US Hard Red Winter wheat areas have received significant precipitation this month, but with the bulk of it falling as rain, crops in the region remain without a protective snow cover.
As the map below shows, North Dakota was the only state in the central Plains to have any snow on the ground as of Dec. 23, with the top production state of Kansas, along with Oklahoma and Texas, still completely bare.
The lack of snow cover certainly has not been an issue so far. Through Dec. 23, weekly temperatures averaged at least 10 to 15°F above normal throughout the Plains, with parts of Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska all recently setting new daily highs for this time of year.
Mostly dry weather is expected for Hard Red Winter country for the next week or so, but a turn to relatively cooler conditions in the second week of the outlook brings the potential for snowfall. In fact, according to World Weather, there is the possibility of a significant snow event in the region Jan. 8-9, which could cause livestock stress and travel delays.
Temperatures in the second week of the outlook will warm to above average by Jan. 7 and then trend colder, “potentially significantly colder,” World Weather said.
