USDA’s Joint Ag Weather Facility says in the Corn Belt, light freezes occurred this morning in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, possibly burning back summer crops that had emerged in recent days. “Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms are pushing across the southwestern Corn Belt, accompanied and trailed by a surge of cooler air,” USDA reports.
In the West, USDA says snow lingers across the central Rockies. Except for a return to warm weather near the Pacific Coast, very cool conditions persist, it continues. “Freezes were noted this morning across parts of the Intermountain West,” USDA adds.
On the Plains, USDA reports light freezes were noted early today in parts of North Dakota and environs, possibly burning back recently emerged summer crops. “Meanwhile, a chilly mix of rain and wet snow is falling across the central High Plains. Finally, portions of the cent ral and southern Plains are beginning recovery efforts from yesterday’s severe thunderstorms, which produced local wind and hail damage, along with isolated tornadoes,” USDA explains.
In the South, warm weather prevails in advance of an approaching storm system. “A few showers are returning across the mid-South, where fields had begun to dry out in the wake of late-April and early-May downpours,” USDA details. In contrast, drought continues to intensify in the lower Southeast, including much of Florida’s peninsula, it adds.
In its five-day outlook, USDA says a powerful, slowing-moving storm system crossing the southern Plains will reach the upper Great Lakes region by Sunday. “The storm’s trailing cold front will cross the Atlantic Coast States on Monday,” USDA continues. The threat of severe thunderstorms will gradually shift eastward and diminish, although locally heavy rain will persist. Five-day rainfall totals could reach 2 to 5 inches from the southern Plains into the Midwest, while totals could reach 1 to 3 inches as far east as the Appalachians, according to USDA. Only light showers can be expected, however, along the Atlantic Seaboard, it adds. “Meanwhile, cool air will continue to engulf the central and eastern U.S., with frost possible during the weekend as far south as the central High Plains and across the nation’s northern tier. Elsewhere, emerging warmth across the Pacific Coast States will expand across the Far West during the next few days,” USDA reports.
