Market Perspectives February 28, 2014

U.S. Weather/Crop Progress


U.S. Drought Monitor Weather Forecast:From February 28 – March 3, precipitation will engulf much of the West. Five-day precipitation totals could reach 2-to-4 inches or more in the Sierra Nevada and 3-to-6 inches along the California coast. Totals of 1-to-3 inches will be common elsewhere in the West, except for locally higher amounts on Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. Late in the period, a sprawling storm will affect the central and eastern U.S. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain can be expected across portions of the Plains, Midwest, Mid-South, and Mid-Atlantic States. Another strong surge of frigid air will trail the storm into the Plains and Midwest.

The NWS outlook for March 4-8 calls for below-normal temperatures from the Plains to the East Coast, except for warmer-than-normal weather in southern Florida. Warmth can be expected west of the Rockies, excluding areas near the Canadian border. Meanwhile, above-normal precipitation in the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Coast States will contrast with drier-than-normal conditions in a broad area stretching from central and southern portions of the Rockies and Plains into the middle Mississippi Valley. Follow this link to view current U.S. and international weather patterns and the future outlook: Weather and Crop Bulletin.