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Climatologist gives updated precipitation outlook

A weather expert says areas of the Corn Belt could receive some precipitation the rest of the week.

Justin Glisan, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, says a more active storm track is expected.

“We’ve seen more rainfall, more precipitation events south of Iowa,” he said, “basically Eastern Corn Belt into Missouri. We’re gradually seeing that jet stream move a little further north and that’s what’s bringing more systems in.”

He tells Brownfield soil moisture is short across the Midwest.

“We need all the moisture that we can get before we get the planters rolling to really get some moisture into the ground,” he said. “Looking at those short term outlooks into the middle of March, we are seeing elevated probabilities of warmer temperatures along with a wetter signal.”

Glisan says the severe weather season is expected to ramp up heading into April.