Ag Weather Forum

Near-perfect conditions arose to produce more than a week's worth of widespread heavy rainfall over the middle of the country. Some areas of the Plains that have been in drought for a long time got some much-needed rainfall. But some others missed out.

The total agricultural land in the Canadian Prairies in some form of drought sits at 78% for the end of April, compared to 83% last month, only a slight improvement. What weather is expected and will it help?

Snowmelt water has allowed Colorado River reservoirs to fill well above the very low levels seen in 2022.

Weather over the last week has been warmer and wetter in a lot of areas, favorable for both planting and early growth. That continues this week as well, but the upper-level pattern is changing this weekend. We are apt to see more variable temperatures and only bouts of...

Recent dryness and a stalled atmosphere produced the conditions for the winds and damaging dust storm in Illinois Monday, May 1.

Rising temperatures and some periods of rain will move through much of the U.S. during the next two weeks, favoring the Plains with some needed moisture and bringing more to other areas. Warmer weather will help keep planters rolling.

The Texas cotton crop suffered from the influence of La Nina in 2022. The expected El Nino in 2023 may arrive too late to offer much benefit.

Models are forecasting heavy rain for the southwestern Plains drought areas this week. Amounts over 1 inch may be widespread, but will it make a difference to the drought, or the crops and forages growing there?

Years which featured El Nino conditions similar to 2023 show both lower production and record high production when it comes to the U.S. corn crop.

A warm and dry week last week set up a good period for farmers to get out into their fields and increase planting. This week is less favorable with widespread precipitation and low temperatures moving through the Corn Belt.

Drought is still widespread across the Canadian Prairies, though much lower than it was last fall. The underlying dryness will be the stage-setter for the 2023 growing season.

NOAA reports that carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide levels all continued rising into uncharted levels last year.

With El Nino expected to develop this summer, let's look at what that means to the weather patterns for North America.

Big soil moisture improvement is obvious in the western U.S., but western Midwest and Plains crop areas are notably lagging on root zone moisture.

Many weather variables affect how quickly soils warm up, and whether they stay that way. We discuss the current conditions across the country and the weather conditions that cause soils to warm up.

A blizzard, widespread strong wind gusts, and severe storms highlight the third strong spring storm system in the last two weeks.

Another strong risk of severe weather is associated with a large spring storm system for Friday.

Heavy rain, snow and cold bring the prospect of delayed almond flowering and late planting of high-demand produce crops in "America's Salad Bowl."

A storm system will traverse the country this week with widespread impacts including strong winds, widespread rainfall, severe storms and heavy snow.

A strong spring storm system will bring significant risks for severe weather across the Lower Mississippi Valley on Friday. Large hail will be possible, but very strong, damaging winds and long-tracked, strong tornadoes are the main threats.