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U.S. weather patterns have changed for the better

An atmospheric scientist says weather patterns are changing, and that’s good news for most of the U.S. 

Eric Snodgrass with Conduit tells Brownfield there is a severe lack of moisture thanks to a north-south jet stream, but that flow has finally changed back to a west-to-east flow after more than two months, and that’s bringing more storm systems and more much-needed moisture. “If we can just keep this thing going until April, then we’re going to be in better shape and stop worrying so much about fall’s lingering drought problems.”

Snodgrass is concerned about the 2025 growing season because underneath the frozen soil is some very dry ground that needs moisture. “There’s more check boxes on the drought side of things than there are on the wet side of things but I want to be clear. I don’t think it’s an Ohio valley, Great Lakes states, Mississippi valley on the eastern side of it issue. I think it’s a western side of the Mississippi valley problem, Missouri valley, or a southern plains issue.”

Snodgrass says the oceans and the atmosphere work together to determine weather patterns, so for much of North America, it’s important to pay attention to the Gulf of Alaska. “It’s very rare that the Gulf of Alaska has really, really cold water and it’s not hotter and dryer in the central U.S. It’s also very rare that it has warm water and cooler and wetter (in the central U.S.) so we’re going to watch it. When it’s most important is in June to keep an eye on it because that will tell us if the atmosphere is going to either keep its momentum and keep storms coming or if its going to back off and let high pressure and heat move in.”

Snodgrass says he’s also concerned about the winter wheat crop because of the dry fall, less germination, and temperatures that fell to minus 10 as far south as Oklahoma in January.

Snodgrass spoke to Brownfield during the recent Wisconsin Corn-Soy-Pork Expo in Wisconsin Dells.

AUDIO: Eric Snodgrass discusses the weather pattern change with Brownfield’s Larry Lee