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BAM Weather: El Niño expected to be the strongest on record

A senior meteorologist at BAM Weather says a strengthening El Niño weather pattern could limit harvest windows this fall.

Brett Walts says parts of the Corn Belt that saw access rainfall this summer could continue to see wetter conditions.

“It ended up being a battle between drought conditions and the developing El Niño conditions,” he says. “The western and southern U.S. drought helped amplify some of the heat and ultimately helped shove some of more intense storm clusters further north.”

During a recent webinar, he said harvest conditions could become more challenging as the season progresses.

“As we get further into October, the southern U.S. will start to trend a bit wetter,” he says. “As we roll into November, there’s potential for more moisture as we get later into the season. The earlier you can get going in the field, the better off you’re going to be.”

Walts says it’s expected to be one of the strongest El Niño systems ever recorded.