Before Monday's rain began, the new year has brought 1.6" more precipitation than normal, and a lot of northwest Ohio farmers appear to be optimistic that this will continue.
Last year was a different story, with only 1.74" falling during the critical month of April, and only 1.5" in Toledo in May.
"We had a very drouthy year, and so the plants had a lot of stress put on them," Jim Greve, the County Executive Director for Hancock, with the Farm Service Agency told us. "The corn crop took a pretty good hit."
Areas near Paulding and Defiance Counties were hardest hit.
Jim mentioned "pockets where those counties did suffer significant yield reductions from the drought last year."
The precipitation surplus through the winter has pushed northwest Ohio out of the recent drought. While the growing season has yet to begin, rain or melting snow now will benefit the plants in the months ahead.
"Then of course, once the crop is planted, we rely on that sub-surface moisture to get that crop up and going until we get timely rains throughout the growing season. So yes, the water table and this winter weather, and the rain is very beneficial," Greve mentioned. "They're optimistic they're going to have a good growing season this year, as they are every year."
2012 actually started with a small precipitation surplus, and it wasn't until the spring when the storm track shifted away, and the drought set in.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 6:20 PM EDT2013-05-21 22:20:37 GMT
If a tornado threatens, get into the basement. If you don't have a basement, a small, interior room in the lowest floor of your home is relatively safe. Avoid rooms with windows. Mobile homes are not safe in a tornado.
If a tornado threatens, get into the basement. If you don't have a basement, a small, interior room in the lowest floor of your home is relatively safe. Avoid rooms with windows. Mobile homes are not safe in a tornado.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 1:54 PM EDT2013-05-21 17:54:25 GMT
Portions of Moore, Oklahoma were ravaged by a mile-wide tornado this Monday afternoon. This follows a near-record quiet start to tornado season. Strong storms may reach northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan by Tuesday.
Recovery efforts continue in Moore, Oklahoma after a catastrophic tornado on Monday. The tornado season that began quietly in 2013 has roared to life this week. Severe weather is possible in Northwest Ohio on Tuesday and Wednesday. 13abc and 13abc.com will update throughout the day.
Monday, May 20 2013 11:15 PM EDT2013-05-21 03:15:43 GMT
Thousands of shipwrecks rest close to home and some local divers are on a mission to discover them. The weather on Lake Erie can be violent at times without much warning. Darkness, fog, wind and waves
Local divers are on a search to discover some of the thousands of shipwrecks on the bottom of Lake Erie.
Monday, May 20 2013 3:51 PM EDT2013-05-20 19:51:10 GMT
On Monday, we'll likely climb to 88 degrees. If we reach 88 on Monday, it would become our warmest day since August 31st, when we reached 93 degrees. Monday's record high is 92 degrees, from May 20th of 1962.
Monday was the warmest day of the year. The temperature hit 90 degrees at Toledo Express Airport at mid afternoon. That is the warmest day since August 31st of last year. Toledo reached 93 degrees on that date. Monday's record high is 92 degrees, from May 20th of 1962. Get Toledo's only live, local radar 24/7 at 13abc.com/weather.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 4:31 PM EDT2013-05-22 20:31:20 GMT
A grandma in Fostoria fights off a man who tried to kidnap her grandson. 13 ABC's Christine Long spoke with the grandmother who battled for the boy kicking and screaming. Anyone you talk to in town
"I'm grateful that God gave me the strength to fight the man off," says Paulette Barchus who kicked and screamed on Wednesday to protect her grandson.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 4:02 PM EDT2013-05-22 20:02:03 GMT
The Toledo mayor's race may be a crowded affair but so far no viable Republicans. All seven announced candidates have to first file petitions and be certified by the Lucas County Board of Elections.
