Drew Lerner, Author at World Weather

North Africa Winter Rain Bolsters Grain Production Potential

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – Winter weather in North Africa was sufficiently wet to bolster soil moisture and water supply in Morocco and improve winter crop production potential from Morocco through most of northern Algeria. Weather in northern Tunisia was equally good to that of last year while east-central Tunisia has been drier biased. The change in weather ends multiple years of drought in southwestern Morocco where production of wheat, barley and other crops was greatly reduced in recent years due to poor water supply.

Russia Snow Melts Swiftly; Warm Conditions Prevail

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – Warm weather in the Former Soviet Union over the past couple of weeks has brought on some quick snow melt. Concern was rising over the snow melt season because in late February snow depths where varying from 2-3 feet in some areas of Russia and up to 1 foot in parts of north-central Ukraine. Today snow free conditions are prevalent in Ukraine, Russia’s Southern Region and most areas from Belarus into the Baltic States. Russia’s remaining snow field is still deep in some areas, but it is steadily retreating and so far, there has not been much serious flooding even though there has been a heighten risk of such conditions this year.

Drought Worry Rising Over Western North America

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – This week’s unusual heat wave in western North America has peaked interest in the weather outlook for this spring. Worry has begun to rise over the longer-range forecast because of the degree of dryness present from southwestern Canada’s Prairies through much of the western United States. Drought is also prevailing in portions of the U.S. Midwest, Delta and southeastern states. The outlook for spring continues to be a little disconcerting and a closer watch on the atmosphere is warranted over the next few weeks.

South Africa Rain Beneficial For Late-Season Development

Kansas City, March 19 (World Weather Inc.) – Western fringes of crop country in South Africa dried down in recent days due to a lack of significant rain and warm daytime temperatures. These areas still had some moisture farther down in the soil and development conditions remained relatively favorable. Eastern South Africa saw a good mix of rain and sunshine that maintained favorable conditions for the coarse grains, oilseeds, and cotton. Waves of rain are slated for the country during the coming week as a series of disturbances pass over the region. The environment will improve or remain favorable for aggressive late-season development, although there may be some delay to harvesting.

China’s Yangtze River Basin Wet; Southern China Drying Down

Kansas City, March 18 (World Weather Inc.) – Rain was often scattered across China’s Yangtze River Basin in recent days. Waves of rain are slated for the region through at least the middle of next week, which will gradually bolster soil moisture across the main winter rapeseed areas. Crop conditions will be generally favorable despite some wet weather. In the meantime, far southern China will generally remain drier than usual through at least the middle of next week. Net drying is slated for most locations raising the need for more significant rain late this month into early April to improve early-season planting prospects. Winter wheat prospects in the North China Plain are also favorable due to timely precipitation in recent weeks.

Western U.S. Snowpack Below To Well Below Normal

Kansas City, March 18 (World Weather Inc.) – The outlook for the upcoming season across the western United States is variable. While mountain snowpack in the Sierra Nevada is lower or much lower than usual for this time of year, reservoir levels are near or above historical levels across California. The state should have ample moisture for the upcoming season despite the lack of mountain snowpack. The Pacific Northwest and much of the Rocky Mountains also have below normal snowpack in part due to a significant warming trend in recent days. The moisture situation will be a greater concern for the upcoming season as drought or abnormally dry conditions are already in place. The Pacific Northwest will receive much-needed precipitation through the middle of next week with significant snowfall slated for the Washington portion of the Cascade Mountains. The Rocky Mountains region and California will receive little to no precipitation outside northern Idaho. Snowpack will further decrease and concerns for significant moisture shortages later this year will increase.

Historic March Warmth To Impact West U.S. Today – Saturday

Kansas City, March 18 (World Weather Inc.) – An impressive early season heatwave is anticipated in the western United States over the next few days as an unusually strong high-pressure ridge develops aloft over the region. This high-pressure ridge is one of the strongest noted for this time of year and will have characteristics similar to that of a mid-summer event. That implies hundreds of record high temperatures are going to be set in the western United States and some cities in the southwest will possibly break their records for excessive heat so early in the season. Some of the temperatures will be the warmest recorded for the month of March and probably surpass old records for early season heat set in April as well. The excessive heat and record setting conditions may last for two to three days. The extremely anomalous warmth will occur from California and the southwestern desert region into the northern Rocky Mountain region and portions of the northern Plains. Stress to livestock and winter crops is quite likely; including those in in hard red winter wheat areas, most of West Texas and the northern Plains. Cooler air will arrive Sunday with some additional anomalous warmth later next week.