U.S. Weather/Crop Progress
U.S. Drought Monitor Weather Forecast: The upcoming period of January 16 – 18 looks generally mild and dry across the contiguous 48 states. According to the Weather Prediction Center, heavy precipitation (2-7 inches) should be limited to northwest California and the Pacific Northwest along and west of the Cascades, with the largest amounts expected along parts of the immediate coastline and windward mountain slopes. Moderate-to-locally heavy precipitation (1.5-3.0 inches) is expected in parts of central and northern Idaho. Elsewhere, amounts of 0.5-1.5 inches are forecast across the remainders of northern California, the Pacific Northwest and Idaho, plus adjacent portions of western Montana and northwestern Wyoming. Farther south and east, totals above 0.5 inch should be limited to New England, the Outer Banks and the immediate central Gulf Coast. The rest of the East Coast, southern sections of the central Gulf Coast states and the upper Great Lakes regions are expected to receive light precipitation, with little or none anticipated elsewhere. Temperatures should average at least somewhat above normal from the Mississippi Valley westward, with daily highs averaging 9 degrees-18 degrees above normal from south-central sections of the Plains and Front Range northward to the Canadian border.
For the period of January 19 – 23, warmer than normal weather is favored across almost all of the 48 continental states, except parts of the central and northern High Plains and adjacent Rockies. Subnormal precipitation is anticipated throughout the West Coast states, western Arizona and most of Nevada while surplus precipitation is expected from the eastern edge of the Rockies eastward through the Great Lakes region, the middle Ohio Valley and the central Gulf Coast region. Follow this link to view current U.S. and international weather patterns and the future outlook: Weather and Crop Bulletin.