Temperature

Mid-March Heat Wave Shatters Records in the West — Is This a 2012-Style Setup?

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 17:02:56 GMT

A powerful and persistent heat wave is sweeping across the western United States, shattering temperature records and fueling growing concern among farmers and ranchers about what it could signal for the months ahead.

From the deserts of the Southwest to the inland Northwest, the scope and intensity of this early-season heat event is turning heads. More than 60 daily record highs have already been set, with temperatures reaching levels far more typical of late spring or even midsummer.

Forecast high temperatures today through Monday. Tomorrow still appears to be the worst of it, before a "cold front" enters the picture...#desertfarmers #cowx #wywx #kswx #newx #okwx #txwx pic.twitter.com/vQ3NXruOrG
— Brian Bledsoe 🐊 (@BrianBledsoe) March 20, 2026

In Palm Springs, the mercury surged to a scorching 103°F. Phoenix hit its first 100°F day of the year — marking the earliest occurrence on record and breaking a longstanding record set in 1988. Meanwhile, Boise climbed to 80°F, the earliest date that threshold has been reached since record keeping began in 1875, and only the second time it has ever happened during winter.

For producers already navigating tight margins and dry pasture conditions, the question is immediate and pressing: With the current drought picture and early extreme heat, is this a similar setup to 2012?

A Stubborn Pattern Takes Hold

According to Brian Bledsoe of Brian Bledsoe Weather, the current heat wave is being driven by a dominant atmospheric feature that is effectively locking in warmth and shutting out precipitation.

“Well, the good thing about this time of year is that with the seasonal change that takes place, we usually see some weather variability take place along the way, instead of just getting locked into these things for just weeks on end,” Bledsoe explains. “And I think that’s an important thing to consider here. First of all, that I’m much happier that this is occurring now, if it has to occur — versus, say, in July or August, because we’ll see this thing break down eventually.”

The high heat in the West is forecast to stick around until at least early April.

(Brian Bledsoe, Brian Bledsoe Weather )

He says the current setup isn’t brief in the short term, with the forecast map showing the high heat sticking around through at least early April.

“If we look at our forecast temperature anomalies right through April 1, you see that big orange and red blob over the West and the Southwest. And for that matter, across a large part of the country. This ridge is not just going to impact the West. I’s going to spread its way eastward,” Bledsoe explains.

That expansion of warmth could bring above-normal temperatures to regions that have not yet experienced much seasonal heat.

“It’s going to bring a substantial amount of warmth to some areas of the country that haven’t been necessarily all that warm,” Bledsoe says. “So we’re locked in this at least through the end of March.”

Heat and Dryness Go Hand in Hand

The same high-pressure ridge driving the heat is also suppressing precipitation — a combination that is particularly concerning for agriculture.

“Precipitation anomaly-wise, that’s also going to be kind of owing to what this ridge is about, which is just kind of blocking any big storms from coming in from the Pacific,” Bledsoe says. “So, wherever you’re seeing the brown, that is likely where we’re going to see drier-than-average conditions through the same time.”

Much of the Southwest, and the central and southern Great Plains, missed out on precipitation, and instead dealt with a dry, warm and windy week.

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

Why that’s so concerning is the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, which shows 41% of the nation’s corn production area is already in drought . For cotton, 89% is facing dry conditions. For cattle country, 54% of the current cattle inventory is experiencing drought.

This week’s drought picture reflects a sharp split across the country. While areas of the upper Midwest and East saw rain and snow, much of the Southwest, central and southern Plains, and parts of the western U.S. experienced a dry, warm and windy week, which worsened conditions.

Drought and abnormal dryness expanded or intensified across areas like South Dakota, Nebraska, southwest Kansas, southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and parts of Oregon that missed out on meaningful moisture. Overall, while some regions saw clear improvements, the lack of precipitation and ongoing moisture deficits continue to drive worsening conditions across a broad swath of the western and central U.S.

That lack of moisture, combined with unseasonable warmth, could accelerate soil moisture depletion and stress rangeland and early-planted crops. Still, Bledsoe emphasizes the calendar offers some reassurance.

“There is some potential for this to break down, though, I think, as we get into April,” he said. “And I think, as I mentioned, that is a very important thing to consider.”

Ocean Temperatures Play a Major Role

Beyond the immediate atmospheric setup, Bledsoe points to broader oceanic influences that are helping fuel the current pattern, but more particularly what’s happening in the eastern Pacific.

“The other element of this is what’s driving this in terms of heat right now, and it has a lot to do with the sea surface temperature anomalies situated off the west and southwest coast of the United States,” he says.

“If you look at those sea surface temperature anomalies there off the Baja, that is a lot warmer than average than we should be. And if you go just to the south of there, that’s the western tip of South America, and that’s where our budding El Niño event is taking place,” Bledsoe adds.

Sea surface temperatures tell the story for what summer could bring.

(Brian Bledsoe )

Those warmer waters are part of a larger pattern known as the Pacific Meridional Mode (PDO), which can have significant impacts on U.S. weather.

“There’s a lot of warmer-than-average water that’s right there in the East and the Northeast Pacific Ocean,” Bledsoe says. “And any time you see this signature right there, especially off the southwest coast of California, the Baja, western New Mexico — that is referred to as the positive phase of the Pacific Meridional Mode.”

He says the current setup bears some resemblance to patterns seen in recent years, including 2023, when a rapid transition from La Niña to El Niño coincided with widespread heat.

“One important reference that I want to kind of draw a comparison to here is the last time we had a really positive Pacific Meridional Mode,” Bledsoe says. “This is what happened in July and August of 2023. And remember, I’ve talked about this before, but 2023 was the last that we went from a La Niña to an El Niño in a pretty quick fashion. And we also had that positive phase of the Pacific Meridional Mode.”

The result then was widespread warmth across the West and into the southern Plains and Gulf Coast. However, precipitation outcomes were more mixed.

“You might say, well, did that necessarily reflect a dry summer too? Were the precipitation anomalies dry for that? For some areas, but not everybody,” Bledsoe says. “And I’m not saying that 2023 is exactly what this upcoming year is going to be. I’m just trying to draw some parallels here from where we might see some of these things take place.”

Not the Same As 2012

Bledsoe says the current weather pattern bears watching, but it’s important not to confuse it with the historic 2012 drought. One of the biggest differences is the large-scale atmospheric and oceanic setup. In 2012, the U.S. was working from a weak La Niña base, and a persistent ridge of high pressure locked in over the central Corn Belt, cutting off moisture and allowing heat to intensify week after week. That kind of feedback loop is what turned a hot pattern into a historic drought.

Have talked about this more than once lately, but here is a look at the Ensemble Oceanic Niño Indices (courtesy of @webberweather) from 2010 through 2023. The ENS ONI for 2012 was negative early and slightly positive late. However, here is the sea surface temperature anomaly… pic.twitter.com/Q8PDo9XEhn
— Brian Bledsoe 🐊 (@BrianBledsoe) March 14, 2026

This year, the setup is fundamentally different.

“You can’t, from a sea surface temperature standpoint,” he says. “I’ve talked a lot about this on X. That same area of the ocean that I was just showing you just a little bit ago was a lot colder than average than where we are right now,” Bledsoe says. “So, there are different forces at work. When you get cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures off the west coast of North America, extended from the Baja all the way up to the Gulf of Alaska, a lot of times that is a very strong heat and drought signal for the center part of the country. And right now, that is the complete opposite.”

NOAA

(NOAA )

The transition into El Niño conditions tends to favor a more active storm track and can help keep systems moving across the country, rather than allowing a dominant, stationary ridge to take hold. Bledsoe points out while heat will still develop, especially in parts of the South and West, the overall pattern does not show the same prolonged, stagnant heat dome that defined 2012.

The current soil moisture levels and early-season precipitation are generally more favorable than they were heading into the 2012 growing season. Back then, much of the Corn Belt was already running dry before the worst of the summer heat even arrived, which allowed drought conditions to escalate rapidly. Today’s environment, while not without risk, starts from a less vulnerable position.

NOAA

(NOAA)

That said, Bledsoe cautions there are still areas to watch. While the central U.S. doesn’t appear poised for a 2012-style widespread drought, there are signals pointing toward heat and dryness across parts of Texas, the southern Plains and areas along the Gulf Coast. He notes a scenario where spring moisture gives way to drier summer conditions that could set the stage for localized flash drought concerns by mid-to-late summer.

Overall, Bledsoe says the takeaway is that while 2012 remains a benchmark for extreme heat and drought, the current setup does not mirror the same atmospheric drivers. The pattern this year appears more dynamic, with regional risks rather than a single, dominant, all-encompassing drought signal across the heart of the country.

A Critical Window Ahead

For now, the early-season timing of this heat wave may ultimately limit its long-term damage, but it does not eliminate risk.

“We obviously have to prepare for it,” Bledsoe says. “But the good thing about something occurring right now is that it’s transient. It will get out of here.”

He adds: “And I’m sure we’re going to see something that is probably more akin to that spring change soon.”

Until then, producers across the West, and increasingly across the central U.S., will be watching forecasts closely, balancing cautious optimism with the reality that the 2026 growing season is already off to an unusually hot start.

Frozen Calf Gets Spa Treatment and Couch Cuddles During Arctic Blast

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:00:48 GMT

With the cattle herd still at multi-decade lows, every calf counts more than ever. That’s especially true during these last few days as arctic air and winter storms poured into the lower 48.

Macey Sorrell and her family live and farm in Mt. Sterling, Ky. As the area recently experienced storms of freezing rain and sheets of ice, the Sorrells welcomed a new calf into the world.

“Whenever my husband found her, she was maybe two hours old and she was already frozen with ice all in her hair,” Sorrell describes. “Her little umbilical cord looked like a popsicle. So I took the truck back there, put the calf in the bed of the truck and brought her in the house.”

Blankets, a hair dryer, a good rub down and bottle of colostrum helped warm the new baby up.

“After she got her belly full, she was ready for a nap,” Sorrell says. “My kids had also fallen asleep, so I just piled her up on the couch with them for some cuddles.”

The pictures she snapped while the little ones slept are cute enough to warm even the coldest heart. The moment, frozen in time, is now going viral.

“The reaction has been crazy,” Sorrell laughs. “You know, anywhere around here, this is nothing new. You’re going to see a calf inside, a sheep or even a goat. Folks are going to bring the babies inside. I think what made it so special was just the calf on the couch with the babies cuddling.”

The next morning, warm and newly named baby Sally had a happy reunion with her mama.

“When her mama heard her mooing, she came running,” Sorrell says. “Sally started nursing, and they have both been really good since.”

Sorrell and her husband, Tanner, are pleased with the results and the life lessons for their little crew.

“I think, if anything, it’s not an animal. It is a life, and we’ll do whatever we can to help not only an animal but anybody,” Sorrell says. “There’s always a space in my house for a critter.”

The cold is still visiting. More snow is in the forecast. The work at America’s farms and ranches never stops. Since Sally arrived, more babies have been born in the cold.

“We actually had a baby calf born just a few days before that one, and then another one born yesterday,” Sorrell says.

And life on the farm continues, both inside and out.

It’s not just Kentucky dealing with the severe winter storm aftermath and the devastation it left behind. As of Jan. 31, 2026, it was reported over 150,000 homes and businesses remain without power across the Mid-South, specifically in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, following a severe winter storm.

Farm Journal’s Chris Bennett says it could be weeks before his area of Mississippi will have power again, as he describes the horrific scene from last week’s winter storm.

Winter-Proof Your Workforce: Keeping Employees Warm on the Job

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:52:23 GMT

What started as a mild winter is bound to become brutal as plunging, dangerous temperatures sweep across much of the U.S. While most of the country will stay bundled up inside, farmers and their employees don’t have the luxury of skipping work for a snow day.

To create a safe and comfortable work environment for your farm employees, it’s important to address the specific challenges posed by cold weather on the farm. As temperatures begin to drop, consider implementing the following tips to keep your crew safe, warm and productive:

Make Sure They Have Adequate Clothing

Dressing poorly shouldn’t be considered “cool,” especially when it comes to harsh winter weather conditions on the farm. However, not all employees know how to appropriately dress for the bitter weather. Consider providing them with the following checklist and keeping a few extra items in a bin for employees to use in case they forget.

Some examples of warm winter clothing include:

Lined jackets
Lined overalls
Stocking caps / hats and lined gloves
Long thermal underwear
Lined boots – waterproof and anti-slip
Wicking wool socks
Scarf

Provide Warm Break Areas

Working out in the cold can take a toll on the body. That’s why it’s necessary to take frequent breaks to rest and warm up. To keep employees going, be sure to create designated warm break areas for your employees to recuperate.

