Planting continued to advance around precipitation events last week with some delays noted due to wet conditions, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Conditions in eastern counties improved with received moisture while western counties remained very dry and drought persisted. Severe weather over the weekend brought moisture, damaging hail, high winds and tornadoes to eastern counties.

In northeastern counties, planting continued to advance. Isolated reports of crop damage from hail were noted. Pasture conditions were noticeably better due to recent moisture. East central counties also experienced damaging severe weather in areas and isolated heavy precipitation. County reports noted winter wheat condition continued to improve from recent moisture, but producers were actively looking for wheat stripe rust due to reports in neighboring states. Russian Wheat Aphid pressure was noted in a Kit Carson county report.

In southwestern counties, producers made good planting progress and calving was nearly complete. Extremely high winds were reported with little moisture received.

In the San Luis Valley, good moisture was received last week and was enough to slow fieldwork. Most barley in the district was emerged and potato planting was nearing completion. Feed supplies remained short.

Southeastern counties also received moisture last week, delaying planting and fieldwork. Pasture conditions were notably improved from the moisture.

As of May 21, 2021, snowpack in Colorado was 69 percent measured as percent of median snowfall. The Southwest and San Luis Valley were 31 and 43 percent, respectively.

Stored feed supplies were rated 19 percent very short, 24 percent short, 56 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 86 percent average and 14 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 68 percent average and 32 percent light.