ravaged the Mid-Atlantic region, with at least 2 million utility customers, or an estimated 7 million people, experiencing power outages amid the continued heat.
Drought Emergency
- Nebraska. Gov. Heineman has declared a state emergency due to the drought conditions throughout the state of Nebraska.
- “This declaration is important for continued efforts of state officials to ensure the safety of Nebraskans,” Heineman said. “This action is necessary as dry conditions are presenting an imminent threat to the ability of local governments to respond to drought conditions. Additionally, actions such as haying along the roadsides in Nebraska help with drought conditions.”
- Nebraska has broken or tied scores of record high temperatures in recent days.
- Extreme temperatures will continue over central and western Nebraska through at least Friday due to high pressure lingering over the Central Plains, NWS reported.
- “As excessive heat and dry conditions continue, fire danger is high again today. In addition, isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening in north central Nebraska and in the Panhandle. The very dry conditions will continue to make the use of fireworks and even power equipment hazardous.”
Map of U.S. Precipitation (7-day total)
Map of U.S. Precipitation as Percent of Normal (7-day total)
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
Fire Earth 