Offer snacks that are not only tasty but also provide energy. Nutritious options like trail mix, energy bars, and fruits can help replenish energy levels. You can also supply a selection of hot beverages like coffee, tea or hot chocolate. If employees are coming in from wet or snowy conditions, consider having a designated area with a drying rack for wet outerwear, gloves, and boots.

Adjust Schedules

Adjusting schedules in the winter is a practical strategy to address the challenges and potential hazards associated with cold weather. Along with allowing more frequent breaks to prevent prolonged exposure to the cold, consider scheduling more grueling outdoor tasks during the warmer parts of the day.

Keep Up Communication

Safety concerns rise as cold weather intensifies. This rings true for not only our employees, but livestock as well. Keep the lines of communication open with employees to address concerns and gather feedback on their comfort and to learn if areas of the farm need immediate attention.

Work in Pairs

While farmers are already hard-pressed to find labor, working in pairs allows employees to get the job done quickly and safely. Using the buddy system ensures that every employee is accounted for and that the work gets done in a timely fashion. This system is especially important for employees working in remote areas.

Have an Emergency Kit

Winter weather can be unpredictable. Having an emergency kit in a well-known location can be a lifesaver when it comes to coping with unexpected challenges. Keep your kit filled with the essentials, such as:

Medical supplies
Extra clothing
Blankets
Handwarmers
Flashlights
Non-perishable snacks

Know the Signs of Cold Stress

Hypothermia and frostbite are the two most common forms of cold stress and can be fatal if left untreated. To help minimize the risk of these conditions going unnoticed, make sure to review and be on the lookout for the following symptoms.

Signs of Hypothermia:

Fast and shallow breathing / trouble breathing.
Going from shivering to not shivering.
Hunger, fatigue and confusion.
Lack of coordination.
Increased heart rate.
Weak pulse.
Slurred speech / mumbling.
Dizziness and nausea.

Signs of Frostbite:

Cold skin, prickling feeling and numbness.
Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin.
Hard or waxy-looking skin.
Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness.
Blistering after rewarming when severe (expect exposed skin to peel off).
If the skin turns black seek medical attention..

Arctic Blast to Bring Single-Digit Temps to Northern Plains, Freezes Deep into the South

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:59:13 GMT

A powerful burst of Arctic air is on the move, set to drive a dramatic temperature plunge across much of the U.S. this weekend into early next week. Meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. says this upcoming cold surge could deliver the most widespread chill of the season so far, and it’s being intensified by key factors: dry soils and dry air.

From Record Heat to Bitter Cold

Just days after record-breaking heat scorched the West , a sharp reversal is underway. A surge of frigid air straight from the Arctic is diving south, bringing widespread frost and freezing conditions well beyond the northern states.

According to Lerner: “Temperatures below freezing could stretch all the way down to the Delta,” with single-digit lows possible in parts of the northern Plains and teens across the upper Midwest.

“This is an air mass that’s coming straight from the Arctic,” Lerner explains. “And when that kind of air travels over dry land, especially with the drought conditions we have across the Plains and Canadian Prairies, there’s nothing to moderate it. The cold becomes even more intense.”

That blast will drop temperatures well below normal across the central and eastern U.S., with freezing temperatures stretching all the way down to the Delta by Monday morning.

(Drew Lerner )

Dry Soils Make Cold Air Colder

The ongoing drought, reflected in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor , is playing a major role in how extreme the cold feels. Without moisture in the soil or atmosphere to absorb and hold heat, temperatures swing dramatically — soaring well above normal ahead of a front, then crashing well below normal once Arctic air settles in.

“The dry bias we have right now isn’t going to change when that cold air arrives,” Lerner notes. “So we’re going to see temperatures just plummet.”

That means agriculture producers, particularly in the Southern and Eastern states, need to be on alert. Lerner expects frost and freezes to reach as far east as the Carolinas and Georgia, potentially stressing late-season crops and winter wheat stands that haven’t fully hardened off.

While this particular cold surge may only last a few days, Lerner says it’s part of a larger pattern that will repeat through winter — alternating bursts of warmth and cold, driven by La Niña and jet stream fluctuations.

(Drew Lerner )

A Pattern That Could Repeat

While this cold snap will be short-lived, Lerner warns it’s likely a preview of what’s to come this winter. He expects the pattern of alternating warm and cold spells to persist, driven by La Niña and the configuration of the jet stream.

“This is something we’re going to see periodically over the winter,” Lerner says. “We’ll get these big bursts of cold air into the eastern U.S., followed by warmer intervals that bring storminess to the Pacific Northwest and the central Rockies.”

Those intermittent storms might deliver some much-needed moisture to the upper Midwest, but much of the central and southwestern Plains is expected to remain drier than normal through at least early winter.

What Farmers Can Expect

Coldest Morning: Monday, with single digits in the northern Plains and lows near freezing across the Deep South.
Freeze Risk: Frost and light freezes likely as far east as the Carolinas and Georgia.
Moisture Outlook: Continued dryness in the central U.S. under La Niña.
Pattern Ahead: More frequent cold surges alternating with warm, stormy spells in the West.

Looking Ahead

Lerner suggests producers might need to wait until January or February before seeing any meaningful change in the moisture pattern. Until then, temperature swings will be the norm — and the upcoming Arctic outbreak will be a sharp reminder that winter is knocking at the door.

“I’m not ready for single digits either,” Lerner adds with a laugh.

Yes, Corn Sweat is Real, But Here's Why the Humidity is So Thick This Year

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:13:03 GMT

In a year when most meteorologists were watching signs of drought — especially across the western half of the country — the middle of the U.S. has been inundated with moisture. It’s not just been hot, but unusually humid — even for this time of year.

Several Midwestern states are reporting a July that ranks as one of the top 10 wettest on record. Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s principal atmospheric scientist, says you can look to the Gulf to understand what’s been pumping all this moisture into much of the Corn Belt this year.

“We’ve had nonstop access to Gulf moisture. So, there’s just been nothing turning that off. As a result, we’d been able to just generate huge storms on plenty of moisture,” he says.

What Exactly is Corn Sweat?
The other factor that’s pumping moisture into the atmosphere is something called “corn sweat” — the process where corn plants release water vapor into the atmosphere. As the corn plant absorbs water from the soil and releases it through the pores in its leaves, the plant can cool down and transport nutrients.

“Corn sweat shows up a lot in some of the news media,” Snodgrass says. “We just can’t forget that each acre of corn can evaporate an additional 4,000 gallons of water into the atmosphere. Now, that’s not a lot, believe it or not. If you precipitate it back out onto that acre, it’s only about 0.15" deep. But the reality is we expect to see more ridge-riding storms.”

Snodgrass says last week’s rains that caused flash flooding across Iowa, Illinois and Missouri are proof of what the ridge-riding storms can do this time of year.

“We continue to see storms running the periphery of a ridge that’s going to probably live farther into the Southern Plains of the United States. But until you shut off the Gulf, we’re going have moisture coming through the country,” Snodgrass adds.

That “corn sweat” isn’t just aiding the recent ridge-riding storms. According meteorologist Ryan Maue, it’s also fueling some of the recent humidity.

At 7 pm ET, the corn fields 🌽were adding 20°F to 25°F on top of the actual temperature = heat index > 115°F 🔥

Dewpoints in the lower-80s + temperatures in 90s = insane "feels like" readings 📈 pic.twitter.com/JP89U5qXzt
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) July 28, 2025

Maue said as of 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, the corn fields were adding 20°F to 25°F on top of the actual temperature, which means it felt like 115°F outside.

Much of that is because of the dew point, which according to Maue, reached in the low ‘80s. Dew points of 80°F or higher locally aren’t unusual, but they aren’t necessarily common either. It’s that high dew point creating such heavy humidity, and it’s no coincidence those dew point levels were highest around where there’s a lot of corn.

And we just can’t forget that each acre of corn can evaporate an additional 4,000 gallons of water into the atmosphere. Now, that’s not a lot, believe it or not. If you precipitate it back out onto that acre, it’s only about 0.15" deep.

Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien

With 95 million acres of corn planted in the ground this year, along with all the recent rains, it explains why the dew points and humidity has been so high.

The good news is the Midwest is currently in peak “corn sweat” time, which means the dew point should improve soon.

However, when it comes to moisture, Snodgrass thinks this wet weather pattern could continue over the next couple of weeks.

“If you ask me, the smartest forecast going longer term is probably persistence. In other words, what have we just seen? That will keep going until there’s some big overwhelming push to shove the atmosphere in a different direction,” he says.

Things should dry out for fall harvest. To understand the possible change in the weather pattern, watch Snodgrass’ full forecast from U.S. Farm Report.

Searing Temperatures In Store For the Week

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 12:51:33 GMT

Something is missing in eastern Nebraska that Dave Warner says is usually available in abundance – and then some – on his farm in mid-July: sunshine and dry weather conditions. Warner refuses to complain, though, given how dry his soils were at corn planting time in May. Still, he would be happy if Mother Nature would ease up on the moisture deliveries just a tad.

“We’ve had a lot of rain; in the last 30 days, we probably had 18.5 inches. We had an inch overnight again last night,” he said on Thursday. “We are inundated with moisture.”

Weather Outlook Just Ahead

Warner’s weather scenario might or might not change this weekend, given his area is on the cusp of a new forecast. It’s one meteorologists believe will deliver high temperatures and dry conditions to parts of the central Plains, the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic by Tuesday.

(NOAA)

But first, the National Weather Service (NWS) says those regions will have to endure strong to severe thunderstorms and heavy rains this weekend. Then, those regions will see a heat dome start to build.

“We are keeping a very, very close eye on a heat dome that will be building up after this weekend,” says Meteorologist Jack Van Meter. “It’s going all the way through Wednesday, bringing sweltering hot temperatures to most.”

(BAM Weather on X, formerly Twitter)

Jonathan Erdman, senior meteorologist at weather.com, says temperatures could reach dangerously high, searing levels next week. He says, in summary:

By mid-week, temperatures in the 90s will have spread from the South into the lower Midwest. By late in the week, at least some 90s are possible in the Northeast.

Parts of the South could see triple-digit highs for several days in a row, including Texas, Oklahoma, northern Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri.

Overnight lows in the middle to upper 70s will become increasingly common as the heat wave builds. That won’t allow much heat relief at night.

Michael Clark, with BAM Weather, says he has concerns about a lack of moisture in three states, in particular.

“If there’s a spot where we want to talk about there needing to be some moisture, it is Illinois, Indiana and Michigan,” he told U.S. Farm Report’s Tyne Morgan this past week. “They are running about 25% to 50% of the normal. Despite what anyone is saying right now, it needs to rain there.”

Warmer nighttime lows are not particularly ideal for corn production, notes Clark. But he offers farmers some encouragement as he evaluates the potential impact of current weather trends on yield projections.

“In my opinion, we are tracking close to three years – 2005, 2021 and 2024. In 2005 and 2021 we had above-trend yields, and 2024 was very big,” he says, adding for 2025: “Indications are the weather is doing what it needs to do for a very large crop to come from it overall.”

Your next read: Grains Surge Friday: Was it Weather and Did it Bottom the Market?

July Weather Outlook: Goodbye Rain, Hello Heat

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:13:00 GMT

The Pacific Jet Stream has been going strong since early spring, sending heavy rains down through the Ohio River Valley, delaying farmers’ planting efforts there, then more recently, moving large amounts of moisture into the central Corn Belt.

“Nobody would have thought three months ago that we were going to have this much rain occurring across key crop areas, especially in the southern half of the Plains and in the Delta and Tennessee River Basin,” says Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist of World Weather.

But be advised, the engine driving that jet stream is about to turn off, says John Hoomenuk of EmpireWeather.com . He anticipates that by early July, some farmers will see those heavy rain events turn into a trickle.

Weather outlook for early July.

(BAM Weather)

Weather Brewing For July

“As we get into the second week of July or so, we’ll see the ridge push a little further north, and we’ll see some drier forecasts starting to appear, starting in Kansas and Nebraska, and then spreading a little bit into southwestern and central Iowa at times as well,” Hoomenuk says.

“That’s really caught our attention, because we just haven’t seen that [pattern] so far this year, and it’s a pretty big change compared to where we’ve been,” he adds.

As July goes on and August nears, Hoomenuk says the weather data indicate the jet stream will go up into Canada and drop into the Great Lakes.

