Weather expected to be an issue in coming months

News

Weather expected to be an issue in coming months

Most of the U.S. is expected to experience warmer than normal temperatures over the next few months.

The National Weather Service’s outlook for August, September, and October projects a significant chance for above normal temperatures across the country after what has already been a hot year for much of the nation, including the third hottest June on record, which has continued in many areas into July, causing some stress to crops and livestock.

Michigan state climatologist Jeff Andresen says “That’s a problem, it’s already a problem in some portions of the Corn Belt.”

Andresen says the medium range forecast for the rest of the month and into August calls for parts of the Midwest to remain unfavorably dry, “You can see a broad ridging feature here across North America and the main storm track here, which is really important in our precip forecast, just right along the U.S./Canadian border.”

Above normal rainfall is possible in southeastern and northwestern portions of the Corn Belt, while the rest of the region has an even chance for either above or below normal precipitation, while parts of the Plains, including parts of Nebraska, are expected to see lower than normal rainfall, pulling the region further into drought.

If the forecasts materialize, it could cause more stress for soybeans during key development phases, also stress livestock, and further restrict planted area for winter wheat, which is already at historic lows.

Andresen’s weather outlook came during Michigan State University Extension Field Crop’s virtual breakfast.

Brownfield’s Nicole Heslip contributed to this story

Michigan state climatologist Jeff Andresen
.