Weather Report: Blizzard Warning For Northern Plains, Warm & Breezy In South

10/26/2010 08:04AM

On the Plains, a blizzard warning is in effect for much of North Dakota and parts of eastern Montana, where winds are increasing and precipitation is changing to snow. High winds could topple corn stalks on the northern Plains; 45% of the corn crop remained in the field in North Dakota on October 24, along with 36% in South Dakota and 26% in Nebraska.

In the Corn Belt, showers and locally severe thunderstorms in the vicinity of a cold front are racing eastward. Rainy, windy conditions have halted late-season corn and soybean harvest activities, but moisture is highly beneficial for recently planted winter wheat in the eastern Corn Belt.

In the South, showers and thunderstorms along the tail of a cold front are spreading across Arkansas. Elsewhere, autumn fieldwork continues to advance under a warm, breezy weather regime. However, some producers are awaiting a boost in soil moisture before planting winter grains and cover crops.

Outlook: A winter-like storm currently centered over Minnesota will peak in intensity tonight before lifting into south-central Canada and weakening. Until the storm weakens, high winds will rake the northern Plains and the Midwest, while locally severe thunderstorms will sweep across the Midwest and into the East. Across the north-central U.S., snow will subside by mid-week. Cool weather will trail the storm, but warm conditions will return to the western half of the U.S. by week’s end. Late in the week, wet weather will overspread the Pacific Coast States. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for October 31 – November 4 calls for near- to above-normal temperatures nationwide, except for cooler-than-normal conditions in Florida. Meanwhile, near- to below-normal precipitation across the majority of the U.S. will contrast with wetter-than-normal weather in the Northeast, northern and central California, and the Northwest.

from Cattlenetwork.com