The look and feel of early Winter across parts of the Heartland

Weather

The look and feel of early Winter across parts of the Heartland

Across the Corn Belt, a Blizzard Warning is in effect early Friday in northeastern South Dakota. Other parts of the upper Midwest—the eastern Dakotas, northwestern Iowa, and much of Minnesota—are experiencing transportation difficulties due to snow, blowing snow, and sub-freezing temperatures. Elsewhere, dry weather has returned across the southern and eastern Corn Belt, following recent rainfall, although fieldwork disruptions persist.

On the Plains, a slowly departing storm system is producing wind and snow in the eastern Dakotas. In fact, a Blizzard Warning remains in effect Friday morning in northeastern South Dakota. Meanwhile, windy, dry weather is leading to an elevated wildfire threat across portions of the central and southern High Plains. Temperatures are relatively benign for this time of year, aside for some readings that will remain below 32°F all day Friday in the storm-affected eastern Dakotas.

In the South, rain showers are confined to the Atlantic Coast States and the Ozark Plateau. Dry weather favors autumn fieldwork across the remainder of the region, although warmth in the Deep South and the southern Atlantic region contrasts with cooler conditions across the interior Southeast.

In the West, mild, dry weather generally favors autumn fieldwork. However, rain and snow showers—confined to the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies—are providing limited drought relief. Even with recent Northwestern precipitation, topsoil moisture (on November 7) was rated 66% very short to short in Washington, along with 52% in Wyoming and 46% in Oregon. On the same date, Oregon led the U.S. with 51% of its winter wheat rated very poor to poor.

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