Weather
A late-Autumn storm sweeps the Heartland
Across the Corn Belt, a snowstorm is underway in some areas west of the Mississippi River. Although the band of snow is narrow, some livestock stress and travel disruptions are occurring in southern South Dakota and northern Nebraska, where Friday’s accumulations could reach 5 to 10 inches. In contrast, warmth has edged into the southern Corn Belt, where high temperatures later Friday should range from 60 to 70°F.
On the Plains, a low-pressure system centered over western Kansas early Friday is producing a variety of weather. First, snow is gradually ending across Wyoming but continues to accumulate in southern South Dakota and northern Nebraska. Second, cold, dry weather prevails across the northern High Plains. Finally, warm, dry, windy weather prevails across the southern Plains, leading to further drought intensification and an elevated wildfire threat.
In the South, record-setting warmth is promoting late-season fieldwork, including cotton harvesting, as well as growth of winter grains, cool-season pastures, and cover crops. Friday’s high temperatures should range from 80 to 85°F in peninsular Florida and the western Gulf Coast region, with a few readings topping 90°F in Deep South Texas.
In the West, cool, mostly dry weather prevails between storms. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 94.6% of the 11- state Western region is currently experiencing drought. Expansive Western drought has helped to push national drought coverage (contiguous U.S.) to 55.5%, highest in nearly 9 years, since February 2013. Current drought impacts across the West include limited surface water supplies from rivers and reservoirs, as well as poor rangeland and pasture conditions.