Toledo Mayor Mike Bell has the financial backing of Republicans and the Independent could get the party's endorsement.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:53 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:53:47 GMT
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio state lawmakers moved boldly Tuesday against storefront sweepstakes parlors they have come to view as illegal gambling operations, advancing separate bills effectively banning
An effective ban on Internet cafes targeted as illegal gambling operations has cleared the Ohio Legislature after more than two years of wrangling.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:32:41 GMT
Sylvania Township Police are investigating a Missing Person case. 25-year-old Jennifer Webster was last seen Monday in Sylvania Township.Jennifer is 5'1", 150 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. She was
Sylvania Township Police are investigating a Missing Person case. 25-year-old Jennifer Webster was last seen Monday in Sylvania Township.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:08 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:08:55 GMT
A section of a busy Toledo street was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a driver hit a telephone pole. It happened on East Broadway near Varland. Police say the driver apparently glanced behind him
A section of a busy Toledo street was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a driver hit a telephone pole. It happened on East Broadway near Varland.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 2:32 PM EDT2013-05-22 18:32:09 GMT
The Ohio Supreme Court will hear the appeal in the case of former Ottawa Hills police officer Thomas White. In January, the Sixth District Court of Appeals overturned his felonious assault conviction. In
The Ohio Supreme Court will hear the appeal in the case of former Ottawa Hills police officer Thomas White.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 4:31 PM EDT2013-05-22 20:31:20 GMT
A grandma in Fostoria fights off a man who tried to kidnap her grandson. 13 ABC's Christine Long spoke with the grandmother who battled for the boy kicking and screaming. Anyone you talk to in town
"I'm grateful that God gave me the strength to fight the man off," says Paulette Barchus who kicked and screamed on Wednesday to protect her grandson.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 4:16 PM EDT2013-05-22 20:16:21 GMT
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups told Congress on Wednesday that she had done nothing wrong in the episode,
The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups told Congress on Wednesday that she had done nothing wrong in the episode, and then invoked her constitutional right to refuse to answer lawmakers' questions.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 4:02 PM EDT2013-05-22 20:02:03 GMT
The Toledo mayor's race may be a crowded affair but so far no viable Republicans. All seven announced candidates have to first file petitions and be certified by the Lucas County Board of Elections.
Toledo Mayor Mike Bell has the financial backing of Republicans and the Independent could get the party's endorsement.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:53 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:53:47 GMT
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio state lawmakers moved boldly Tuesday against storefront sweepstakes parlors they have come to view as illegal gambling operations, advancing separate bills effectively banning
An effective ban on Internet cafes targeted as illegal gambling operations has cleared the Ohio Legislature after more than two years of wrangling.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:32:41 GMT
Sylvania Township Police are investigating a Missing Person case. 25-year-old Jennifer Webster was last seen Monday in Sylvania Township.Jennifer is 5'1", 150 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. She was
Sylvania Township Police are investigating a Missing Person case. 25-year-old Jennifer Webster was last seen Monday in Sylvania Township.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:32:32 GMT
MOORE, Okla. (AP) - An Oklahoma emergency management official says authorities still are working to find six adults who haven't been accounted for since the devastating tornado that tore through the Oklahoma
An Oklahoma emergency management official says authorities still are working to find six adults who haven't been accounted for since the devastating tornado that tore through the Oklahoma City area earlier this week.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 3:08 PM EDT2013-05-22 19:08:55 GMT
A section of a busy Toledo street was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a driver hit a telephone pole. It happened on East Broadway near Varland. Police say the driver apparently glanced behind him
A section of a busy Toledo street was shut down Wednesday afternoon after a driver hit a telephone pole. It happened on East Broadway near Varland.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 12:39 PM EDT2013-05-22 16:39:05 GMT
The Fostoria police department received a report an attempted child abduction. It happened on South Town St. near the rail road crossing. A grandmother walking with her 4 year old grandson saw a white
The Fostoria police department received a report an attempted child abduction. It happened on South Town St. near the rail road crossing. Police say be on the look out for a man in a white van with no windows.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 12:08 PM EDT2013-05-22 16:08:02 GMT
(TOLEDO, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is asking for the public's help locating a sexually oriented offender with a felony warrant out for his arrest. James Lee Smith, 50, last registered
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is asking for the public's help locating a sexually oriented offender with a felony warrant out for his arrest.
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