If that occurs, he says farmers in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio are likely to get some precipitation dropping on the east side of the ridge. But across the Central Plains, Kansas, Nebraska, Dakotas, and maybe even into parts of Iowa, farmers will see their conditions trend a little drier.

“I think that’s not a huge concern just yet, but it’s a pretty big change up compared to where we’ve been the last couple of weeks,” Hoomenuk told AgriTalk host, Chip Flory, on Tuesday.

Drought Risks Remain In Place

The outlook for drier weather in July is not a surprise, based on the patterns some meteorologists saw shaping up last winter.

“The central United States is at about a 60% drought risk. Some of the best weather forecast models we have out there are trying to put the epicenter of that drought somewhere between Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and southern Minnesota by the time we get into July and August,” says Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist for Nutrien.

Much of the western U.S. has been enduring dry, hot conditions already this year. Much of the central Midwest is about to experience the same.

(The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)

“When you think about those particular states, developing drought from spring to summer in any year is somewhere in the neighborhood of 28% to 38%,” he says. “Essentially, the risk is doubled this year.”

Snodgrass explains the canary in the coal mine for a drought will come from a combination of the Gulf of Alaska ocean temperatures and the Bermuda high, which is an area of high pressure that can influence weather patterns and tropical systems. If the Gulf of Alaska ocean temperatures begin dropping this summer, that’s a sign moisture will be lacking.

The silver lining, Hoomenuk says, is many farmers have either had excess or sufficient moisture this spring, so no alarm bells have been ringing yet for corn and soybean crops that are now in rapid growth.

His concern is the current weather patterns will stagnate, causing temperatures to rise.

“Most of the long-range data we’re seeing, if you look at July as a whole, is showing some pretty substantial [temperature] numbers in the Central Plains. We’re talking somewhere between four and five degrees above normal in some areas of Kansas and Nebraska, two or three degrees above normal for the month on average, surrounding that in parts of southwestern Iowa and the Dakotas,” he says.

As for states further east, such as Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, Hoomenuk says farmers there will likely see temperatures “closer to normal” for July, based on data he’s reviewed.

“The thing I keep seeing is temperatures looking to be about normal, maybe slightly warmer than normal – just a couple days of heat followed by a cool down and some rain, which is is pretty ideal,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like we’ll get into that long-term heat there in those eastern regions of the U.S, so the concern level out there is pretty low right now heading into July.”

Your next read: Crop Quality in the Midwest: Most States Soar, Some Flounder

U.S. Ag Trade Deficit Hits Record High In First Four Months Of 2025

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:00:00 GMT

Three years and counting – that’s how long U.S. agriculture has been in an agricultural trade deficit – reports Faith Parum, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist.

“From January through April, the United States imported $78.2 billion in agricultural products while exporting just $58.5 billion. This $19.7 billion deficit is the largest ever recorded for the first four months of a year and signals that the 2025 deficit could surpass previous records,” Parum says in a new AFBF report .

(AFBF Calculations; USDA FAS)

In early June, the USDA raised its forecast of the U.S. agriculture trade deficit for fiscal-year 2025 to $49.5 billion, from the $49 billion it previously forecast in February.

Imports of high-value food items, such as fruits and vegetables, have driven the growing deficit, according to Parum, who says they represent the largest trade deficit category.

Have The Deficit Numbers Already Peaked?

While the forecast is concerning, Stephen Nicholson, Rabo AgriFinance global sector strategist for grains and oilseeds, says he is hopeful the agricultural trade deficit for 2025 has already reached its peak.

“My expectation is that we should see that trade deficit in agriculture come back a little because we have all this product, food, in our warehouses now, ready for consumers,” Nicholson told Farm Journal.

(USDA FAS GATS, USDA ERS Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade: May 2025)

Essentially, Nicholson says, many buyers made and imported larger food purchases than usual this spring to get those products into the U.S. ahead of potential trade tariffs the Trump administration announced would be imposed on Liberation Day, April 2.

“You know, when we saw that chart (from President Trump on the planned tariffs), I think a lot of us were pretty taken back by some of the eye-popping numbers we saw there. And then, of course, we came back a week later and they were cut in half.”

No One Knows ‘The Rules Of The Road’

Nicholson says the lack of certainty on tariffs, and other factors – ranging from conflict in the Middle East to high input costs and interest rates – has created challenges for all agricultural industries and farmers, including livestock producers.

“No one knows the rules of the road today,” he says. “Right now, no one wants to plan or invest or expend capital for plants, for expansion, because we don’t know what the economic environment is going to look like as we go six months to a year down the road.”

At the core of the problem is a rapidly evolving global marketplace that the U.S. appears increasingly ill-equipped to navigate, according to an article by Pro Farmer editors .

From shifting supply chains to aggressive trade strategies by key competitors like Brazil, Australia, and the EU, the landscape for ag exports is changing fast — and the U.S. is falling behind, they contend.

“We have no plan — none — to deal with this growing trade gap,” one senior industry executive says. “It’s not just bad policy; it’s no policy at all.”

Trade Deals Could Help The Situation

Farm groups continue to urge the White House to prioritize new trade deals that open markets for ag products.

But some industry insiders say the administration is too focused on broad tariff threats and “reciprocal tariffs,” while neglecting granular trade promotion and technical access issues that matter most for ag commodities, Pro Farmer reports.

At the grassroots level, Nicholson encourages corn and soybean to stay focused on market opportunities that could come up in the next week, given the weather conditions across the U.S.

“We’re in this very hot weather across the Corn Belt right now. If this forecast doesn’t quite pan out for the rest of the week, and more hot weather, and more rain or no rain, the market may react. Be prepared for those rallies in the market, and reward those rallies,” he encourages.

Your next read: Lift the Fog: 4 Drivers of Farm Profitability To Watch in 2025

As Temperatures Near 100 Degrees in the Upper Midwest, Does it Signal a Bigger Problem for Summer?

Tue, 13 May 2025 17:11:12 GMT

The weather this week just might prove how unusual the spring of 2024 has been. From the disparities in moisture, to temperature swing of 60°F in just a matter of days in North Dakota, the weather pattern is abnormal, and weather models are confused on snowfall totals even 10 days out.

Eric Snodgrass, Science Fellow and Principal Atmospheric Scientist for Nutrien Ag Solutions, says this spring has been anything but normal.

“I don’t think anybody has told me, ‘This spring’s been pretty much what I expected.’ I think most folks have been saying, ‘Wow, when is this [rain] going to quit so I can get in the fields versus, hey, we got everything done early. Just don’t send a frost my way.’”

Just last weekend, cool temperatures gripped the Great Lakes with frost warnings. And with another cold blast on the way for the Plains and northwest this weekend the temperature swings continue.

“Some folks are still battling with those cold late spring temperatures” Snodgrass says. “But I think that you’re going to look back on spring of 2025 and think this didn’t look anything like 2023, and it definitely doesn’t look like 2024. Are we looking at something entirely different for this growing season than our past few years for reference? And I think the answer to that is yes.”

Weather Whiplash Hits the Northern Plains

North Dakota reached record-breaking temperatures already this week. The National Weather Services (NWS) in Bismark reports a record temperatures of 97°F on Monday, which beat the previous record of 92°F set in 1880.

Four record high temperatures were set or tied at primary climate sites in western through central North Dakota today. #ndwx pic.twitter.com/bNQz1qN4z6
— NWS Bismarck (@NWSBismarck) May 13, 2025

Those temperatures will drop to near freezing by this weekend with some models even pointing to snow. Snodgreass says the weather models aren’t in agreement about snowfall amounts, but one thing is certain: it will get much colder.

The storm system Snodgrass is watching will hit early next week, but he says the models are confused and not handling the cold and snow risk very well.

And this just keeps getting "better". The 18Z GFS on Sunday is off the rails with snow over the next 10-days. https://t.co/Ij3MRkMOgU pic.twitter.com/Thb93bgMzK
— Eric Snodgrass (@snodgrss) May 12, 2025

This is the GFS model run on Sunday pointed to as much as 2' of snow in parts of North Dakota and South Dakota early next week. Snodgrass says that model has been unreliable recently, so don’t bank on that.

“The GFS has been having serious problem lately,” Snodgrass told AgWeb. “Do not rely on the GFS right now.”

Snowfall forecast according to the latest Euro model.

(Eric Snodgrass)

Meanwhile, the European mode also shows snow in the forecast, but Snodgrass says he doesn’t trust that model either. However, he says temperatures will drop even further before the snow chances next week.

“There are a pair of deeper lows that are following each other,” he says. “The first comes through and increases the severe storm risk Thursday and Friday, and the second one feeds on the cold air behind the first dropping temps even further giving rise to the chance for snow.”

Disparity in Moisture So Far This Spring

The good news is those cooler temperatures will come with chances of moisture, which will fall in areas of the country that need it. But that moisture will also hit the mid-South, an area that can’t seem to catch a break from the rain.

“Take a look at parts of the mid-South getting over to the southern Plains,” Snodgrass says. “I mean Oklahoma and Texas, we’ve got places that have had five to six times their normal amount of rainfall in the last 30 days. And then you go just north of it. Corners of Kansas, Colorado, most of Nebraska, Western Iowa, pockets of Illinois, Minnesota. You have spots that are like, hey, share the rain a little bit. And they’re looking at very, very dry conditions.”

Precipitation Over the Past 30 Days

(Eric Snodgrass)

The agricultural meteorologist is most concerned about Nebraska. He says it’s not just the fact that area has been lacking moisture recently, but the fact disappointing moisture over the winter is creating a deficit for subsoil moisture.

“We have very low soil moisture values in pockets of the western Corn Belt, while soils are completely saturated across the southern tier of the United States in pockets in the Northeast,” Snodgrass says. “So when you look at that, it’s the story of who’s been getting the rain and who’s not, and this spring has not been very equitable in the delivery of that rainfall.”

Soil moisture map

(Eric Snodgrass)

Drought Risk Still a Concern for Summer

The Climate Prediction Center recently released its outlook for summer, saying “ENSO-neutral will continue through the Northern Hemisphere summer and early autumn 2025.” The CPC says the forecast also favors ENSO-neutral with chances nearing 50% during the autumn.

What does this mean? Snodgrass says you don’t need a La Niña to produce drought.

“There’s often a thought process that you have to have a La Niña in order to have a drought in the summer in the Midwest. You don’t, right? The actual more important thing is the ocean temperatures off the Baja of California or in the Gulf of Alaska,” says Snodgrass. “We’ve already got cold ocean temperatures off the Bay of California. If we kind of double whammy that up with cold water in the Gulf of Alaska or even all the way back over toward Japan, hugging the land, that is the recipe for problems.”

The reason drought this summer is still a concern.

(Eric Snodgrass)

Snodgrass says the forecast for June, July and August is pointing to risks of dryness, especially in July. Even the newer European model is indicating the growing chance of dryness this summer.

“Here’s the lesson: If in the next 40 days, those water temperatures warm, you know what’s going on? The atmosphere is gaining momentum,” Snodgrass says. “If it gains momentum, we tend to have more frequent weather systems and no major risk of drought. If they stay cool, we tend to have greater risk of central United States drought. That’s what I’m watching most closely over the next 45 days.”

Preciptitaion Forecast for June through August.

(Eric Snodgrass)

A Warming Trend Is On The Way For Early March

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:13:21 GMT

If early March weather rolls out the way some ag industry experts are predicting, farmers might be tempted to break out their shorts and sunscreen.

“It’s going to be warm, very warm for most of March,” Shawn Hackett, president of Hackett Financial Services said on the latest Moving Iron podcast, with Host Casey Seymore.

Above average temperatures for much of the U.S. are in the forecast for March 2-6, 2025.

(NOAA)

What’s at play currently, Hackett said, is a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event that could take temperatures a notch higher than usual during the next few weeks.

Hackett said the polar stratosphere is in the middle stages of developing what he called “one of the top five strongest sudden stratospheric warming events” he’s ever seen going into early March.

“The stratosphere, which normally is super cold, gets displaced and you get this extreme warming above the North Pole. When that happens, then the entire stratosphere gets unstable and starts to lose its cohesiveness,” explained Hackett, whose interest in the weather is fueled by what it can mean to grain markets.

His hope, in fact, is that the weather in early March could be a positive catalyst for grain markets. “It could offer a tremendous cash selling opportunity not only for the old crop but maybe even for the new crop that’s coming along,” Hackett said.

