Friday,  June 7, 2013 • Vol. 14--No. 322 • 5 of 33

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mostly for stations in eastern parts of the state. Todey says 35 stations across the state had temperatures in the top ten coldest for spring. Eight stations were coldest on record. These were all in the eastern third of the state.
• "Certainly this reinforces how historically cool the spring was," he said.
• The obvious impacts were slowing the beginning of the growing season, delaying of dormancy break on trees and perennials and even reducing the length of spring sports seasons.
• "And, while the spring was wetter over parts of the state, overall it set few records," Todey said.
• The record-setters were most of the same ones with very wet Mays. Canton and Lemmon again were the wettest spring on record. Marion and Pollock were fifth wettest; and Lead, in the Black Hills was the third wettest. A few stations in the southwest and far northeast were actually below average for the spring as a whole.
• "The delay in planting and crop development is not a serious issue at this point pending what happens with the rest of the growing season," he said. "If conditions continue this way for the summer then delayed crop development will be a problem."
• Looking ahead
Todey says the impact of the wetness was reduced because of the background dry conditions carrying over from last year. Soils were dry and many ponds, dugouts and wetlands had less water in them and were able to absorb some of the excess rainfall.

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