Ag Weather Forum

While heavy rain fell in some areas of the Prairies, others were left without a drop. The rain helped some wildfires, but there are still more fires this year than in the last five years to date in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Here's a look at the rain and temperatures for the week...

Experts point to greater expense in time and money to recover from El Nino-related storms than previously thought, with countries south of the equator the hardest hit.

Sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean are on the verge of El Nino classification. Are we headed toward a strong or even Super El Nino this year?

Dryness has been a concern, with wildfires and drought affecting the Canadian Prairies. More rainfall is needed, even if it does delay seeding. Mother Nature may have a partial remedy next week.

After heavy rain in late April and May, the Climate Prediction Center is focused on continued improvement in drought areas across most of the Plains. There are some caveats to this forecast, however.

El Nino now forming in the Pacific Ocean may bring drought to Australia and reduce that country's wheat production.

Conditions in North Dakota this spring have been rough with heavy snow and lingering cold that have made it difficult to get out into the field. Like a year ago, planting pace is very slow, but there is optimism that planting will not be as delayed as 2022

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.