Maybe A Short-Lived Weather Pattern?
But don’t expect higher temperatures to persist beyond the next few weeks. There will likely be colder conditions coming in right behind them by late March to early April, according to Ag Meteorologist Drew Lerner, founder and owner of World Weather, Inc.

Lerner told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory earlier this week he believes two things will come out of the current weather pattern and then go through spring.

First, Lerner believes the moisture availability in the upper Midwest and parts of the western Corn Belt will continue to be lighter than normal, which will encourage farmers to plant.

Second, he believes the risk of late-season frost and freeze across corn and soybean country will be much higher in 2025 than it has been in recent past years.

“We may see a period like right now, where we warm up nicely, and crops will take advantage of that and really get going aggressively. Then, we could turn around and bring a cold wave in and knock those crops down,” Lerner told Flory. “That’s one of my biggest concerns for spring, besides the dryness we already mentioned in the western Corn Belt.

Conditions in the West, Southwest and portions of the Midwest are going to continue to be dry, as March gets underway.

(Eric Snodgrass, U.S. Meterologist)

“I do think, though, with that aside, we will see aggressive planting this spring in the western and central parts of the Midwest, because I don’t think we’re going to have so much moisture around that we can’t be that way,” Lerner added.

Beware Of Frost And Freeze
Hackett’s prediction for April weather coincides with Lerner’s concerns. Going back to his prediction for a sudden stratospheric warming in early March, Hackett said that what often follows an SSW about 45 days later is a cooling off trend.

“You have the potential for some very cold, wintry type of weather that can easily bring in a hard freeze. That should create a considerable amount of unfavorable planting season, either delayed planting or planting that gets done and gets frozen over and replanting winter wheat that gets frost as it comes out of dormancy,” Hackett said.

Ken Ferrie recalls farmers in western Illinois were planting early soybeans by March 21 in 2024. He encouraged farmers who want to plant early to exercise some caution.

“An important consideration is whether you have crop insurance,” said Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

For farmers in the Eastern Corn Belt, Lerner said he doesn’t believe they will be able to plant as quickly as their western brethren because of excess moisture the region has received through the Ohio Valley and is likely to continue to get this spring.

Expect Temperatures To ‘Bounce Around’
As for temperatures, Lerner believes they will average close to normal but will bounce around this spring. “So we’ll be warm, and then we’ll get cold, and we’ll go back into warm again,” he said.

Flory asked Lerner whether he would put some odds on the potential for drought conditions this summer.

“I’d say that we probably have a 25% to 30% chance that we could have a more serious dryness problem in the West. But I am being conservative with that, possibly. I really want to see what happens over these next three to four weeks,” Lerner said.

“There’s no meteorologist out there that I know of that’s ever predicted a bad drought in the summer this far in advance, and I’m not going to be the first one,” Lerner added. “I’ll leave that up for somebody else.”

You can hear Lerner’s conversation with Chip Flory here:

With More Arctic Air Set to Blast the U.S., Why This Winter Could Be Remembered for Its Extremes

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:04:44 GMT

After ice and blizzard conditions blasted the Midwest, South and East to start January, another round of frigid temperatures is set to blanket much of the U.S., and this time, temperatures could fall even lower than the previous round of cold.

Much of the U.S. is still seeing snow cover, with temperatures too cold to melt the recent snow. But now, we’re bracing for even colder temperatures as what’s called the “Siberian Express” is set to arrive this weekend. What exactly is the Siberian Express? Well, it gets its name from the cold air’s geographic origins. It’s when arctic air spills into the U.S., and it can have multiple sources, including Arctic Canada, Alaska, and in this case, Russia’s Siberia region, which is home to the coldest place on earth.

snow cover

(Weather Undground)

Meteorologists say the active start to January is a sign of what’s ahead.

“We’ve tried to bring some moisture back into places that have not seen it,” says Eric Sodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist with Conduit. “I’ve had this concern for a while about the lack of good flow in the atmosphere and what that’s meant toward building drought in some places through fall and now early winter. And I hate to say it, but nasty winters tend to give us a much better outlook for the next year. So, hey, let’s keep these things going for the rest of January and February, too.”

It’s not just the cold that’s turning heads, but it’s also the amount of snow that’s fallen since the start of the year, and it’s setting records. Take Kansas City, Mo., for example. That area has seen 13.” of snow in January, which makes it the second snowiest start to January in Kansas City history. Some parts of Arkansas saw as much as 15" of snow last week. That compares to areas that typically see snow, such as Chicago, recording little to no snowfall so far this year.

pic.twitter.com/rC9Dbh0qHE
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) January 13, 2025

The Winter of Extremes and Episodic Cold Outbreaks

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey thinks the winter of 2025 will be remembered for the extremes.

“With this pattern set up, it’s going to be too dry in the Southwest, stormy in the Northwest, and episodic cold outbreaks across the country,” he says. “Everybody remembers those because especially embedded in an otherwise relatively mild winter, you really remember those hard hitters.”

Cold

(GFS Model )

And that’s exactly what we are in for later this week. According to Rippey, the upcoming Arctic blast is one of those “episodic cold outbreaks” we typically see during La Niña, and what he describes as a re-amplification of the pattern we’ve been seeing for much of the month.

“Sunday night’s GFS model is showing this for extreme minimum temperatures over the next seven days,” says Rippey. “Bitter cold should stay out of the Deep South, but it may get a bit colder than this early next week before it gets better.”

Cold

(GFS Model )

Recent Moisture Helps Drought in Places
What about the moisture? The recent moisture is helping drought conditions in parts of the upper Midwest and some areas of the plains.

“But as you move to the south, that’s where I have concerns, that southwestern quadrant of the country, southern California, to the High Plains, like West Texas, western Kansas, western Oklahoma,” Rippey says. ”All I can say is it’s very fortunate those areas in the central and southern plains had a wet November because it doesn’t look good for the foreseeable future.”

But what about areas farther north, like Montana and the Dakotas? Lerner doesn’t expect widespread relief this winter.

“We’re getting some waves of snow to come across Montana and the Dakotas, but it’s a dry, powdery snow, and it’s really not providing high volumes of moisture,” says Drew Lerner, founder and senior agricultural meteorologist at World Weather, Inc. “This pattern will continue for the next several weeks, so we’ll put out a little bit more snow up that way. But as far as being able to get a big soaking rain type, you’re going to have to wait until spring.”

Meteorologists say one thing we are seeing that’s consistent with La Niña, is the sharp dividing line between wetter conditions and drought. And NOAA’s seasonal outlook shows that divide with below normal precipitation forecast for much of the southwest and Deep South over the next 90 days. Above normal in areas of the northwest and east.

Precip. Outlook

(NOAA)

Temp Outlook

(NOAA )

Drought Watch
Lerner thinks parts of the upper Midwest and northern Plains could see more active weather with rain into spring.

“So, I’m not too terribly concerned about the fact that we’re still seeing persistent dryness in those areas,” Lerner says. “Not all of that region will get relief when we get to the spring, but I would say probably two-thirds of that region will.”

But even with more moisture across other parts of the U.S., Snodgrass says he’s concerned about drought in other areas due to the weak La Niña.

“We tend to be wet through the Mississippi valley and east going into spring. There tends to be lots of storms, but we tend to see the drought that’s in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, the Sunbelt expand up toward Colorado,” Snodgrass says. “Most models want to bring dry conditions out of the southern Canadian prairie into Montana, and that’s kind of funneling toward the western Corn Belt. And I’ve based this off historical analogs looking at a lot of different years that looks something like this one. We just tended to be a bit hotter and drier.”

He says looking back, six out of 10 years that we’ve seen a similar pattern, we’ve ended up with heat and dryness in key months of July and August.

“To be honest with you, this is the first time in fall and winter that I’ve been kind of saying, ‘Hey, I think our risk is elevated for drought,’” Snodgrass says.

He says something extremely important to watch is what happens in the Gulf of Alaska.

“If between March and June, if that’s where it gets cold, the risk of drought in the Midwest goes way up. Watch that March time frame,” Snodgrass says. “I think that’s where our risk factor is going to be going forward. So I’m watching winter, but I’m more concerned about spring/summer.”

Your Next Read:
Winter Storm Wallops the U.S. With Heaviest Snowfall in a Decade, Southern States Brace for Round 2

2025 Weather: Drought and Root Zone Maps Signal Dryness Ahead

Hope For Drought-Stricken Land? Your Winter Weather Outlook

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:30:10 GMT

What is it you remember from last year’s winter? Maybe it was when the wind chill in Kansas City brought temperatures down to -30°F and Patrick Mahomes’ helmet shattered in the middle of a playoff game. A more accurate representation of the season, though, is probably Wisconsin’s snowmobile industry dubbing the season a “lost winter” from the lack of snowfall.

Regardless of how we remember it, last year’s winter was incredibly mild, with temperatures well above normal and snowfall almost nonexistent. But according to Eric Snodgrass, senior science fellow at Nutrien Ag Solutions, the consensus is that the months ahead are going to look a lot different.

“We didn’t really have a winter last year,” Snodgrass says. “This year, we have a better chance of a storm track coming through the “I” states and out through the Ohio Valley toward the northeast. So, the forecast is a little wetter there with periods of colder air. It doesn’t mean it will get cold, stay cold and not stop snowing, but it’s certainly going to be different than a year ago.”

That’s because this winter brings about a 75% chance for La Niña to develop, which is when the trade winds across the equatorial Pacific are strong. With La Niña in the forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting wet conditions in the north and dry, warm weather in the south.

The 2024-2025 U.S. Winter Outlook map for temperature shows the greatest chances for cooler-than-average conditions in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.

(NOAA)

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says La Niña can also bring chances for extreme cold events.

“Not every La Niña is like this, but I will say two prime examples were in 1989 and 2021 — that latter outbreak was when Texas pretty much lost power,” Rippey says.

Drought Dangers
With dry conditions in the forecast, Snodgrass says the big story this winter will be whether or not there will be enough moisture to work against the drought that has been building.

“The best winters for agriculture are the ones we hate and remember as being terrible — we get good, hard freezes and plenty of moisture comes in,” Snodgrass says. “If we don’t see that, we get into a situation where we become very dependent on spring rains and may have a conversation about 2025 drought risk.”

The 2024-2025 U.S. Winter Outlook map for precipitation shows wetter-than-average conditions are most likely across the Great Lakes region of the U.S.. Drier-than-average conditions are forecast for parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast.

(NOAA)

Snodgrass explains drought is often a multiseason effect, and Rippey says this one has been building since June.

“There’s been a four-fold increase in drought to now affecting about 50% of the country,” Rippey says. “That was great for summer crops, dry down and harvesting, but now the problem is what will happen with winter wheat, cover crops, pastures and range land.”

While much of the north will have the opportunity for relief from this growing drought, that likely won’t be the case in the south.

“We are expecting a generally warmer- and drier-than-normal winter across the entire southern tier of the United States, reaching all the way from Southern California to the middle and southern Atlantic coast. That does include important winter wheat production areas into the Southern Great Plains,” Rippey says. “There’s not much reserve right now in terms of soil moisture, and this could amplify already existing dry conditions.”

That brings concern for river transportation as the bump in water levels that came from Hurricanes Milton and Helene has worked its way through the system now.

“Historically, those levels tend to bottom out around January at the latest,” Rippey says. “We’re probably talking about a few more months of low water issues, and then you start to turn a corner around February because plants don’t use as much water during the winter.”

Timing Will Be Everything
Because winter is technically the country’s dry season, it won’t be easy to break drought in the months ahead. For the wet forecast in the north to make a difference, Rippey says it will all come down to timing.

“It’s important to start getting moisture before it gets too cold,” Rippey explains. “When you go into a cool season like this with limited soil moisture, if the cold air comes in too quickly, you freeze the soils before you get moisture, which can limit the absorption of rain and snow into those soils.”

The timing of when La Niña really starts to take effect will be important as well.

“December is going to be the month where we test if this La Niña really has what it takes to give us the things we expect,” Snodgrass says. “Normally, La Niñas peak around Christmas, and then they start to fade. If we miss that opportunity, we will watch all of the sub-seasonal things and hope they can deliver good winter weather to knock out the risk of drought going into 2025.”

But even with a few “drought risk” boxes being checked, it’s still too soon to speculate or worry about what next year’s growing season will look like.

“2022 had major fall drought, and then what happened? It rained in July, didn’t get terribly hot, and we had a decent crop. Indiana had one of its best crops ever in 2023, even though it was so dry in spring,” Snodgrass says. “We have to remember that the crop has many ways by which to stay alive and do well, and we’ve engineered that seed to be better performing even when there is some stress. We can’t make big, broad assumptions that 2025 is going to be a year of substantial drought risk that destroys yield.”

