U.S. Weather/Crop Progress
U.S. Drought Monitor Weather Forecast: During the next five days (April 6-10), the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) precipitation forecast calls for moderate precipitation (0.5-1.5 inches) to reach perhaps as far south as Santa Barbara, CA. The Northern Plains is predicted to receive close to a half-inch of precipitation during this 5-day period, which should at least offset any additional deterioration. Light precipitation (less than 0.5-inch) expected over the Central and Southern Plains offers little in the way of additional drought improvements. One to two inches of rain anticipated for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain provides improved prospects for additional drought relief in that region, as does moderate to heavy rainfall (0.5-4.0) inches across the Southeast, with the possible exception of Florida.
For the ensuing five-day period (April 11-15), there are elevated odds for above-median precipitation across the south-central CONUS, northern California, the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rockies, and parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley. There are elevated odds for below-median precipitation across the Southeast, and in a band stretching from the southern Sierras of California eastward across much of the Rockies and Plains, the north-central Mississippi Valley, the southern Great Lakes region, and the Northeast.
Follow this link to view current U.S. and international weather patterns and future outlook: Weather and Crop Bulletin.