Bracing for Fallout: Second Hurricane hits Florida just as producers clean up from Ian

early morning flooded road from hurricane ian_Photo by pelow media_AdobeStock_537370206.jpg

A flooded road after Hurricane Ian.

Producers in Florida are once again bracing for fallout from another hurricane.

Hurricane Nicole made landfall overnight near Vero Beach and is now working its way up the East Coast as a tropical storm. Right now, winds are blowing at 60 miles per hour and Meteorologist Tim Ross says it should be a fast-moving storm that will travel all the way up to New England.

Heavy rain is expected along Nicole’s path, but given its speed, Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the sugar cane harvest should be safe.

“We still see some critically low river levels in the Mississippi Basin. Especially from the mid-Mississippi Valley, southward river levels have risen a few feet, generally one to three feet from the record lows that we saw back in October. But we’ve got a ways to go before w can turn this around in terms of rising river levels.”

This week’s USDA numbers showed 58 percent of U.S. topsoil moisture conditions is short to very short.

Related Stories
Rising fuel costs will soon increase grain transportation expenses.
Firefighters are making good progress on two major wildfires burning across parts of Nebraska.
South Texas farmers face worsening drought as Mexico falls short on water payments, leaving producers struggling for irrigation under the 1944 treaty.
Spring Fieldwork Advances As Weather Patterns Shift Nationwide
Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Michael Kelsey joined us to discuss wildfire impacts across the Southern Plains, the importance of community support, and the path forward for affected producers.
Citrus production depends heavily on reliable irrigation, making water shortages a critical issue for South Texas growers moving forward.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Join the conversation on RURAL AMERICA LIVE — Tonight at 7:30 PM ET, only on RFD-TV.
Heidi Exline with American Farmland Trust shares how their Farm to School initiative helps strengthen the connection between local farms and school food programs.
Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska, notes that many heart-related conditions can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
Support policies that keep U.S. biofuels at the table—marine demand could materially lift corn grind, crush margins, and rural jobs.