U.S. Braces for a Hotter and Drier Fall as La Niña Looms

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:31:58 GMT

If predictions hold true, this fall could be a hotter and drier season across much of the U.S. According to the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), unusually warm days are still ahead for parts of the country during the meteorological fall, which spans from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.

Seasonal Temperature Outlook

(NOAA)

The temperature outlook for September through November 2024 favors a warmer-than-normal season, with the greatest probabilities — exceeding 60% — expected in New England and parts of the Southwest. The West, particularly Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, is likely to experience an unusually warm September. On the opposite coast, Florida and much of New England are also trending warmer than normal. Conversely, while southwestern Alaska may see below-normal temperatures, northern Alaska is more likely to experience above-normal warmth.

La Niña, known for bringing dry, warmer-than-average conditions to the southern half of the country, is favored to develop during the September to November period, with a 66% chance of formation. Once established, there’s a 70% chance it will persist through the winter of 2024-2025. Though La Niña hasn’t officially started, signs of its arrival are reflected in NOAA’s fall weather predictions.

Seasonal Precipitation Outlook

(NOAA)

As the weather pattern strengthens in the coming months, the U.S. might see an extended period of warmth and dryness, particularly in regions already feeling the heat.

Your Next Read: It’s Okay to Celebrate Your Wins

Dangerously High Temperatures Expected to Soar Out West

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 19:39:04 GMT

Is it early June or the middle of August? Because despite what the calendar might say, Mother Nature seems to be cranking up the thermostat earlier than normal this year.

States such as Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas are bracing for a blistering inferno this week, with meteorologists predicting dangerously high, potentially record-breaking temperatures soaring well into the triple digits.

According to the National Weather Service, daily record highs are likely throughout the week, with temperatures soaring 10, 15, and even 20 degrees above average. Unfortunately, nighttime temperatures won’t offer much relief, as lows are predicted to remain in the 70s. A similar pattern has already caused record-breaking heat south of the border, resulting in dozens of deaths among people and animals in Mexico over the past month.

According to Melissa O’Rourke, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, many of today’s farm employees lack previous farm or other outdoor employment experience. Therefore, dealing with weather-related conditions may be new to them, not to mention the difference among individuals who may or may not be acclimatized to high heat conditions. She recommends the following tips to help keep employees cools as temperatures rise.

Keep employees hydrated. Provide water stations or purchase coolers to keep water available for employees when they need it. Inexpensive ice machines can also be purchased to help keep beverages cold. Farm fridges should be well stocked with water bottles, Gatorade and flavored water at all times.

Provide breaks. Provide workers with frequent rest periods in cool or shaded areas. Consider adding expensive fans or window AC units to employee breakrooms.

Consider specialty garments. Cotton t-shirts can trap in heat. Consider purchasing moisture-wicking or cooling uniform shirts for your employees to wear. Breathable hats can also keep the sun off of your employee’s face.

Switch schedules. When possible, schedule hot jobs for the cooler part of the day - and where preventative maintenance and repair jobs may occur in hot areas, schedule these tasks for cooler months.

Monitor employees. Particular employees – such as older workers, those who are overweight or have heart-related medical conditions – may have an even lower-than-average sensitivity to heat and require additional monitoring. Consider having these at-risk employees work during the coolest part of the day.

Fill the freezer. A cool summer treat can put a smile on anyone’s face, especially a hot farm employee. Consider keeping ice cream or frozen treats in the freezer to help employees cool off during a break.

KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS

When an employee is exhibiting symptoms of heat-related illness, it is important to respond quickly and appropriately. There are four common heat-related illnesses and each is treated differently. According to OSHA, these are the proper steps to take for each:

Heat rash symptoms include clusters of red bumps, commonly on the neck, chest, or in folds of skin. Keep the affected area dry and relocate the worker to a cooler or less humid environment.

Heat cramps include muscle spasms and pain in the abdomen or limbs. Encourage the worker to rest in the shade or in a cool room, and make sure he or she drinks plenty of cold water. The worker should rest for several hours before returning to strenuous work or seek medical attention if the cramps do not subside.

Heat exhaustion can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. The worker should immediately sit or lie down in a cool, shaded area, drink plenty of cool liquids and apply ice packs to his or her armpits to lower his or her core temperature. Seek emergency care if symptoms are not improved within an hour.

Heat stroke is an emergency. The worker may exhibit confusion, fainting, or seizures, accompanied by an extremely high body temperature. Call 911, and while waiting for help to arrive, loosen the employee’s clothing, apply cold packs to his or her armpits and encourage him or her to drink plenty of fluids.

For more on weather, read:

Summer 2024 Predicted to Bring on the Heat

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:58:44 GMT

Bust out the sunscreen and cattle misters. It’s gonna be a hot one this summer if USDA meteorological predictions are correct.

Dr. Dennis Todey, Director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub , shared on a recent webinar sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation that current weather patterns are signaling excessive summer heat ahead.

He said the outlook for July, August, and September is for above-average temperatures in virtually the entire country. The areas showing the greatest likelihood for above-average temperatures are the western third of the country -- minus a band on the far west coast that includes most of California – and the upper New England states.

The precipitation outlook, on the other hand, is neutral, except for a two-to-three-states-deep region along the entire eastern seaboard, which models show having a likelihood of above-average precipitation.

Todey said there are strong signals that the U.S. is in a “rapid transition” between a strong “El Nino” weather pattern to an equally prominent “La Nina” pattern – a shift that will likely occur sometime between June and August 2024.

The current El Nino was short-lived, lasting only about a year, and followed 3 years of a La Nina pattern. El Nino patterns are typically associated with mild winters. This was certainly the case in 23-24, which posted near-record warmest winter temperatures in December, January, and February. The states with the most pronounced warmth compared to normal winter temps included North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and the New England states up to Maine.

La Nina is the opposite counterpart of El Nino. In its most recent, 3-year stretch, it coincided with dry weather in a large part of the country. Todey said Iowa – the nation’s largest corn-producing state – has been in a consistent D1 (moderate) drought since July 2021, a record length for the USDA Drought Monitor.

As of the first week of April 2024, pockets of “Extreme” drought were noted by the Drought Monitor in Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas. Southeastern New Mexico also has an area of “Exceptional” drought, which is the highest categorization of drought status by the Drought Monitor.

“We can’t say for sure whether the next La Nina will perpetuate dry conditions, but there is also no strong indicator of precipitation,” noted Todey. “We will likely be very reliant on getting rainfalls at the right time through the summer.”

The meteorologist has observed an interesting shift in precipitation patterns that is affecting growing seasons. “In terms of temperatures, we’re seeing an increase in growing season length by about 10 days per decade,” he noted. “At the same time, there has been a 20-year trend of midsummer dryness, with more annual rainfall arriving in the spring.”

Coming out of a warm winter is affecting moisture levels on hand. Todey said the lack of frozen soils allowed moisture to absorb more readily – the good news. But the bad news is that warmer temps caused evapo-transpiration to occur at a higher rate. Essentially, the two factors cancelled each other out.

“Iowa is currently at ground-zero for driest soil conditions,” he declared. “While not as widespread, some of those conditions also exist in parts of Missouri and Kansas. It seems probable that we’ll need to preserve moisture this year.”

Looking toward the planting season and beyond, Todey offered the following advice:

Pull back on yield goals for crop projections and inputs. Lackluster soil moisture recovery could limit the effectiveness of fertilizer.
Plant as early as possible to take advantage of spring moisture.
Reduce tillage – every time you do a tillage pass, you lose moisture.
Closely monitor well and groundwater sources upon which you rely for livestock and/or irrigation, so you can proactively develop alternative plans if necessary.

The full webinar and additional comments from Todey can be viewed here .

For more on weather, read:

What's Causing These Frigid Temperatures Right Now?

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:48:23 GMT

Another round of arctic freeze is blasting the U.S. The first round of cold weather brought historic temperatures, with Montana’s temperatures falling to 40 to 50 degree below zero. With another round of frigid temperatures blanketing the U.S. again, what’s behind the cold?

While El Niño can be to blame for the back-to-back winter storms, something else is spurring the cold. Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist, says moisture pumping up from the Gulf is a hallmark of El Niño.

“As I always say, you can’t blame an individual or a single storm and El Niño, but you start looking at the overall patterns, and there’s absolutely no question that when you start seeing a pattern setting up like this, a storm pipeline from the Pacific coming across the Southwest and into the Midwest or east, that is El Niño,” says Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist.

The cold, however, is being pushed down from the north. Drew Lerner of World Weather says the arctic air is caused by a warming that occurs in the stratosphere, which is outside of where we live in the troposphere. Sudden stratospheric warming events, like what the U.S. is experiencing now, can be caused by large atmospheric waves in either the stratosphere or the troposphere. Planetary waves have ridges and troughs like ocean waves, but span huge distances in the atmosphere.

“The stratosphere, when it turns warmer, it expands that layer in the atmosphere and it pushes, puts pressure on the troposphere and forces cold air that’s aloft down to the surface. And then it gets spread out from the arctic,” says Lerner. “What happens a lot of times when you get these stratospheric warming events is that you displace the polar vortex and or you split it into two vortices, and that’s what’s happening.”

He says this can lead to a splitting of the polar vortex, so instead of cold air being locked above the polar region, it pushes further south into the mid-latitudes.

The good news? This latest round of frigid air is short-lived. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) 10-day forecast, which is below, shows a much more mild view, at least compared to what we’re seeing now.

(Farm Journal)

Are You Ready For the Polar Plunge? Some Areas Could See Temperatures Plummet to Negative 40 Degrees

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 20:12:40 GMT

There’s only one way to describe the cold taking hold of the U.S. right now.

“It’s going to be nasty,” says Drew Lerner, an agricultural meteorologist and founder of World Weather. “If you are out in the northwestern Great Plains, it is going to be unbearable.”

Lerner says as snow barrels across the upper Midwest, the cold is creeping into the picture. By this weekend, the frigid temperatures will blanket much of the U.S., but the western Great Plains will be in the bullseye of the cold.

“We are going to see temperatures drop to minus 47 in Montana. Temperatures in the negative 30s and negative 20s will occur in the rest of Montana, as well as in the western parts of the Dakotas, and southward into a part of Wyoming and also western Nebraska.

Those frigid temperatures are for the actual temperature, not even how cold it will be when the wind chill is factored in. Lerner says considering how cold it’s going to be, he thinks temperature records will be broken.

“Not only in the northern Great Plains, there may be a couple of spots in the Central Plains,” say Lerner. “But mostly the northern Plains and into Canada will see records. In western Canada’s prairies, we will probably see at least a couple of locations get down to minus 50 or minus 49, somewhere in there. So, yes, there will be record cold. Now, for the Midwest, probably not so much. But it’ll be cold enough it won’t matter.”

(Farm Journal)

Lerner says in parts of the upper Midwest and Red River Basin, temperatures will still drop into the negative teens.

Dangerous for Livestock

It’s Montana and portions of the northern Great Plains that are smashing records with this cold. With minus 30 to minus 40 degree forecasts in some areas, it’s the vicious swing in the temperatures that is what makes the weather such a threat to livestock.

“From a livestock perspective, some of these temperatures are just going to be brutal,” says Lerner. “The animals in Montana have not been adequately hardened against the winter weather because it’s been so warm. They’ve had 50- and even some 60-degree temperatures in the past couple of weeks.”

From 40 degrees above zero earlier this week to now a 40-degree below zero forecast for the coming days, Lerner says it’s dangerous for livestock.

“The situation is going to be stressful for the animals. There might be some reduction in milk production for the dairy areas, and then we’ve got a little potential for some weight-gain concerns in beef cattle country. That might be an issue,” says Lerner. “And of course, in the hogs’ area, we probably will have some stress. I just don’t think there’s going to be as much of a potential for a big issue there.”

Little Snow Cover Puts Winter Wheat at Risk

From cattle to crops, winter wheat may be exposed to the cold. Lerner doesn’t expect any major problems with damage, but he says what makes the wheat crop at such risk is the fact there’s little to no snow cover in that part of the Great Plains.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a widespread problem. But in some areas with what little snow is going to be on the ground, the potential is still there that there could be damage done to the crop,” says Lerner.

(Farm Journal)

Stratospheric Warming Causing the Polar Plunge

As much of the U.S. braces for the cold, the positive in the forecast is Lerner thinks the arctic air will be fairly short-lived.

