Weather report: Chilly conditions in the West

In the West, chilly weather continues to limit crop growth across California and the Northwest. In addition, scattered showers are slowing Northwestern fieldwork.

On the Plains, isolated showers and thunderstorms are heaviest in the Dakotas. On the northern Plains, winter and spring wheat are benefiting from recent soil moisture improvements. Farther south, heat has become a concern in drought-affected areas of the southern High Plains with respect to winter wheat and emerging summer crops. Today’s high temperatures in western Texas will approach 100°F.

In the Corn Belt, showers and thunderstorms are slowing a previously torrid pace of corn and early-season soybean planting. However, the rain is providing highly beneficial moisture for emerging summer crops. A very warm weather pattern prevails across the southern Corn Belt, where today’s highs will approach 90°F.

In the South, scattered showers dot the southern Appalachians and neighboring areas. Elsewhere, warm weather continues to promote a very quick pace of fieldwork, winter wheat maturation, and summer crop emergence and development.

Outlook: During the next several days, there will be a gradual reversal of temperature patterns across the U.S. By the middle of next week, near- to below-normal temperatures will prevail from the Plains to the East Coast, while warmth will arrive in the West. Meanwhile, frequent showers and thunderstorms will continue across the northern and eastern U.S. Five-day rainfall totals could reach 2 to 4 inches, with locally higher amounts, from the northern Plains into the Midwest and interior Southeast. In contrast, dry weather will prevail from California into the Southwest. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for May 9-13 calls for near- to below-normal temperatures from the central and southern Plains to the East Coast, while warmer-than-normal weather will prevail across the northern High Plains and much of the West. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation in the West and from the northern Plains into the Midwest will contrast with wetter-than-normal conditions along the Atlantic Seaboard and in the south-central U.S.

1. Program planned for first U.S. Precision Dairy Conference, Expo
2. Alltech Symposium challenges agribusiness to make an impact
3. Exports: Corn plunges 52 percent
4. Here is the next farm program and here’s how you work it
5. Immigration bill gets Senate boost; House effort teetering
6. Class III futures close down on CME

1. 4 rules for growing a business or industry
2. Seven jobs more dangerous than farming
3. Chocolate milk a top post-workout food
4. Commentary: Milk faces branding dilemma
5. What do dairy exports mean for Minnesota?
6. Salma Hayek: Milk part of 'perfect' breakfast

1. Seven jobs more dangerous than farming
2. 2014 Farm Bill: Are we near an agreement?
3. Farm bill and immigration reform action needed
4. Class III futures close out quietly last week
5. 4 rules for growing a business or industry
6. White House urges Senate to cut crop insurance in farm bill