Weather
Bitter cold engulfs the Heartland
On the Plains, cold weather lingers across the central and southern areas. Meanwhile, mild air is overspreading the northern Plains. During the weekend, a harsh cold snap resulted in sub-zero temperatures as far south as the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma, threatening winter wheat that was poorly established due to autumn drought. However, a shallow snow cover provided wheat with varying degrees of insulation.
Across the Corn Belt, cold conditions persist, with many locations reporting sub-zero temperatures early today. In the upper Midwest, the outbreak peaked on December 18, when readings of -20 to -35° were common. A variable snow cover is helping to provide Midwestern winter wheat with some protection from the bitter cold.
In the South, cloudiness across Deep South Texas is helping to keep temperatures above 32°. Chilly weather covers the remainder of the region, except for lingering warmth across Florida’s peninsula. In addition, a few rain showers are affecting the southern Atlantic States.
In the West, a Hard Freeze Warning was in effect early Monday for all of California’s Central Valley. For some crops, including citrus in the San Joaquin Valley, the cold weather is necessitating the use of freeze protection. Cool, dry weather prevails elsewhere, except for the return of precipitation to the Pacific Northwest.
Forecast High Temperatures (National)
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