“The whole reason for this event is due to stratospheric warming that took place in late December,” he says. “Stratospheric warming is literally warming that occurs in the stratosphere, that is outside of where we live and outside of where the weather lives.”

The weather lives in the troposphere, which is the layer below the stratosphere. Lerner explains that when the stratosphere turns warmer, it expands that layer in the atmosphere and puts pressure on the troposphere.

“That forces cold air that’s aloft down to the surface. And then it gets spread out from the Arctic,” Lerner explains.

(Farm Journal)

At the same time, El Nino is helping drive moisture up from the South, which is causing the severe storms the U.S. saw in areas from the Southwest to the East Coast this week.

As Lerner looks ahead, he’s not only concerned about this week’s cold in the Great Plains, but the fact the northern Great Plains may not see much moisture this winter.

“We will continue to perpetuate storms periodically across the southern U.S. into maybe the lower part of the Midwest and into the Southeast,” says Lerner. “But as far as getting big storms occurring in the western Corn Belt of the northern Great Plains or even the Central Plains that’s going to be a little bit harder to come by.”

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:10:01 GMT

2023 was a year full of weather impacts on crops and livestock. From the intense heat in the South to the drought that parked itself across the South and Midwest, USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says those are the two weather events that stole headlines this past year.

“When we look back at 2023, I’m actually going to break heat and drought into two separate categories,” says Rippey. “Really, when you look at the extreme heat this past year, it was focused across the deep South from Arizona to Florida, and pretty much everywhere in between. And that was certainly a huge weather story that affected parts of the cotton belt.”

From wiping out a large part of the cotton crop in west Texas to hitting sugar cane production in Louisiana, Rippey says nearly the entire deep South saw impacts of the year’s extreme heat.

“Of course, that came with drought in many cases. But when you look at these overall temperatures, the hottest summer on record and a lot of hottest months on record, that was a big story in the deep South,” says Rippey.

While other parts of the U.S. still had drought, in some areas it didn’t pack as big of a punch because it came without the heat. That was the case in much of the Corn Belt. The drought hit last year without the extended intense heat, which had a big impact on crops.

“We were very fortunate, especially in the Corn Belt, that we did not see the combination of extreme heat and drought at the same time. And that actually led to some of those better outcomes than expected for U.S. corn,” explains Rippey.

With USDA currently projecting the 2023 U.S. corn crop to be the largest on record, Rippey says the mild temperatures are what helped save the crops.

“You do see that things actually turned out better in states like Iowa. When you look at the rainfall numbers, they were abysmal, almost as dry as 2012. But then the heat just wasn’t there. And today’s varieties are little bit more tolerant of drought and heat. And the outcome was a little better than we expected,” says Rippey.

It wasn’t all good news. While crop yields turned out better than expected for some farmers, the lack of moisture continued to dwindle grazing conditions and hay stocks in 2023. Those created additional hurdles in rebuilding the shrinking U.S. cattle herd.

So, what was the culprit that caused the intense heat that suffocated the South during the summer months? Rippey says while it’s still being studied, he thinks it’s tied to one major weather event in 2023, in particular.

“I will go out on a limb and say that that may have been an early sneak attack from El Niño ,” says Rippey. “The reason I say that is that because we did have an early onset El Niño. It was pretty much in place by late spring, early summer. It’s pretty consistent with El Niño to have a big ridge of high pressure that comes out of Central America. And at times, we’ve seen it before, that does sometimes extend all the way into the southern tier of the United States.”

He says El Niño can also be tied to the shipping crisis that wreaked havoc on exports in 2023, causing massive shipping delays, as well as forcing shippers to carry lighter loads.

“And certainly what happened in Mexico and parts of Central America, think about the Central American drought that’s causing shipping problems in the Panama Canal. A lot of that, I think, could be tied to the heat in the atmosphere related to the early onset El Niño,” says Rippey.

According to Rippey, the drought in the Midwest can be attributed to the blocking high pressure that wouldn’t budge across Canada this past spring, summer or fall.

“The U.S. Midwest happened to be on the southern end of a lot of that high pressure over Canada. So when we think about that, think about the Canadian wildfires, all the smoke coming down. And we were just on the southern edge of that in the Midwest,” Rippey explains.

He says that, along with Northeasterly winds blocking moisture from the Gulf, is what caused the drought in the Midwest.

“At the same time, high pressure was far enough north that the heat and unusual warmth were actually focused across Canada. So, it wasn’t all that hot on the southern end of the high, but it was dry. And that led to that cool drought in the western Corn Belt,” he adds.

El Niño is still in play, as Rippey says El Niño made a splash once again to close out 2023.

“Now that El Niño has kicked in, it’s a strong event, it could be one of the strongest on record,” says Rippey. “We’re seeing that influence of El Niño starting to grab a hold of the reins of U.S. weather patterns. And that’s pretty normal and certainly should continue into early 2024.”

What’s on tap for 2024? Rippey forecasts the intense El Niño will lead to what he calls “pretty profound” impacts for the rest of the winter, and even into spring.

Stay Ahead of the Freeze: Strategies for Winter Watering Success

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 18:30:24 GMT

Question of the Week: What’s the most important thing on your list?

Did you know that priority was meant to be a singular word? It was never supposed to have its plural form, priorities.

What’s your priority for the rest of this month and what steps do you need to take to get there?

Whether it is weaning, wrapping up harvest, building new corrals or putting in new water tanks write it down and share it with someone who will hold you accountable and keep you focused.

Stay Ahead of the Freeze: Strategies for Winter Watering Success

I don’t know about you, but it is cold out there for those of us located in the Northern Plains and Midwest. Keeping cattle fed, bedded and out of the wind is one thing; but making sure they have flowing water is another. I get chills just thinking about chopping open tanks and thawing out floats and waterlines. Keeping water sources open and running is one of the main challenges cattle producers in northern environments face during the winter months. James Clark with Gallagher joins the show from Eastern Ontario to share how he ensures his cattle and sheep always have water during the coldest days of the year. Clark covers what water systems he uses and what he recommends when it comes to planning out where to put these water sources.

The type of water system you use is completely up to you but there are certain factors to consider to set yourself up for success. Think through what type(s) of livestock will be using the tank, what time of year they will be in each pasture and pen, and what degree of winter preparation you need to do in your area. Clark is in Canada and uses the MiraFount system for his livestock. Clark appreciates the MiraFount system for a couple of different reasons. These tanks are automatic waterers with several inches of insulation. In addition to this, the tanks are heated in a way that keeps all the water entering the tank and in the tank above freezing. These tanks are also designed to be energy efficient.

As you pick a design for the water tank that you use, consider how much protection the water source will have from blowing wind and snow.

“The tank we have up against our barn has two open drinking holes because the barn protects it from wind. The tanks out in our pastures have the floating balls to keep the holes from icing over because they are not as protected out in the pasture,” said Clark.

You’ll also want to consider how many head of livestock will be utilizing the water source at a time.

When it comes to running new lines and putting in new water sources you must keep expansion in mind.

“We thought about the biggest we could ever see our operation being on this property and then looked at how many waterers we need and where we need them. From there we placed the two new ones we needed right now in locations that will allow us to easily expand when the time comes,” said Clark.

Remember to consider where your current wells and power sources are when planning where to run lines and how deep to put them. Oh! And don’t forget about where your frost line is too!

For those of you who are trying to make this coming winter better than last but aren’t putting in new tanks. Start preparing sooner rather than later.

“In October make sure your heaters, trace wire and other components of your winter tanks are running. It’s better to test them when it’s nicer out than when it’s below zero,” said Clark.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to being prepared and taking care of your infrastructure. It might feel like a hassle or large investment, but if you live in an area with harsh winters, it’ll be worth the time, money and resources you invest. “Just do it right the first time and you won’t have to worry about it later on,” said Clark.

Survive the Heat Wave: Expert Tips to Protect Cattle from Heat Stress

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:17:36 GMT

The heat is no joke, especially for cattle producers across the country as they look for ways to keep cattle cool and comfortable.

According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, heat stress forecasts are and will continue to affect major cattle producing states over the next several days.

Heat Rages On

Producers in the middle and lower Great Plains region, as well as those in the Southeast, can expect “emergency” levels of heat through the middle of next week. A large portion of the U.S. will continue to experience alerting and dangerous levels, as well.

Based on a poll of cattle producers , many of the areas suffering dry or droughty conditions will remain at the heat stress epicenter.

One rancher, based north of Forth Worth, Texas, says his area has been scorched since late June, and feeding hay for 22 of the past 25 months is “getting old and very costly.”

Additionally, in central Texas, Pam Newman Williams notes pastures are terrible and with triple digit temperatures, there’s a severe fire danger.

Unfortunately, much of the U.S. will not see any large precipitation levels over the next seven days, according to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, with little to no relief to dry areas.

Combat the Heat

Cattle producer, Derek Pohl, Dorchester, Neb., has turned to water to help protect livestock during these stressful heat events.

In a video posted online, Pohl shows a portable water tank with a sprinkler attached spraying water on cattle in a pen.

Pohl notes he’s hauled almost 15,000 gallons of water so far to try to keep animals comfortable. While the lots aren’t pretty, it’s keeping cattle alive, he adds.

Along with spraying water on cattle in pens, there are additional considerations when working to help cattle through the heat.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln shares five things that may help your livestock in heat events.

1. Water—Not only is water effective when sprayed on livestock, it’s imperative that cattle have access to plenty of clean water and that there is enough access space for all cattle, including calves, to get the water they need.

2. Shade—If possible, move cattle to a pasture that offers shade, or use portable windbreak panels to help provide shade.

3. Air Movement—A slight breeze can make a world of difference, so give cattle the opportunity to get a little wind, if there is one.

4. Surface—Access to surfaces with vegetation will keep cattle cooler.

5. Additional Stress—Consider rescheduling any events that might add stress to cattle, including gathering, weaning or preconditioning.

While keeping livestock cool is a priority, be sure to take care of yourself as well. Consider these five things and apply them to your work on the operation. Stay hydrated and stay safe.

Read More:

Help Cattle Cope With Extreme Heat

Scorched to Belly-High: Cattle Producers’ Inside Look at Pasture Conditions

The Midwest is Set to Bake Under High Heat, Ag Meteorologists Now Worry About Severe Crop Damage

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 19:52:44 GMT

Portions of the Midwest could see the most challenging weather yet this year, and according to leading ag meteorologists, it’s creating more concerns for crop conditions. With heat forecast to top 100 degrees, along with little rain in this week’s forecast, crop conditions could deteriorate and the biggest risk in the western Corn Belt.

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says the stubborn high heat that’s been in the south and southwest will push its way into the Midwest by mid-week. The growing season has been far from perfect, but the overall crop condition ratings have seen steady improvements in July. Last week’s U.S. Drought Monitor showed 55% of the U.S. corn crop and 50% of U.S. soybeans are covered in drought , an improvement from the 70% of corn and 63% of soybeans considered to be in drought the last week of June.

“It’s been a year full of challenges, no doubt about it,” says Rippey. “To this point, our biggest issues have been with the dryness that peaked in late June, and since then, we’ve seen considerable relief in some areas. But now for the first time, we’re combining that with the highest temperatures of the season to date.”

(Farm Journal)

A map from NOAA shows areas of the country in for the most extreme conditions compared to normal. The areas of the Midwest in yellow will see temps 7 to 10 degrees above normal.

“We could see widespread temperatures 100 degrees or higher throughout the western Corn Belt, extending eastward into the Mississippi Valley, and so the areas like Missouri where we really haven’t seen much recovery, if any, this heat on top of the dryness is coming in terrible time. We have corn and soybeans that are in the reproductive to filling stage, which it’s absolutely critical to keep temperatures and keep the moisture coming in during this time. We have neither in the driest areas right now,” says Rippey.

Western and Central Corn Belt Could Be Hit the Hardest

Rippey says the current forecasts indicate the extreme heat won’t initially hit the eastern Corn Belt. He says those areas will see temperatures in the mid-90s, but the western Corn Belt is bracing for consecutive days of temperatures above 100 degrees.

“You’ve got to really focus on that southwestern Corn Belt area as the biggest concern, because if you look at Missouri, and parts of neighboring states, we’ve got much deeper problems than this week’s heat; we have the moisture deficiency, and we have the drought issues that go back all the way into early spring,” he says. “And so where we have those subsoil and topsoil moisture shortages in the southwestern Corn Belt, overlaying that with 100 degree heat this week, that is going to be another blow for corn and soybeans in those areas.”

