Across the nation, temperatures are all across the board. Different areas of the United States are experiencing everything from one extreme to the net. This doesn’t look to plateau any time soon. Meanwhile, South America is seeing an unusual weather pattern for this time of year.
Temperatures Vary
From the blustering snow and sub-zero temperatures in the Dakotas and Montana, to the warm temperatures lingering in Oklahoma, America’s heartland has seen it all.
Livestock in the northern part of this area are experiencing cold temperatures, gusts of snow and added stress. Across the Corn Belt, bitterly cold weather has reared its ugly head yet again. Upper Midwestern producers are also bracing for wintry precipitation such as snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
Oppositely, the South is seeing warm weather. This is promoting growth of winter grains and cover crops. Rainfall is light and expected to stay confined to the lower Mississippi Valley.
The Ohio Valley temperatures find home somewhere in the middle, as they are experiencing relatively mild weather.
In the West, cool weather accompanies widespread rain and snow showers, especially from California to the Intermountain region. However, heavy rain has tapered to showers in parts of California that have recently experienced flash flooding and debris flows, allowing recovery efforts to commence.
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Weather Update
Weather patterns for the next week are expected to be very cold for the western half of the country. This is expected to bring a lot of moisture and cold air to the western part of the country. As you move east, you will see more variation day to day in terms of temperature. In contrast, the South is expected to be warm and mild.
In a 30 day outlook, temperatures look to be below normal for most of the northern and western states. The Southeast is expected to be above normal.
Additionally, areas east of the Mississippi Valley and some parts of the West are expected to have more precipitation than normal. Central Texas and the Pacific Northwest are expected to have below normal precipitation.
South America Update
Brazil ended January hot and dry. Despite a short period of heavy rain, soybean crop areas are experiencing limited rainfall and above normal temperatures. High pressure is currently dominant over Brazil’s soybean belt. This has been promoting their hot and dry pattern.
Even with recent heavy rains, this area is still experiencing one of the more significant drought patterns of the past few years. These hot and dry conditions have led to early soybean maturity and harvest progress well ahead of normal.
As we look farther south, a similar change occurred. The areas of Rio Grande do Sul, northeast Argentina and Paraguay had been experiencing normal to above normal rainfall. They are now experiencing above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall. This is presenting issues in terms of depleting soil moisture and increasing crop stress, which is giving way to increase crop loss.
In light of early soybean harvest, planting of the safrinha corn crop is also well ahead of schedule. This will be advantageous if the current rainfall persists later. However, if the drought is prolonged it could decrease soil moisture. This would have a huge impact on safrinha corn as it is dependent on high rainfall prior to the dry season.
Current weather trends in Brazil are not on par with what typically happens this time of year. Usually, this is the time where farmers worry of too much moisture. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
In central Argentina, the weather patterns are generally favorable for developing corn and soybeans, although some areas may be too wet. This is a less than ideal situation; but, compared to Brazil, Argentina is in much better shape.
Summary
The Midwest has been experiencing a cold winter and it doesn’t seem to be relenting anytime soon. The South continues to see mild temperatures, while the East is seeing a wide range of weather day to day. The South American weather has been unusual for this time of year, causing early soybean harvest and safrinha corn planting.
