Weather

Drought-easing moisture on the southern Plains

On the Plains, drought-easing rain is falling across parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and eastern Texas. Some frozen precipitation, including sleet, is occurring along the northern and western edge of the developing storm. However, significant precipitation has already bypassed the central and southern High Plains. Farther north, very cold weather persists in the eastern Dakotas, but mild air is overspreading the northern High Plains.

Across the Corn Belt, unusually cold conditions persist. Tuesday morning’s low temperatures generally ranged from around 10° in the far upper Midwest to near the freezing mark in the lower Ohio Valley. A year ago, on March 31, 2012, corn planting was 6% complete in Missouri, where negligible corn was planted in March 2013.

In the South, rain is gradually overspreading areas west of the Mississippi River. By the end of March, corn planting was 95% complete in Louisiana and 22% complete in Arkansas, while emergence in those two states was 49 and 3%, respectively. Meanwhile, cool, dry weather prevails in the Southeast.

In the West, rain and snow showers are confined to the Intermountain region. Meanwhile in California and the Northwest, warm, dry weather is promoting spring fieldwork and winter wheat growth.