Weather

Much more precipitation needed on the central, southern Plains

On the Plains, more sustained heavy precipitation is still needed to eradicate record-setting drought across central and southern areas.

Across the Corn Belt, from the Ohio Valley into the lower Great Lakes region, soggy soils and frequent freeze-thaw cycles remain a concern with respect to the soft red winter wheat crop.

In the South, recent rains across the Deep South provided beneficial moisture for pastures and winter grains. However, most of Florida’s peninsula remains extremely dry, resulting in heavy irrigation demands for citrus and other winter crops.

In the West, most of the region continues to brace for drought development or intensification and the prospect of significantly below-normal spring and summer runoff.