Union County’s OSU Extension is advising farmers to use caution as they enter the fields this spring.
Wayne Dellinger, Union County extension educator for agriculture and natural resources said that being aware of weather conditions is nothing new to farmers.
“Weather is what dictates everything from when fieldwork can be done to how well crops yield,” Dellinger wrote.
He said it is also important to monitor the weather to keep farmers safe.
“Getting caught in the middle of a field when severe weather strikes is not the greatest of situations,” Dellinger wrote.
He said severe weather awareness is, “an old topic that sometimes needs a reminder.”
He said that as temperatures warm and fields begin to dry, “tractors will be operating in full force across the corn belt to get crops planted.”
He said that with the complexity of today’s agricultural equipment, GPS and other equipment in the cab, tractor operators are “pretty busy” monitoring the technology.
He said it is also important to monitor the weather conditions at the same time.
“Monitoring weather on a radio can let the operator know well ahead of time what is coming,” Dellinger wrote. “In the spring severe weather season, conditions can change drastically during any given day. What is heard on the 6 a.m. weather report may evolve throughout the day, because storms have a local component.”
He said monitoring weather on a radio can let the operator know well ahead of time what is coming.
“Don’t get caught in severe weather this spring and summer,” Dellinger warned farmers. “Keep a portable weather radio nearby or have a plan to be alerted by someone who does. Monitor weather conditions in your area.”
The extension educator said communication is an easy way to avoid being caught in severe weather.
“Modern communication tools such as cell phones and portable weather radios provide more opportunity to avoid exposure to severe weather than ever before,” Dellinger wrote. “A simple call from the house may be all it takes to stay safe.
He said that even with all the opportunity to know what weather is coming, there are, “still occasions when the operator is caught in severe weather.”
Dellinger said farmers can be caught in a pop-up thunderstorm, a flash flood or even a tornado. He specifically cited the devastation of the August, 2020, derecho that impacted parts of the Midwest.
“These chances increase for every extra round that is made trying to get as much work done before the rain comes,” Dellinger wrote.
If an operator is caught in severe weather, Dellinger said there are some actions that may be taken that will improve chances of escaping injury.
He said that while lightening can be difficult to predict because it can strike many miles away from the actual storm, even in blue skies, “when out in the middle of a field and caught in a lightning storm, the safest place is inside the tractor.”
He did advise operators to raise all equipment out of the ground to avoid any metal-ground contact.
He said operators should, “watch the sky during severe weather for changes.”
“With soundproof cabs and loud machinery, it is not likely you will hear a tornado until it is too late,” Dellinger said.
He explained that as tornados approach, often the sky will have a greenish appearance. Dellinger said that a cloud that looks like a wall and has rotation is an indication of the possibility of a tornado.
“If caught in an open area with a tornado approaching, get out of the tractor,” Dellinger said. “Find a low area or ditch away from the tractor, lie down and cover (your) head with (your)arms.”
Unfortunately for agriculture, there are many structures that are easily damaged in tornados or straight-line winds, he said. Grain bins and large machinery sheds are vulnerable to collapse and should not be used as shelters. Farms are also conducive to a great deal of flying debris whether it is hand tools, liquid storage tanks, or even calf hutches. Below ground-level rooms offer the best protection. Interior rooms of a sturdy structure are the best alternative.
Flooding, and more specifically, flash flooding can also happen in a very short period of time. Most operators are aware of what areas have a history of flooding or are susceptible to flash flooding. These areas should be avoided in severe weather events. Similar to stray lightning, flooding may occur even in areas that have received no rain if there was a large rainfall event upstream.
Those wanting additional resources are asked to call Dellinger at the Union County Extension Office at 937-644-8117 or email dellinger.6@osu.edu.