Weather report: Dry conditions continue on the Plains

In the West, mild, dry weather favors late-season fieldwork, including winter wheat planting and cotton harvesting in California.

On the Plains, winter wheat continues to struggle under a dry weather regime. In addition, temperatures are rebounding to near- or above-normal levels. In South Dakota, only 43% of the wheat had emerged by November 11, compared to the 5-year average of 97%. Wheat emergence is also languishing in Montana (63% emerged vs. the average of 90%), although the recent snow storm provided much-needed moisture in northernmost production areas.

In the Corn Belt, cool conditions linger in the Ohio Valley. Elsewhere, mild, mostly dry weather favors lateseason harvest efforts.

In the South, rain in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas is slowing fieldwork but aiding pastures and recently planted winter grains. Elsewhere, cool, dry weather is promoting autumn fieldwork.

Outlook: During the next several days, most of the nation’s active weather will be along the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts. Five-day precipitation totals could reach 2 to 6 inches in northern California and the Pacific Northwest, while significant snow will spread as far inland as the northern Rockies. Meanwhile, little or no precipitation will fall from the Plains to the Appalachians. In the East, however, 1 to 2 inches of rain can be expected in the coastal Carolinas, with smaller amounts occurring in other areas from Florida to southern New England. Cool weather will linger into early next week in the Gulf and Atlantic Coast States, but the remainder of the U.S. will experience near- to above-normal temperatures. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for November 20-24 calls for near- to abovenormal temperatures nationwide, except for cooler-than-normal conditions across the lower Southeast. Meanwhile, near- to below-normal precipitation across most of the U.S. will contrast with wetter-than-normal weather across the nation’s northern tier from the Pacific Northwest to northern Minnesota.

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