U.S. Soil Wet Enough And More Showers Coming
By Jared McWilliams
Kansas City, May 22 (World Weather Inc.) – Frequent rounds of rain have occurred over much of the United States’ major agricultural regions east of the Rocky Mountains during the past week. The wet weather stalled fieldwork and raised concern 
over late season planting prospects. Exceptions have been limited to small pockets; including West Texas cotton country, far south Texas, Florida into southeast Georgia and into the eastern Carolinas. Frequent rounds of rain will continue to restrict fieldwork from the central Plains and Midwest into the Delta, southeastern states and Middle Atlantic Coast States this week. Net drying will continue over the southwest United States where eventual rainfall would be welcome to at least temporarily boost topsoil moisture, although no such event is expected.
Periods of precipitation occurred over most of the United States during the past week. The only exception was the southwest U.S. where dry and warm to hot conditions resulted in net drying. Meanwhile, many locations over the central Plains into the western Midwest as well as scattered locations in the southern Plains, Midwest and southeastern states received heavy rainfall with 0.75 to 3.00 inches and locally greater amounts occurring throughout the regions. The remainder of major production areas east of the Rockies received totals varying from 0.20 to 0.80 inch and locally more. The only exceptions were in much of West Texas cotton country, portions of Florida and southeast Georgia into the eastern Carolinas where many locations received no more than 0.30 inch.
The weather conditions have resulted in saturated soil conditions from the central Great Plains into the northwest and central portions of the 
Midwest. The only exception is southeast Colorado into the Texas Panhandle where net drying occurred in many locations. Scattered heavy rainfall over southern Mississippi into Alabama, northern Georgia and isolated locations in the eastern Midwest also left crop areas quite wet. Meanwhile, dryness expanded from Florida and southeast Georgia into eastern portions of the Carolinas during the past week. Sub-soil moisture remains favorable in most of the Carolinas and long term dryness remains confined to southeast Georgia and Florida where a lack of rain has been occurring for quite some time. The southwestern desert region of United States into the southwestern high Plains region and far south Texas remain quite dry.
Looking forward into the next week of precipitation across the United States, the greatest rain will shift over the eastern half of the Midwest as well as the Delta and southeastern states into the Mid-Atlantic Region where soil conditions will become saturated. Rain will be more frequent over central and eastern Texas into the Delta and southeastern states where fieldwork will be restricted this week. The rainfall will be most important and welcome over far south Texas, southeast Georgia and much of Florida where the rain will help boost 
topsoil moisture and relieve some of the long-term dryness. The rain will also end short term drying over the eastern Carolinas where topsoil moisture will be replenished. Meanwhile, frequent rounds of rain will continue to impact the central Plains into the Midwest resulting in restricted fieldwork and planting delays. Winter wheat will remain vulnerable to wet weather disease and the quality of early maturing grain in a part of the southern Plains might be risk if rain falls too often.
Meanwhile, restricted rain will occur in northern portions of the Northern Plains including North Dakota and northern South Dakota and western Minnesota where net-drying will allow some fieldwork to occur. Soil conditions will be limited to dry over northeastern Montana and into much of North Dakota, although the Red River Basin of the north should have enough soil moisture to support fieldwork and planting.
Timely rain will occur in West Texas cotton country early this week, but the moisture will be brief, erratic and light in many locations. The moisture will help raise topsoil moisture for planting of cotton, peanuts, corn and sorghum, but follow up rainfall will still be necessary to provide the best environment for the crop going forward. The region is likely to turn hot in the coming week and the heat will accelerate drying and raise some concern over long term crop development potential.
Meanwhile, hot and dry conditions will impact the southwestern United States. The heat may put some stress on crops in California and Arizona this week with highs varying in the 90s and extremes exceeding 100 Fahrenheit up to 110 over interior south California and Arizona.
World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. cannot be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.
©2017 World Weather, Inc. Any unauthorized redistribution, duplication or disclosure is prohibited by law and will result in prosecution.