August 21, 2013
Soybean plants in a field northwest of Olivet were stripped of leaves and some pods last week when a thunderstorm brought hail that swept through the area. The storm was part of a larger system that also dropped significant amounts of rain in the area. Considerable damage stemming from the storm system occurred in the Parkston area, where winds damaged property and crops. Both corn and bean fields in the Olivet area suffered damage due to hail, though the damage was relatively isolated to the area four miles northwest of Olivet. Insurance coverage may help some farmers recover on losses, though many fields were considered to be on the edge of being a total loss. The forecast in Olivet calls for warmer temperatures and some chances for rain and a possible chance of a thunderstorm Thursday.
PHOTO BY ERIK KAUFMAN