Drew Lerner, Author at World Weather

South Africa Crop Conditions Remain Favorable

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – Rain was again scattered across the main production areas in South Africa during the past week. The rain continued to promote a good environment for aggressive coarse grain, oilseed, cotton, and other crop development. Yield potentials remain favorable across the country. South Africa will see a mix of erratic rainfall and dry weather during the coming week. Additional rainfall will be enough to maintain a good environment for new growth. Some of the early-planted crops, like soybeans and sunseed, usually begin harvesting in April.

Mexico Drought To Prevail In West, North

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – A serious drought remains over the northwest half of Mexico. This drought evolved last summer as the summer monsoon failed to perform normally. Summer rainfall was never great enough to improve soil moisture and water supply has been steadily drawn down since that time. La Nina like conditions then evolved in late autumn and prevailed into February preventing rain from falling across the drought impacted region keeping the region extremely dry. Winter wheat, oats and some minor production areas of sorghum and other crops have been impacted, although only the unirrigated crops have suffered from this drought. In the meantime, other areas in Mexico have more favorable soil moisture due to timely rain over the winter. Several areas in the eastern half of the country will see a mix of spotty rain and sunshine during the coming week that will be beneficial for winter crops that are still developing. Flowering citrus will welcome the rain as well.

Impressive Central U.S. Storm Brings Little Moisture Change

Kansas City, March 20 (World Weather Inc.) – The first official day of spring has arrived following another very impressive central U.S. storm system. This week’s storm produced an impressive wind blowing dust from New Mexico to the Midwest and inducing a blizzard from Kansas to Wisconsin; however the system failed to bring much moisture change to the heart of hard red winter wheat country and the moisture boost to the upper Midwest was a little lackluster. There is potential for additional lighter than usual precipitation in the upper Midwest later this month into early April while the central and southwestern Plains continue quite dry.