Weather

Soil moisture more than 90% depleted on the Central Plains

On the Plains, mild, dry weather is maintaining significant stress on pastures, rangeland, and winter wheat. On November 25, both topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were rated more than 90% very short to short in Nebraska (96 and 98% very short to short, respectively) and Oklahoma (95 and 97%, respectively).

Across the Corn Belt, chilly conditions linger in the Great Lakes region. Elsewhere in the Midwest, mild, dry weather favors final harvest efforts and off-season fieldwork activities.

In the South, mild air is starting to replace previously cool conditions. Late-season fieldwork includes winter wheat planting and cotton and soybean harvesting.

In the West, stormy weather in northern and central California is halting fieldwork but benefiting pastures, rangeland, and winter grains. Unsettled weather also prevails from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies. In contrast, warm, dry weather is promoting fieldwork, including cotton harvesting, in the Desert Southwest.