Market Impact Weather

OMAHA (DTN) -- Improving Midwest conditions, and variable showers across Europe, are the key weather items for the commodity trade's attention Thursday.

POSSIBLE MIDWEST IMPROVEMENT

The DTN ag weather forecast calls for a drier and warm trend in the western Midwest to bring favorable planting conditions. The southern and eastern Midwest areas may also show some improvement during the next 10 days as the pattern turns drier and warmer in these sectors.

SHOWERS FOR SOUTHERN PLAINS

In the Southern Plains, showers and warm weather remain in effect. This pattern is generally favorable for winter wheat. Wet conditions will likely continue to slow planting progress in Kansas, where row crop planting is behind average. Definitive estimates of wheat yield loss from the April 30, 2017 snowfall event are still unavailable.

MILD FOR NORTHERN PLAINS

Favorable planting and early crop development conditions are in store for the Northern Plains through the weekend. There is a good chance for increasing shower activity in the region after that, likely delaying planting while maintaining favorable soil moisture for development.

WARMTH BENEFITS PRAIRIES

The Canadian Prairies will see a return to wet conditions in northern Alberta and northwestern Saskatchewan at the end of this week. This may again delay the harvest for last season's crop still in the fields, along with disrupting spring field preparation for planting wheat and canola. Eastern areas should benefit from a drier pattern with a slow warming trend for a few more days before rain chances increase.

VARIABLE BRAZIL SHOWERS

In Brazil, a drier and warmer pattern will benefit the second-crop (safrinha) corn in south-central areas. Rain chances may increase somewhat during the six-to-10 day period.

DRY FOR ARGENTINA HARVEST

In central Argentina, dry conditions favor harvest progress. Soil moisture and temperatures favor wheat development.

SOUTHERN EUROPE RAIN

Moderate to heavy rain is indicated for southern and southeastern Europe through the coming weekend, keeping soil moisture adequate to surplus. Lighter amounts are forecast for northern Europe areas. Dryness is still indicated over much of northern and western Europe, notably in France and Spain.

LIGHT UKRAINE PRECIPITATION

Light to locally moderate rainfall is forecast for Ukraine through the next five days. This moisture may ease dryness; however, more precipitation is needed to fully alleviate concerns.

Bryce Anderson can be reached at bryce.anderson@dtn.com

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