Weather

Temps vary greatly west to east across the Heartland

Across the Corn Belt, chilly conditions linger east of the Mississippi River, where Friday morning’s low temperatures generally ranged from 20 to 30°. In contrast, warm, breezy conditions are developing across the western Corn Belt. Later Friday, high temperatures in the middle Missouri Valley will range from 70 to 80°.

On the Plains, warm, breezy conditions are promoting spring fieldwork and winter wheat development. However, the warmth and wind, combined with low humidity levels and abundant cured grasses, are leading to an elevated threat of wildfires. In addition, significant soil moisture shortages exist across the northern Plains and parts of Texas.

In the South, freezes occurred Friday morning as far south as central Georgia and northern sections of Alabama and Mississippi, threatening some blooming fruits, nursery stock, and emerging summer crops. Hard freezes (temperatures of 28° or below) were observed in parts of the interior Southeast, including eastern sections of Kentucky and Tennessee. Crossville, Tennessee, noted a daily-record low temperature of 24° Friday morning. Dry weather throughout the region favors fieldwork, except in areas still recovering from lowland flooding.

In the West, warm, dry weather continues. Except in the central Rockies, snowpack deficiencies are widespread across the southern two-thirds of the western U.S., extending as far north as southern sections of Idaho and Oregon. In those areas with meager mountain snowpack, particularly from California to the southern Rockies, poor spring runoff could lead to inadequate reservoir recharge and potential water-supply shortages.