Weather

Moisture overspreads the Heartland

On the Plains, mild, dry weather prevails, despite an increase in cloudiness. Rain showers are breaking out across southern Texas, well south of the primary hard red winter wheat belt.

Across the Corn Belt, dry weather accompanies a warming trend. Friday’s high temperatures will approach 60° in the southern Corn Belt. Some snow remains on the ground, however, in the upper Midwest; current snow depths include 6 inches in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and an inch in Madison, Wisconsin.

In the South, mild, dry weather favors late-season fieldwork, including soybean harvesting in the southern Atlantic States. Despite recent precipitation, more rain is needed to reverse the recent trend of drought expansion in the Southeast. On December 9, at least one-fifth of the pastures were rated in very poor to poor condition in several Southeastern States, including North Carolina (27%) and Florida (20%).

In the West, widespread precipitation (rain and snow) is falling in the Four Corners States in conjunction with a developing storm. Significant precipitation in Arizona and New Mexico is boosting high-elevation snow packs and providing beneficial moisture for drought-stressed rangeland and pastures. Elsewhere, precipitation is mostly confined to the Pacific Northwest, while cooler air is overspreading the entire region.