On the Plains, a band of precipitation stretches from southeastern Nebraska to northern Texas. The northwestern edge of the precipitation shield is falling as snow. The southern High Plains were spared from a significant freeze Thursday morning, but strong northerly winds are resulting in some blowing dust.

Across the Corn Belt, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect Thursday for heavy snow across southeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. A mixture of rain and snow is falling across the remainder of the upper Midwest. In contrast, warm, dry weather is promoting an acceleration of fieldwork in the eastern Corn Belt.

In the South, showers are increasing in coverage and intensity, especially in Florida and the central Gulf Coast region. The wet weather is slowing fieldwork, including planting activities in the Mississippi Delta.

In the West, warm weather favors fieldwork and crop development in the Pacific Coast States. Meanwhile, chilly conditions linger across the central and southern Rockies and parts of the Intermountain West.

On the Plains, cool weather is returning to areas as far south as Nebraska, while unusual warmth persists across the southern half of the region. Monday’s high temperatures topped the 90-degree mark in locations such as Amarillo, Texas (94°F), and Gage, Oklahoma (92°F), and similar readings can be expected again Tuesday. Farther north, rain showers are aggravating an already significant flood situation in the Red River Valley.

Across the Corn Belt, unusually cool weather is returning to the upper Midwest. Meanwhile, some of the warmest weather of the year prevails across the central and eastern Corn Belt. Although the warmth is helping to elevate soil temperatures, fields remain wet in much of the southern Corn Belt—and showers and thunderstorms are currently affecting the northern Corn Belt.

In the South, thunderstorms are lurking near the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. However, most of the rain is currently offshore, except across Florida’s peninsula. As a result, dry weather favors fieldwork in many parts of the South, including planting activities in the Delta that have been delayed by cool, wet weather.

In the West, cold air is overspreading the northern half of the region, while warmth persists from California to the southern Rockies. In parts of the Four Corners States, dry, breezy conditions are increasing the risk of wildfires. Meanwhile, freeze warnings are in effect early today across portions of the interior Northwest.

On the Plains, very cold weather prevails. In fact, Freeze Warnings were in effect as far south as Texas’ northern panhandle. In recent weeks, freezes have adversely affected winter wheat on the southern High Plains, while widespread precipitation has aided wheat farther north. During the last 3 weeks, the portion of the wheat rated very poor to poor has increased from 49 to 60% in Texas, but has decreased from 76 to 53% in South Dakota.

Across the Corn Belt, a brief spell of warmth in the Ohio Valley contrasts with unusually cold weather elsewhere. A mixture of rain and snow accompanies the latest cold surge, aggravating lowland flooding. Fieldwork remains at a virtual standstill, with corn planting just 1% complete by April 21 in Illinois and Indiana.

In the South, cool conditions linger, especially along the Atlantic Coast. Fieldwork is running behind schedule in some areas, particularly in the Delta, due to a cool, occasionally wet spring. On April 21, rice planting was just 7% complete in Mississippi, compared to the 5-year average of 48%.

In the West, freeze warnings are in effect across parts of the Northwest, where a series of cold mornings has led to protective measures being used to guard against injury to fruit crops. In contrast, warm, dry weather favors fieldwork and crop development in California and the Desert Southwest.

On the Plains, the latest in a series of storms is producing widespread snow across the northern half of the region. Some of the heaviest snow is falling in South Dakota. In contrast, warmth has returned to the southern High Plains, where producers continue to monitor the effects of recent freezes on winter wheat.

Across the Corn Belt, cool, mostly dry weather prevails in advance of a developing storm. Some precipitation (rain and snow) is beginning to overspread the western Corn Belt. Significant lowland flooding continues in many river basins from the middle Mississippi Valley northeastward into Michigan, and most Midwestern fieldwork remains on hold.

In the South, cool conditions linger, especially along the southern Atlantic Coast. Dry weather favors a return to fieldwork in most areas, but rain showers are affecting some coastal locations from the Carolinas to Florida.

In the West, a Freeze Warning was in effect Monday morning in parts of southern Washington, including the Yakima Valley. Elsewhere, unusually cool weather in the Northwest contrasts with warm, dry conditions from California to the southern Rockies.

On the Plains, cool, mostly dry weather dominates in the wake of a strong storm system, although light snow showers linger in northern areas. Freezes were again recorded Friday morning as far south as North Texas, where some locations reported temperatures in the low 20s degrees.

Across the Corn Belt, showers and thunderstorms continue Friday morning over the Ohio Valley along the cold front that swept through the Midwest overnight. Flood Warnings are still active from Missouri to Michigan, following soaking rain (local amounts in excess of 5 inches). Snow showers linger in the upper Midwest.

In the South, showers and thunderstorms extend from the Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians at the southern end of a strong cold front. Rain should reach the southern Atlantic Coast by Friday afternoon.

In the West, a new Pacific storm is bringing rain and snow showers to Washington and Oregon. Warm, sunny weather supports fieldwork, including rice and cotton planting, in California and the Southwest.

Soil moisture levels are normal in Illinois for the start of the growing season, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

Soil moisture at 2 inches for Illinois in the second week of April was slightly above normal, averaging 0.35 water fraction by volume. This is significantly higher than last year when moisture levels averaged just 0.23 during the same time period.  Soil moisture levels at deeper depths (4 to 59 inches) were within 3 percent of normal levels.

Soil temperatures averaged 52.6 degrees at 4 inches under sod during the second week of April, 1.5 degrees above normal. Temperatures were highest in the southern portion of the state where soil temperatures averaged 56.5 degrees. Temperatures in central and northern Illinois averaged 52.7 degrees and 45.6 degrees, respectively.

Soil Moisture Levels & Temperature Maps

Illinois Water and Climate Summaries

Daily and Monthly Summaries

On the Plains, warm weather prevails in much of Texas, but cold air covers the remainder of the region. Snow lingers across eastern Montana and much of North Dakota.

Across the Corn Belt, snow is falling across the far upper Midwest, including the Red River Valley. Elsewhere, isolated rain showers are occurring in the vicinity of a cold front stretching from Michigan to Missouri. Warmth in advance of the front’s passage contrasts with a return to or continuation of cold weather farther west.

In the South, warm, dry weather in most areas favors fieldwork and crop development. A few showers linger, however, in the Atlantic Coast States.

In the West, Frost and Freeze warnings were in effect Monday morning in parts of the interior Northwest, including southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Cool weather also covers the remainder of the region, except for warm, windy conditions in parts of the Southwest.

On the Plains, snow is falling across parts of Montana and North Dakota. In stark contrast, very warm, breezy conditions persist on the southern High Plains, maintaining stress on rangeland, pastures, and winter wheat, as well as increasing the risk of wildfires. Across the remainder of the region, cloudiness is increasing in advance of an approaching storm system, while dense fog has developed in some areas from South Dakota to Kansas.

Across the Corn Belt, a low-pressure system crossing the Mississippi Valley is producing widespread rain showers. Early Monday, some of the heaviest rain fell across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Despite a recent warming trend, especially in the southern Corn Belt, spring fieldwork is off to a slow start.

In the South, warm, dry weather favors fieldwork and a rapid crop development pace. Most of the South has adequate soil moisture; notable exceptions include southern Texas and Florida’s peninsula, although most of southern Florida received at least 1 to 2 inches of rain late last week.

In the West, a spring storm is gradually becoming organized across the southern Great Basin. The developing storm is already producing windy conditions and widespread rain and snow showers, primarily from the Sierra Nevada to the Intermountain West. In conjunction with the storm, the West’s recent warm spell has ended.