Weather

Chilly weather across much of the Corn Belt; fair & mild on much of the Plains

Across the Corn Belt, sub-freezing temperatures were reported Wednesday morning in the upper Midwest, extending as far south as northern Iowa.  Although some corn and soybeans have been planted in the freeze-affected areas, little emergence has occurred.  Dry weather throughout the Midwest favors spring fieldwork, except in areas where soils remain soggy.

On the Plains, isolated showers are confined to areas from Kansas southward.  However, portions of the central and southern Plains remain unfavorably dry, with increasing impacts on rangeland, pastures, winter grains, and emerging summer crops.  On April 21, forty percent of the rangeland and pastures in Texas were rated in very poor to poor condition, along with 22% of the oats and 21% of the winter wheat.

In the South, mild, mostly dry weather is promoting fieldwork and crop development.  Winter wheat is developing at an ahead-of-normal pace, with 50% of the crop headed by April 21 in Arkansas (versus the 5-year average of 37%), along with 41% in North Carolina (versus the average of 31%).  Additionally, 33% of the U.S. rice crop had emerged by April 21, well ahead of the 5-year average of 20%.

In the West, near- or above-normal temperatures are ideal for fieldwork and crop and pasture growth.  Most areas are experiencing dry weather, although a few showers are spreading ashore in the Pacific Northwest.  With the snow-melt season underway, snowpack deficiencies persist across the northern tier of the western U.S.