Cold, dry weather prevailed nearly coast to coast during the week of Nov. 13-19, according to the Nov. 22 USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin. Notably, snow squalls developed downwind of the Great Lakes, resulting in localized totals of 2 to 6 feet or more. In addition, precipitation fell in parts of the South, East and Midwest, primarily during the first half of the week, although most liquid-equivalent totals were under 2 inches.
Snow broadly blanketed the Midwest and interior Northeast, especially on Nov. 15-16, although amounts were mostly light to moderately heavy. Still, cold, windy weather and a variable snow cover hampered final Midwestern corn and soybean harvest efforts.
Meanwhile, deep snow from a previous storm remained on the ground in much of Montana and North Dakota. As the week progressed, periods of rain occurred in the western Gulf Coast region. On the Plains, the combination of cold weather and soil moisture shortages maintained significant stress on rangeland, pastures and winter wheat.
Weekly temperatures averaged 10 to 20°F below normal nationwide, except in the Desert Southwest and along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts. The coldest weather, relative to normal, gripped the Plains, mid-South and northern Intermountain West. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, posted a daily-record low of 6°F on Nov. 19.
In a continuation of last week’s much-needed rainfall, showers spread eastward into key winter grain and summer crop areas of Argentina, benefiting immature wheat and barley and providing timely moisture for germinating corn, soybeans and cotton.
In central Argentina, the moisture was timely for reproductive to filling winter grains, although many locations had already reported some irreversible damage from drought and frost. Farther north, the moisture aided planting of summer grains, oilseeds and cotton but came too late for winter wheat and barley. Weekly temperatures averaged 2 to 4°C above normal in all but the far northeast, spurring rapid development of all crops. According to the government, corn was 72% planted as of Nov. 17; meanwhile, soybeans were 17% planted versus 31% last year.
Scattered showers across Brazil maintained overall favorable conditions for soybeans and other main-season crops. In southern Brazil, light to moderate rainfall stretched from Mato Grosso do Sul southward to Santa Catarina. Farther north, moderate to heavy rain spread from northern Mato Grosso eastward, ranging as far south as Minas Gerais. In contrast, mostly dry conditions continued from southern Mato Grosso southeastward through São Paulo, further reducing moisture for soybeans, sugarcane, and other summer crops.
According to the government of Mato Grosso, soybean planting was 99% completed as of Nov. 18.