Heading into this week's Midwest heat wave, I wanted to post the current accumulated stress degree day map.

Calculated by adding degrees above 86°F for each day.
Example: if today is 95°F, 9 SDDs are accumulated

>140 SDDs could result in corn yield loss

Data: PRISM April 1 pic.twitter.com/ZdgxRfOEsH
— Eric Snodgrass (@snodgrss) July 24, 2023

With the heat that’s been parked in Texas and across the Southwest this month, Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, explains the duration of the heat is the biggest question. While the forecasts indicate the heat will last through the weekend, some weather models point to high temperatures returning next week.

“We’re going to be talking about temperatures that are going to be in the mid- to upper-90s as far north as Minnesota and the Dakotas, and then possibly, there’s going to be some pockets in Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, that are going to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Snodgrass. “And so we always worry it’s going to last. Is this going to be a two-to-three-day event? Or is there going to be a 10-day event or a 30-day event?”

Hot with a Chance of Isolated Storms

He says the current thinking is the heat starts on Wednesday and then lasts through the weekend. There are some forecasts pointing to 105 degree heat in Iowa.

“But the question we have is, there’s humidity in this pattern. So, will there be storms that blow up in the middle of this and bring some cooler weather? That’s a possibility,” he says. “So, I would call it hot, hot with a lot of isolated storm activity. There’s going to be winners out of this, and there’s going to be a larger area that’s going to see some crop damage.”

Rippey points out there are areas that have seen more than adequate rain this summer, including Oklahoma.

“It’s incredible when you look at the last three months,” says Rippey. “We have seen upwards of 20 inches of rain in parts of Oklahoma, and even into southwestern Kansas. That is a year’s worth of rainfall in three months. And it’s also areas that were in some of the highest levels of drought just three months ago, at the end of the winter wheat season. So big turnaround for those folks.”

He says when you travel north and east of those areas, like into Missouri and Nebraska and even into Minnesota, that’s where the rains have been absent.

“We have seen a more recent trend toward drier weather in parts of the Upper Midwest. Minnesota really comes to mind as an area really short on rainfall the last several weeks,” says Rippey. “Even there, we’re going to see temperatures creeping up into the 90s to near 100 this week. The crops are a little bit later in that part of the world, as you move into the northern Corn Belt, which means we’re really at a critical time right now in terms of reproductive corn and blooming soybeans. If it turns cooler and wetter, soybeans still have a chance, but corn gets one chance to move through. So it’s really bad timing for upper Midwestern crops due to the heat this week, and the dryness that’s been developing the last several weeks.”

(Farm Journal)

Rippey says the current forecast indicates the central Midwest and into the South and Southwest will miss out on the chance for rainfall.

“Even though the Midwest will see sporadic showers, amounts will generally not be enough to keep up with high temperatures and peak crop-moisture demand. This could lead to increased stress on corn and soybeans, especially in hotter and more significantly drought-affected areas of the western Corn Belt,” Rippey says.

(Farm Journal)

Snodgrass says Climate Prediction Center (CPC) August through October forecast indicates the ridge, which is causing the high heat to enter the Midwest this week, gets shoved back West in August, which will keep the Midwest much cooler in August. CPC also thinks El Nino takes over and it turns wet, but Snodgrass says he’s not sold on that forecast, as all the weather models still have conflicting forecasts.

“I feel like we’ve been punched in the mouth twice. And if there’s a third punch, maybe it’s, you know, longer duration into early August, and I think we’re going to see some possible significant yield loss. But if storms cascade over the top of it, and the ridge goes back to Arizona, then we will be talking about busting bins with yield,” Snodgrass adds.

Winter Weather Advisory: Make Your Cows Cold Weather Ready

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:48:06 GMT

Many parts of the U.S have already had their fair share of cold weather this season. When the weather forecast calls for extremely low temperatures, what preparations are a must on your operation? Here’s a look at some of the most important “To Do” items before the winter chill sets in, according to the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.

Water

Even though cows will likely drink less during cold spells, sometimes the act of getting water to the cows can be the challenge. If there is a extreme drop in temperatures forecasted, it may be necessary to double-down on making sure your ability to deliver water will not be hindered by any extreme temps or weather events.

Additionally, having a tank heater ready or something available to break the ice in the tank will be essential on cold winter days.

Shelter

First, keeping cows dry will be invaluable when it comes to helping your herd fight cold stress. According to a South Dakota State University article , a cow’s energy requirements more than double when her coat is wet or matted with mud, compared to a dry coat.

Along with stay dry, staying out of the wind will be extremely beneficial when temps drop. An already cold day can become much colder with just a five mile per hour wind. Here’s a look at how air temperatures are impacted when wind speeds are added.

While having the perfect shelter may be nearly impossible, especially when it comes to providing shelter or a windbreak to cows out on cornstalks, a bit of creativity may be the ticket in desperate events. Retired school busses and stock trailers serve as unconventional, yet effective and portable windbreaks.

Feed Supplement

As temperatures drop, cow energy requirements increase. Especially in the case of an extended cold spell, prepare to supplement in the form of energy, or in the case that the cows are already receiving a supplement, it might be necessary to increase the supplement already being given.

Body Condition

While one day before a cold spell is not the best time to “change” the body condition of a cow, it’s important to consider when preparing cows for the winter weather. Keeping the herd in a sufficient body condition is another layer of protection against the cold spells.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” When the weather forecast calls for extremely low temperatures, what other preparations are a must on your operation?

Fact Check: Death of Kansas Cattle in June 2022 Caused by Extreme Temperatures, Officials and Industry Say

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

Contrary to posts online, there is no evidence that billionaire Bill Gates is involved in the death of at least 2,000 cattle in Kansas. State authorities and members of the industry have attributed the deaths to so-called heat stress, caused by extreme heat and humidity.

“Billionaire tech mogul, Bill Gates, is a reasonable candidate for consideration in killing about 3,000 cows in southwest Kansas under very mysterious and unknown circumstances,” reads part of a Facebook post .

Other examples are viewable here and here .

A conservative commentator with 200,000 Twitter followers suggested “Bill Gates has an answer” considering “cattle don’t just drop dead from heat”, and because Gates is “the biggest farmer in America.”

The latter is a claim previously addressed by Reuters ( here ), Gates it not the owner of the majority of U.S. farmland; industry reports from 2021 show he owned about 0.027% of it. He is, however, the largest private farmland owner, according to ‘The Land Report’ ( here here ).

Heat Stress

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has said it knows of at least 2,000 cattle deaths in the southwest of the state, due to high temperatures and humidity . On June 16, a spokesperson for the department confirmed to Reuters that the figure, which is based on the facilities that had contacted the agency for help disposing of carcasses, was the latest available.

Previously speaking to Reuters, Scarlett Hagins, spokesperson for the Kansas Livestock Association said cattle began suffering heat stress as temperatures and humidity spiked over the June 11-12 weekend in western Kansas and cooling winds disappeared. The animals could not adjust to the sudden change, she added.

The University of Minnesota Extension, the university’s science-focused partnership with government agencies, explains that heat stress happens “when cows generate and absorb more heat than they can easily get rid of by respiration, sweating and air blowing by them”. It can lead to a lower milk production, disease incidence and a higher death rate.

Cattle can start experiencing heat stress around 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius) with 50% humidity, according to the University of Minnesota Extension.

Historical weather data from Kansas State University shows that different parts of Kansas registered temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit throughout June 11, 12 and 13.

In a message posted by the Kansas Livestock Association on Facebook, Hagins said that cattle could not cool down over the nighttime hours because temperatures remained high.

Contacted by Reuters, a spokesperson for the Kansas State University Weather Data Library pointed to data from the Grant Kansas Mesonet weather station as an example. At that location in southwest Kansas, the overnight minimum temperatures had been higher thus far in June 2022 than they were in June 2021 and while some daily highs were much higher in 2021, the lows in 2021 were cooler.

Furthermore, “all these elements fell within several days of each other in 2022 compared to spread out in 2021,” they added.

Posts with the claim arguing heat levels are “normal” for this time of the year, fail to consider the above factor.

In a paper published in the Lancet in March, researchers estimated heat stress in animals, described as “one of the major climate change impacts on domesticated livestock,” could lead to annual losses of multiple billions of dollars for the global cattle production industry by the end of the century.

Reuters has reported on the impact of climate change in livestock and global food production.

Other posts with the claim refer to debunked allegations about the nationwide baby formula shortage and food processing plant fires in 2022, which Reuters previously addressed .

Verdict

No evidence. There is no evidence that Bill Gates is involved in the death of at least 2,000 cattle in Kansas in June 2022. Officials and industry members have said the fatalities were caused by heat stress, provoked by extreme heat and humidity .

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here .

Cattle Producers Face Relentless Heat and Drought, Hard Decisions To Be Made

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 21:05:24 GMT

The summer months tend to be considered ‘slower’ times at livestock auctions. This year, producers across droughty areas line up for miles .

Like many others, the Seguin Cattle Company livestock auction barn in Texas has seen an influx in cattle coming to town.

Bryan Luensmann, manager of the salebarn, says the extreme heat and drought is forcing thousands of cattle ranchers to sell off their herds.

Being in the cattle business this summer, has “pretty much a roller coaster ride,” Luensmann says. “It’s been chaotic.”

Federal forecasters say this is the second driest year around the Seguin area in the past 128 years.

Local cattle ranchers describe the challenges they face in short feed supplies.

“We’re just trying to reduce numbers, and trying to reduce how many we are feeding. Because, there is no grass, and the hay we have is not going to last us through the winter,” explains Priscilla McBee, a small family cattle rancher. “It’s hard. Our fields are barren.”

Cattle rancher, Marty Schwarzkopf, usually sells 4000-6000 bales of hay to ranchers each year. This year, he’s only baled about 300.

“I feel for a lot of people. They’ve been doing this for years and years, and now, they don’t have anything to hold on to. They’re having to let go,” Schwarzkopf says.

The last time cows went to town in these kinds of numbers was in 2011, says Clinton Griffiths, host of AgDay.

Comparing the current situation to 2011, producers and market analysts describe this year as much different than a decade ago.

“There’s just no place, really anywhere in the country, that’s got any excess hay supply,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University livestock marketing specialist. “I think that’s going to limit what we can do in terms of sourcing hay. It’s going to limit what we can do in terms of relocating some cows, compared to that drought [in 2011 and 2012].”

“Year-to-date, beef cow slaughter is up 14% while inventory is down 2.4%,” says Michelle Rook, AgDay market reporter.

Peel adds, liquidation will likely continue as there is no relief in sight in the most recent 30-day outlook.

“We’ll probably lose another one million beef cows this year, or potentially even a little bit more than that,” Peel says.

Heifer slaughter is also up 4% with inventory down 3.5%, as more heifers are being placed in feedlots versus being kept for breeding, which is key as it indicates the lack of herd rebuilding, Peel adds.

6 Tips to Keep Farm Employees Safe When Temps Rise

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 12:54:32 GMT

Thermometers are boiling over as an intense heatwave sweeps its way across the country. These scorching summer temps are not only taking a toll on crops and livestock, but farm employees as well.

According to Melissa O’Rourke, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, many of today’s farm employees lack previous farm or other outdoor employment experience. Therefore, dealing with weather-related conditions may be new to them, not to mention the difference among individuals who may or may not be acclimatized to high heat conditions.

Each year, thousands of workers become ill or injured as a result of heat exposure in their workplace, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While dealing with hot temperatures can be managed to a certain degree, excessive heat exposure can be fatal.

To help workers stay cool in this intense heat, consider the following tips.

Keep employees hydrated. Provide water stations or purchase coolers to keep water available for employees when they need it. Inexpensive ice machines can also be purchased to help keep beverages cold. Farm fridges should be well stocked with water bottles, Gatorade and flavored water at all times.

“We like to use the Liquid-I.V. packets that you can add into water bottles,” says Callie Toews, a Kansas beef farmer. “They have lots of different flavors!”

Provide breaks. Provide workers with frequent rest periods in cool or shaded areas. Consider adding expensive fans or window AC units to employee breakrooms.
Consider specialty garments. Cotton t-shirts can trap in heat. Consider purchasing moisture-wicking or cooling uniform shirts for your employees to wear. Breathable hats can also keep the sun off of your employee’s face.

“I buy cooling towels and keep them on hand during hot weather,” says Sarah Radachy, an Arizona rancher. “You can buy a pack off of Amazon pretty cheap.”

Switch schedules. When possible, schedule hot jobs for the cooler part of the day - and where preventative maintenance and repair jobs may occur in hot areas, schedule these tasks for cooler months.

