Drought
CattleFax’s Holden Ramey says grass plus profitability equals more cattle — but ongoing drought and volatility are slowing herd rebuilding despite strong price signals.
A fast-developing El Niño could bring much-needed rain to the Plains, but timing and coverage remain uncertain. Brian Bledsoe explains what a strong event could mean for drought relief.
Brian Bledsoe of Brian Bledsoe Weather explains what’s driving the record heat, how long it may last and why it’s not a repeat of 2012.
NOAA and CPC issue an official El Niño watch with a 62% chance of forming by late summer. Meteorologist Drew Lerner explains why it’s coming sooner than expected, but warns the extreme forecasts may be overstated. What it could mean for global crops this year.
As La Niña Looks to Make One of Its Quickest Exits on Record, Strong El Niño Signals Are Now Brewing
Pacific waters are warming rapidly as La Niña fades. Meteorologists warn the shift could reshape U.S. rainfall, drought conditions and severe weather risk during the 2026 growing season.
Strong winds, above-average warmth and months of worsening dryness created a “perfect recipe” for wildfires across the Southern Plains, scorching pasture and farmland — with little moisture relief in the forecast.
How quickly will La Niña exit this year, and when will El Niño enter the picture? Not all meteorologists agree with NOAA or one another, but the timing could have a major impact on weather this spring and summer.
2026 Weather Outlook: La Niña’s Quick Exit, El Niño’s Potential and the Signals Farmers Should Watch
Meteorologists predict a quick La Niña exit, with a 75% chance of transitioning to ENSO-neutral by Jan-March. Expect neutral conditions to persist through at least late spring with a growing chance of El Niño in 2026.
Cattle producers and industry leaders share their concerns as the calendar advances to 2026.
An intense burst of Arctic air is set to sweep across the U.S., Meteorologist Drew Lerner explains how drought and dry soils will amplify the cold and why this pattern could persist through the rest of winter.
Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe says a strong ridge is keeping much of the U.S. warm and dry through mid-November, extending drought across key farm regions, but a pattern shift may bring some relief, and possibly even snow.
The Climate Prediction Center says there’s a 71% chance of La Niña conditions developing from October through December, while also issuing a La Niña Watch. However, one meteorologist expects La Niña to make a quick exit.
With 80% of producers reporting they have experienced drought in the past few years, lack of rain and grass continue to be a driving factor in the beef industry. Colorado’s LeValley Ranch has experienced four droughts since 2000.
Cheap winter-feeding strategies can dramatically reduce costs compared to making and feeding hay.
Portions of the central Plains, the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic will be in a heat dome by Tuesday. But first, those regions will see thunderstorms and heavy rains this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
The silver lining, meteorologists say, is many farmers and livestock producers in the central and eastern U.S. have had sufficient moisture this spring and milder temperatures headed into summer. For some, that’s about to change.
This spring turned into the wettest in over a century for parts of the U.S. As the focus shifts to June, the moisture in the ground will help keep the heat down, but the pattern is also turning drier for two Midwestern states.
The third round of disaster aid payments through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program is the largest amount appropriated by Congress. USDA Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton says those payments are being prepared now.
The start of June could bring high heat and drier weather, which is a stark contrast from the forecast for the last week of May.
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says climate models have consistently shown a ridge across western North America that could lead to drought development, drought continuation or even drought expansion across portions of the Plains and West.
Record-breaking heat hit areas of the U.S. this week with snow in the forecast for the weekend. As the disparity of moisture plays out, Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass says he’s still concerned about the risk of drought.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testified in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, fielding questions on everything from USDA’s bold budget cuts and frozen funding to the fate of the nearly $21 billion in disaster aid.
The forecast for May is pointing to a rapid warm up with rains across the drought-stricken Plains, but there’s a drier forecast for the heart of the Corn Belt. One meteorologist is concerned about the amount of dryness entering the picture.
Drew Lerner, founder of World Weather, Inc., says the summer of 1968 had some strong patterns, including a wetter bias in the western and north-central U.S., but drier in most of the Atlantic Coast states and parts of the eastern and southern Midwest.
It’s important to plan ahead for if pasture conditions deteriorate to the point of having to supplement or feed pairs in confinement.
Cattleman Mike Williams uses a grazing management plan, virtual fencing technology and involvement with local and state cattle associations to meet the challenges of ranching in southern California.
Farmers in the upper Plains, northern Plains and Northeast came up short on snow for the 2024/25 season. In some cases, they experienced the winter that wasn’t, now sitting 10" to 30" short on normal snowfall.