South America Calling

Soybean harvest continues to lag the normal pace, but the rate of progress is normal, given the two-week delay to the start of the main growing season. Dryness in Argentina will continue during the next 10 days while showers in Brazil will become more isolated next week.

Long-range forecasts for below-normal March precipitation in Brazil and Argentina are a concern.

Daily showers continue to bring widespread rains to central and northern Brazil. It has dried out across southern Brazil and most of Argentina. A couple of fronts will bring only low chances of brief showers to those regions through the next week. They may be enough to...

The six- to 10-day forecast offers a window of drier conditions for southern Brazil harvest, but places harvest-disrupting rain over central Brazil.

A front moving through Brazil will stall from Mato Grosso to Minas Gerais this weekend. Areas to the south should see improved conditions for soybean harvest and safrinha corn planting, though it may be short. Northern areas should expect to see more delays.

February could be sketchy for safrinha corn planting as showers are too abundant over the south and likely not enough across the north. Here's an extended look at what Brazil crops can expect for weather into May, thanks to a La Nina pattern.

Generous rain during January has stabilized crop prospects in Argentina.

Only short-term rainfall benefit is indicated for Argentina during the next two weeks.

La Nina values remain robust at heart of South America crop season.

While showers have been active more than the past 60 days for much of South America, amounts have been greatly underachieved. (DTN graphic)

A static, very-wet or very-dry scenario is forecast over Brazil and Argentina crop areas through the end of 2020.

Precipitation benefit remains highly variable across the large crop production region of central Brazil.

Rainfall during early December brought more variable benefit than forecasts indicated.

Forecasts for widespread beneficial rain in most of Brazil's soybean areas during the next 10 days will be closely watched.

Highest soybean production areas of Brazil have very little rain in the seven-day forecast.

A prominent climate forecast agency calls for continued dryness in South America and in the U.S. Southern Plains due to La Nina.

Precipitation during the next 10 days offers only limited crop moisture benefit for most of Brazil's production areas.

Pacific Ocean La Nina presence is already getting factored into crop projections.

Late-arriving moisture means that Brazil planting season is off to a slow start.

Showers are expected across much of the primary growing regions in South America, but needed moderate to heavy rains will be confined to just a few locations.