A wide-range of weather, temperatures across the Heartland

Weather

A wide-range of weather, temperatures across the Heartland

Across the Corn Belt, a low-pressure system crossing the upper Mississippi Valley is producing widespread precipitation, including rain, freezing rain, and snow. Wednesday’s high temperatures will remain below 40°F in the upper Great Lakes region, while readings could reach 80°F or higher in the lower Ohio Valley.

On the Plains, cool, blustery weather prevails in the wake of a departing storm system. Gusty winds are complicating efforts to fully contain wildfires that flared on Tuesday across the central and southern Plains, where smoke and dust shrouded skies and lowered visibilities in many areas. On March 27, prior to the latest storm system, 81% of the winter wheat in Texas was rated in very poor to poor condition, along with 53% in Oklahoma, 39% in Colorado and Montana, 32% in Kansas, and 26% in Nebraska. Early today, wind-driven snow showers are occurring in parts of the Dakotas.

In the South, thundershowers in the vicinity of a cold front stretch from the Ozark Plateau to the western Gulf Coast region. The threat of severe thunderstorms will increase throughout the day, especially in the central Gulf Coast region and the lower Mississippi Valley. Warm, windy weather prevails in advance of the cold front.

In the West, isolated showers are ending across the Four Corners States. Meanwhile, a few showers are spreading inland across western Washington. Western rangeland and pastures continue to exhibit widespread drought stress; in Arizona, for example, 76% were rated in very poor to poor condition on March 27, versus the 5-year average of 42%.

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