Tasks that require physical exertion during hot conditions should either be scheduled during the cooler part of the day – or provide more frequent-than-usual rest and cool-off periods. Assigning extra employees to reduce the work-load may also help.

Fill the freezer. A cool summer treat can put a smile on anyone’s face, especially a hot farm employee. Consider keeping ice cream or frozen treats in the freezer to help employees cool off during a break.

“We keep ice pops in our barn office freezer for employees,” says Julie MacGlaflin, a Vermont dairy farmer. “Thank goodness they’re cheap because everyone loves them!”

Monitor employees. Particular employees – such as older workers, those who are overweight or have heart-related medical conditions – may have an even lower-than-average sensitivity to heat and require additional monitoring. Consider having these at-risk employees work during the coolest part of the day.

Know the Signs of Heat Illness

Heat rash symptoms include clusters of red bumps, commonly on the neck, chest, or in folds of skin. Keep the affected area dry and relocate the worker to a cooler or less humid environment.
Heat cramps include muscle spasms and pain in the abdomen or limbs. Encourage the worker to rest in the shade or in a cool room, and make sure he or she drinks plenty of cold water. The worker should rest for several hours before returning to strenuous work or seek medical attention if the cramps do not subside.
Heat exhaustion can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. The worker should immediately sit or lie down in a cool, shaded area, drink plenty of cool liquids and apply ice packs to his or her armpits to lower his or her core temperature. Seek emergency care if symptoms are not improved within an hour.
Heat stroke is an emergency. The worker may exhibit confusion, fainting, or seizures, accompanied by an extremely high body temperature. Call 911, and while waiting for help to arrive, loosen the employee’s clothing, apply cold packs to his or her armpits and encourage him or her to drink plenty of fluids.

For more on keeping employees cool, read:

Extreme Heat And High Nighttime Temps Now Hitting At A Crucial Time For A U.S. Corn Crop Planted Late

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:29:23 GMT

Extreme heat is painting the worst-case scenario for the Western Corn Belt this week. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey is concerned about not only the duration of the relentless heat in the most recent weather forecast, but the impact it could have at a key time for late planted corn currently pollinating.

The historic heatwave in the West already created record temps this weekend. Glasgow, Montana reached 108 degrees on Sunday. 100 degree heat hit Lawton, Oklahoma. Rippey says the extended heat could possibly set a few monthly or all-time records the Great Plains.

Read More: Half the U.S. Corn Crop Was Planted in Two Weeks, Now the 10-Day Forecast Shows Signs of Trouble

For the states seeing triple digit heat enter the picture this week, temperatures could continue to crush daily records west of the Mississippi River, which could not only cause crop pollination problems and pose a threat for grain fill in corn, but some of the country’s soybean crop as well.

“I cannot play this out any worse, I think, in my mind of how this heatwave is playing out,” says Rippey. “Here in mid-to-late July. We’ve got corn starting to pollinate. We’ve got soybeans blooming and even starting to set pods in parts of the lower Midwest. And we have this disastrously timed heatwave, it is spreading out of the Great Plains, it’s going to be moving across the western Corn Belt and into the mid-south at what I think is a very inopportune time for corn and soybeans.”

Just How Far Behind is the Crop?

The latest crop progress report from USDA shows while crop conditions held steady this week , the maturity of the crop is behind. Approximately 37% of the corn crop is silking, which is 11 percentage points behind average. Kansas has 31% of its crop silking as of Sunday, which is 19 points slower than the average pace. 65% of Missouri’s crop is in that stage, which is 7 points behind. Nebraska sits at 45% in the silking stage. South Dakota is only at 13%.

The U.S. soybean crop isn’t as far behind in terms of maturity. USDA says 48% of the soybean crop is blooming, which is 7 points behind normal.

(Farm Journal)

August is always a key time for soybeans, but with a late planted corn crop at a crucial stage right now, Rippey is currently concerned about the impact it will have on the western Corn Belt’s corn crop most.

“We’re looking at late week to weekend temperatures that are going to hit 100 degrees or higher in many areas of the southwestern Corn Belt states, including Nebraska, Kansas, into Missouri and even parts of Iowa, especially the southern and western parts of the state,” says Rippey. “And given the timing on that, and the fact that a disproportionate amount of that crop is moving into pollination, or blooming in this mid-to-late July period, I don’t think we could write a worse scenario for the crop.”

Read More: AccuWeather Thinks Next Week’s Heat Wave Could Scorch 30 to 45 Million Bushels of Corn

The other weather issue is the fact the crop won’t get much of a break from the heat with high nighttime temperatures.

“Unfortunately, a complicating impact here is that we’re not going to get much nighttime relief temperatures at night are going to be in the 70s to near 80 degrees. And that adds another layer of complexity to this entire pollination and blooming situation that could be detrimental to the crop,” says Rippey.

The latest look at National Weather Services’ three-to four-week outlook shows triple digit heat is expected to last through the week. Longer-range forecasts also strongly suggest heat and dryness to remain a problem west of the Mississippi River for the first half of next month.

(Farm Journal)

“If you look at the six to 10 day, the eight to 14 day, the three-to-four week outlooks, and then we’ll have a new set of monthly and seasonal outlooks coming out on Thursday. That’ll be a focus just to see what the weather service thinks is going to be the outlook for August. I’m afraid it’s going to be very similar to what we’re seeing on that three to four week Outlook with a lot more heat parked right over the middle part of the country, bleeding into the western Corn Belt and the Mid South, unfortunately,” he adds.

Yes, July is Supposed to Be Hot... But Not This Hot

July is supposed to be hot, so why is this heat even news? Rippey says it all goes back to how much of the crop was planted late, with 50% of the nation’s corn crop planted in a two-week window and two-thirds planted in just three weeks.

Minimize Cattle Losses: Strategic Deployment of Heat Abatement Strategies

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 17:54:03 GMT

With headlines of ‘ cattle dead in Kansas ’ across the media, cattle producers understand how important it is to prepare and mitigate the risk of these weather events.

With a forecast of more high temperatures and humidity within the next 10 to 14 days, finding ways to decrease the chances of cattle loss is front of mind for ranchers and feedlot owners and managers.

The following is a list of strategies to reduce the impact of heat stress on cattle in the feedlot with suggestions for sequential deployment. Strategies listed under preparation are intended to be deployed early within 10 to 14 days of the initial heat event forecast. Strategies listed under remediation are intended to be deployed as the heat event proceeds.

Preparation

10-day weather or Mesonet forecasts are fairly accurate. Watch weather forecasts, start acting on preparation steps and be prepared to remediate the problem.

USDA-ARS Heat Stress Forecast

Windfinder - Wind map & forecast

How so?

Consider marketing finished or nearly finished cattle
If unable to market, move finished cattle to pens deemed to be less prone to heat stress (pens with shade, greater wind exposure, greater water access, or where bedding may be delivered easily)
Avoid receiving cattle during heat event
Resist temptation to increase feed deliveries or simply reduce feed deliveries
Increase forage in the diet: Use storm diets or diets with more roughage
Avoid diets containing fat (adding fat to the diet leads to greater metabolic heat load)
Assign heat remediation tasks to one lead individual in team. Empower this individual to delegate tasks to other individuals, as appropriate.
Make plans to do any cattle processing before heat event
Plan to conduct pen riding and sick cattle pulling in the early morning hours
Remove any movable barriers to air flow
If possible, set up shades, but only if 12 ft high and at least 16 square feet of space per head can be shaded
Add and supply water stock tanks on fence lines away from existing water tanks
If possible, set up sprinklers and turn them on ahead of heat event
Plan to have additional water (accessing through local fire department or crop producers) and water wagons on hand

Be prepared to focus remediation efforts on high-priority pens. What would be considered high priority pens?

Cattle displaying one or more of these characteristics:

Finished or near finished cattle
Black cattle that haven’t shed winter coats
High intake cattle
Cattle (pen mates) with previous history of digestive or respiratory illness
Pens with poor wind movement (north slopes, wind breaks, in valleys)
Pens with no shade
Pens with restricted water access or poor water flow
Pens with no sprinklers

Remediation - (In addition to preparation steps outlined above) with a focus on high-priority pens:

Conduct pen riding and cattle pulling in the early morning hours
Retain sick or compromised cattle in bedded or shaded hospital pens
If cattle processing, loading or unloading must occur, defer to cooler hours of the day
Reduce morning feed delivery
Resist increasing feed deliveries or lower feed deliveries
Consider adding an extra 10 percentage units of roughage to finishing diet or continue feeding storm ration delivery (remove diets containing fat)
Dam a segment of feed bunk and deliver water within this segment
If practical, blow ground stalks or straw or roll out straw or stalk bales on pen surface to insulate heat reflection from pen surface (about 10 to 20 square feet per head)

As the summer heat is likely here to stay for the next few months, look at your operation and create a game plan to help your cattle cope with the summer temps .

Compared to a feedlot, cow-calf operations manage heat stress in similar ways, yet differ slightly due to the cattle environment and what mitigation options are available.

Be proactive on your operation. The industry doesn’t need more ‘dead cows’ or ‘ cattle dea d ’ media attention.

Temperature

Mid-March Heat Wave Shatters Records in the West — Is This a 2012-Style Setup?

A Stubborn Pattern Takes Hold

Heat and Dryness Go Hand in Hand

Ocean Temperatures Play a Major Role

Not the Same As 2012

A Critical Window Ahead

Frozen Calf Gets Spa Treatment and Couch Cuddles During Arctic Blast

Winter-Proof Your Workforce: Keeping Employees Warm on the Job

Make Sure They Have Adequate Clothing

Provide Warm Break Areas

Adjust Schedules

Keep Up Communication

Work in Pairs

Have an Emergency Kit

Know the Signs of Cold Stress

Arctic Blast to Bring Single-Digit Temps to Northern Plains, Freezes Deep into the South

From Record Heat to Bitter Cold

Dry Soils Make Cold Air Colder

A Pattern That Could Repeat

What Farmers Can Expect

Looking Ahead

Yes, Corn Sweat is Real, But Here's Why the Humidity is So Thick This Year

Searing Temperatures In Store For the Week

July Weather Outlook: Goodbye Rain, Hello Heat

U.S. Ag Trade Deficit Hits Record High In First Four Months Of 2025

As Temperatures Near 100 Degrees in the Upper Midwest, Does it Signal a Bigger Problem for Summer?

A Warming Trend Is On The Way For Early March

With More Arctic Air Set to Blast the U.S., Why This Winter Could Be Remembered for Its Extremes

Hope For Drought-Stricken Land? Your Winter Weather Outlook

U.S. Braces for a Hotter and Drier Fall as La Niña Looms

Dangerously High Temperatures Expected to Soar Out West

KNOW THE SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS

For more on weather, read:

Summer 2024 Predicted to Bring on the Heat

For more on weather, read:

What's Causing These Frigid Temperatures Right Now?

Are You Ready For the Polar Plunge? Some Areas Could See Temperatures Plummet to Negative 40 Degrees

Dangerous for Livestock

Little Snow Cover Puts Winter Wheat at Risk

Stratospheric Warming Causing the Polar Plunge

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

Stay Ahead of the Freeze: Strategies for Winter Watering Success

Survive the Heat Wave: Expert Tips to Protect Cattle from Heat Stress

Heat Rages On

Combat the Heat

The Midwest is Set to Bake Under High Heat, Ag Meteorologists Now Worry About Severe Crop Damage

Western and Central Corn Belt Could Be Hit the Hardest

Hot with a Chance of Isolated Storms

Winter Weather Advisory: Make Your Cows Cold Weather Ready

Water

Shelter

Feed Supplement

Body Condition

Fact Check: Death of Kansas Cattle in June 2022 Caused by Extreme Temperatures, Officials and Industry Say

Heat Stress

Verdict

Cattle Producers Face Relentless Heat and Drought, Hard Decisions To Be Made

6 Tips to Keep Farm Employees Safe When Temps Rise

Know the Signs of Heat Illness

For more on keeping employees cool, read:

Extreme Heat And High Nighttime Temps Now Hitting At A Crucial Time For A U.S. Corn Crop Planted Late

Read More: Grains Pull Back Tuesday with Change in Weather, Livestock Open Mixed

Just How Far Behind is the Crop?

Yes, July is Supposed to Be Hot... But Not This Hot

Read More: The Forecast Next Week Is Ugly, So Why Isn’t A Weather Rally Now Underway?

Minimize Cattle Losses: Strategic Deployment of Heat Abatement Strategies