Global warming news: Cold winter leads to huge sugar beet harvest

Despite so-called human caused global warming, most of the United States endured a brutal winter.

But there is an upside in Montana.

From the Billings Gazette:

For the first time in recent memory, the Western Sugar Cooperative will fire up its Billings factory and begin harvesting beets Sept. 2. Farmers say they could be pulling 37 tons an acre from their fields on average, possibly a record average and roughly 10 tons an acre more than last year.

"It's just the overall conditions of the climate," said Nick Sian, who farms beets between Custer and Pompeys Pillar. "We had timely rains to get it started."

Not just timely rains, but ample moisture. One of the snowiest winters on record meant the soil was wet deep down, even before spring rains began. Moisture levels remained near or above average in some cases through July, according to the National Weather Service.