Latest News From Weather - General

There's now a 60% chance La Niña will develop between June and August and an 85% chance it's in effect by November 2024 to January 2025, according to NOAA.

Shipping may have been easier back in the days of Columbus

As most of the U.S. is still prepping for spring planting, USDA's weekly crop progress report shares Texas growers have already planted more than half their corn acres.

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says areas that have been experiencing snow drought this winter, such as Minnesota and northern Iowa, could potentially see more snowfall in the next few weeks than they have all winter.

Just because tar spot was mostly a no-show in 2022 and 2023 doesn't mean that will be the case in 2024. Charting humidity levels can help predict if the disease will strike.

ICIS senior fertilizer editor Mark Milam shares that while the fertilizer market appears to be in good shape at the moment, there are a couple of important trends moving forward this spring.

With another round of frigid temperatures blanketing the U.S. again, what's behind the cold? Here's a hint: it's not El Niño.

From 40 degrees above zero earlier this week in parts of the Great Plains to now forecasts for temps to fall 40 degrees below zero, ag meteorologist Drew Lerner says the frigid conditions will be dangerous for livestock.

To create a safe and comfortable work environment for your farm employees, it’s important to address the specific challenges posed by cold weather on the farm.

El Nino is starting to break down which is good news for grain producers but potentially bad news for cattle producers, especially feedlot operations. 

From the intense heat in the South to drought blanketing much of the U.S., weather stole headlines again in 2023. What caused such extreme conditions? One meteorologist explains the culprits of the heat and drought.

According to the meteorologists at BAMwx, the upcoming month in Brazil could be comparable to this past August for U.S. soybeans.

With rapidly changing market conditions, Jerry Gulke says it pays to look at historical precedents.

After a year of struggles in 2022, this year’s crop reaped weather that was much more favorable for growing cotton. Burlison, Tenn., farmer Brad Williams describes this year’s growing season as almost perfect.

While the Farmers' Almanac and Old Farmer's Almanac are both backward looking – derived from past data that come close to current conditions. Weather agencies are tending more toward predictive computer models.

Various factors impact planting dates, but now's the time to get everything in order so you don't miss the windows of opportunity when they roll around next spring.

Recent WASDE reports had assumed another record Brazilian soybean crop and Argentina returning to normal, but the El Niño weather pattern might have something to say about that. 

The shift to an El Niño weather pattern is creating dynamic market conditions. In particular, the U.S. soybean market will be extremely sensitive to threats to the Brazilian crop.

As extreme weather events affect the profitability of agriculture, here are four areas to bring focus to the ripple effect.

From the Mississippi River to the Panama Canal, this year’s drought has resulted in low water levels that are likely to disrupt agricultural production and trade through at least the end of the year.

Tune in to this webinar to hear insights from industry pros

We have gradually resigned ourselves to Brazil being the leader, but last year they also took the top spot for corn exports, a tougher fact to swallow. There is more going on for the 2023-2024 growing season in Brazil.

For those whose livelihood depends upon working outdoors or in less than favorable conditions, this week looks to be quite difficult with higher-than-normal temperatures and humidity predicted.

Bret Walts of BAM Weather predicts the transition to a colder pattern will be later in September and into October.

Getting into the field now can help you make more informed decisions. What if you need to spray for insects or call your insurance agent? Being proactive will pay you back many times over.

In eastern Kansas and Missouri, harvest is happening at a historic pace, but western Kansas is overcome by so much rain that winter wheat fields are now overgrown by weeds making those fields unharvestable.

Farmers across the Texas High Plains received a deluge of rainfall right at planting, and while the moisture was needed, the sudden switch prevented some farmers from planting their intended cotton acres this year.

Hurricane-force winds swept from northern Missouri and Iowa all the way east to Illinois and Indiana. The derecho brought wind gusts up to 100 mph, flattening cornfields, but it also drenched soils with crucial rains.

Even with rains sweeping the Northern Corn Belt last weekend, the latest drought monitor shows drought continues to spread across Illinois with D2 (Severe Drought) taking a 28-point jump in a week.

Despite weekend rains sweeping the northern Corn Belt, corn and soybean conditions sit at the second-lowest level in history. Sizable declines hit key areas of the Corn Belt as corn enters a critical time for production.

Corn prices sunk as forecasts turned more optimistic for the weekend rains in the northern Corn Belt. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says the rains aren't enough to change the potential production problems in Illinois.

Drought is deepening across the Midwest with 64% of the corn crop and 57% of the soybean crop across the U.S. now covered in drought, a sizable jump in just a week after NASS showed a historic drop in condition ratings.

Arkansas farmer Clay Smith had a close encounter with lightning this week — and it was all caught on camera. He describes the experience as well as the damage it caused.

High water levels and flooding are starting to ease on the upper Mississippi River which is allowing locks to reopen and barge traffic to resume.

“We have a pretty deep trough of low-pressure that's kind of parked over the Midwest, which is leading to below-normal temperatures,” says Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist. Here's a look at the 30-day forecast.

USDA's weekly Crop Progress Report shows 14% of the nation's corn crop and 9% of the soybean crop is planted. Farmers in Missouri and Tennessee are planting at a rapid pace, but the upper Midwest is already behind.

Dry conditions spurred by La Nina weighed on areas of the Corn Belt in 2022. As La Nina fades, and El Nino starts to make a return, meteorologists say the weather shift could also signal better crop production in 2023.

You’ve heard the debate—corn should be planted before beans, or vice versa. Research out of the University of Illinois aims to set the record straight.

Winter is not the high precipitation time frame for many portions of farm country, Snodgrass says. One spring storm system can deliver the same amount of soil moisture as all the snowfall during the winter.

As La-Niña ends, meteorologists say the next two months could determine whether we see a drought like 2012 or a return of regular rains across the lower 48.

It doesn’t matter if it’s spring, summer, winter or fall, weather is always on producers’ minds. While slower seasons can offer relief, winter can drain emotional batteries. Here are two steps to help find relief.

Be ready for a colder and snowier winter versus recent years.

Winter weather is packing a punch across much of farm country this week.  However, its being somewhat ignored by the trade. 

John Phipps says Thanksgiving shouldn’t be a weather-dependent celebration. Gratitude doesn’t watch the 6-10 day forecast. John's annual Harvest of Thanks message is a good reminder for your heart and mind.

As of Oct. 25, nearly 63% of the U.S. is experiencing drought conditions. That’s more than a 3% increase from just last week and the highest it's been since 2012.

The rapidly worsening water supply crisis has prompted governments to try remedies with uncertain success rates through cloud seeding. Does it actually work and what's China's track record? John Phipps weighs in.

Growing up in New Mexico, around a family of farmers and ranchers, rain was the currency of hope. I spent every season waiting on rain. Anything over a 10% chance was a “good chance” for moisture. 

Intentional or not, humans have helped shape today’s weather patterns. Now they’re looking at technology to protect their future.

Dutch researchers think it's possible to modify the weather in one of the driest regions in the world, the Sinai Peninsula, and restore a green, fertile plain by restarting the area's water cycle.

USDA scientists are testing new cloud seeding technology to help fight drought by unlocking more rain from clouds. The key ingredients are tap water and a small electrical charge.