U.S. Weather/Crop Progress
U.S. Drought Monitor Weather Forecast: For the upcoming period of June 19-21, generally dry and significantly warmer-than-normal conditions are expected in the central Plains and from the Rockies westward to near the coast. Only isolated light rain is anticipated in areas south and west of Montana and the central sections of Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Forecast totals in the eastern and northern parts of the Rockies are less than 0.5 inch. At the same time, daily high temperatures are expected to average 9-12 degrees F above normal in the Great Basin and central Rockies. The dryness and heat may quickly dry out the recent surface growth in that region, bringing ideal conditions for wildfires to develop and rapidly spread.
In contrast, remnants of Tropical Storm Bill should bring a swath of heavy rain across east sections of Texas and Oklahoma, southern Missouri, the Ohio Valley, the central Appalachians and (to a lesser extent) part of the lower Northeast. At least a couple inches of rain is expected, with peak amounts approaching 7 inches in southern Oklahoma and 4.5 to 5.5 inches in southern sections of both Illinois and Ohio.
In the broad area north of this swath, moderate rains of several tenths to almost 2 inches are expected. Drier conditions are forecast to prevail south and east of the band of heaviest rainfall, with only a few tenths of an inch anticipated in Florida, the central Gulf Coast States and southwestern South Carolina.
For the ensuing period of June 22-26, continued above-normal temperatures are favored in most of the West, the Rockies and the Southeast. The odds favor anomalous warmth in the mid-Atlantic, central Appalachians, middle and lower Mississippi Valley and south-central Plains as well. Enhanced chances for cooler-than- normal weather are limited to a swath from the northeastern most Plains eastward through the northern Great Lakes and much of the Northeast.
Enhanced chances for heavier-than-normal rain cover the Great Lakes and Northeast and a small area around the southern reaches of the Arizona/New Mexico border. However, dryness is favored to prevail from the south-central Plains eastward through the lower Mississippi Valley and the Southeast. The northwestern quarter of the contiguous states also has increased odds of abnormally light precipitation. Follow this link to view current U.S. and international weather patterns and the future outlook: Weather and Crop Bulletin.