Ag Weather Forum

The first arctic air outbreak of the season has begun to affect the Plains and Midwest.

After a mild fall, a dramatic change in the weather pattern will be taking place during the next few days. Temperatures which had been averaging 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal will drop to 10 to 20 degrees below normal. There is also the chance of some significant snowfall in the Northern Plains and western Midwest over the weekend. This combination of cold and snow will stress livestock in the Northern Plains and western Midwest.

A turn to much colder weather in the Southern plains will put the winter wheat crop into dormancy. Dry weather over western areas has caused declining crop ratings while moisture conditions in the east are good. Episodes of light precipitation are expected in northern areas during the next seven days.

Drought-breaking rains in the Delta and Southeast states will improve conditions for planting and developing winter wheat.

There are nearly ideal conditions for developing soybeans throughout the major growing areas of Brazil with regular episodes of rain.

Drier weather in central Argentina during the next seven days will be looked at as a planting opportunity for corn and soybeans with any talk of it affecting developing crops being premature at this time.

The Australians have called off their La Nina watch and are now forecasting the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions in the coming months. Our calculation of the sea surface temperature departure in the equatorial eastern pacific for the month of November was plus 0.2, unchanged from October.

Mike Palmerino can be reached at mike.palmerino@dtn.com

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