🌱 US Weather Warriors GrowCast — 2026-05-28
A moderate, breezy late-May day with wet soils lingering from recent rain — workability is the limiting factor.
Today's Weather Snapshot: Highs in the mid-70s to low 80s, lows in the mid-50s to low 60s. Mostly rain-free with PoPs at or below 5% across the peninsula. Winds near 14-16 mph; Small Craft Advisory up on the upper Delaware Bay. Humidity high near the ground after recent rainfall.
Soil & Recent Rainfall: DEOS 2-inch soil temps ran 67-73°F, averaging near 69.5°F. 24-hour rainfall topped out at 0.76 inches at DDFS, with that station showing wet topsoil. Most other stations picked up only a few hundredths, but ground is still damp.
Best Outdoor Work Window: Late morning into mid-afternoon once dew burns off is your best shot, but expect soft ground in low spots. If your fields squelch underfoot, skip today and reassess Friday.
Planting & Transplanting: Planting window is Delay — hold off on tender transplants today. Soil temps at 67-73°F are well above the 60-65°F threshold for tomatoes, peppers, and squash, so the holdup is wet ground and the wetter pattern ahead, not soil heat. Get beds prepped now so you can move fast on the next dry window.
Watering & Irrigation: Hold off on irrigation — soils are already wet and the 6-10 day signal leans wetter than normal. No drought anywhere on the peninsula. Let the topsoil breathe before you add water.
For Gardeners: Good day to stake tomatoes, run trellis lines, and mulch around established plantings rather than dig. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas still hold quality but won't last much longer as nights warm. Hold bedding flats in the shade until the ground firms.
For Farmers & Growers: Field workability is poor and wind is in the caution range — not a spray day given 15+ mph sustained winds and drift risk over sensitive neighbors. Hay down now is a gamble with a wetter pattern signaled in the 6-10 day. Save tillage and planting passes for firmer ground.
Looking Ahead (6-10 day signal): CPC 6-10 leans below-normal temps and above-normal precip; Drought Monitor shows no drought across DE, MD, or VA.
Bottom Line: Wet ground and a wetter pattern ahead mean today is for prep and maintenance, not planting.
— US Weather Warriors #DelmarvaWeather #GardenWeather #FarmWeather