Timely Rain Will Lift Soil Moisture Across Argentina
By Andrew Owen
Kansas City, December 31 (World Weather Inc.) – Portions of southern and western Argentina are dealing with dryness due to a lack of rain and warm weather recently. The ground firmed up a little too much and may have slowed development rates in some areas. Northern and eastern Argentina 
received enough rain recently to keep soil moisture rated adequate or excessive. Corrientes and some neighboring areas are too wet and would benefit from drier conditions in the near future. Argentina will see a mix of rain and sunshine in much of the production region through the middle of next week. Rain amounts will be high enough to bolster soil moisture to more adequate levels in the driest areas in the west and south. Northeastern Argentina will likely still be dealing with abundant moisture throughout the seven-day forecast.
Southern Formosa, eastern Chaco, and northern and eastern Corrientes were the wettest locations in Argentina during the past week. Rain totals for the seven-day period ending this morning ranged from 3.00 to 8.90 inches. Santiago del Estero and the remaining portions of Chaco and Formosa reported 1.35 to 3.25 inches of rain while Santa Fe, Entre Rios, and the remaining portions of Corrientes reported 0.67 to 1.65 inches. Cordoba, Buenos Aires, and La Pampa received little or no rain of significance in most areas.
Northern and eastern Argentina has adequate or excessive topsoil moisture stemming from the recent rain. Corrientes, northern Entre Rios, eastern Chaco, and southern Formosa are the wettest areas with many also having excessively wet subsoil. The abundantly to excessively wet conditions are likely keeping many producers out of the fields in these locations while threatening to reduce crop conditions. In contrast, southern and western Argentina has short or very short topsoil moisture while subsoil moisture is still rated favorably. Much of the rain that fell during the past week was not enough to counter evaporation.
Crop conditions vary across Argentina. Cotton is produced in the north where some of the recent wet conditions slowed development. The recent drying in southern and western Argentina has not yet been a significant concern because of favorable subsoil moisture. However, with temperatures running very warm to hot at times it will be imperative that timely rainfall impacts these potentially drier areas and the sooner that 
occurs the better off crops will be. Another week or two of dryness and heat would be enough to seriously change corn, soybean, sunseed, and groundnut crop conditions. Timely rain should come along and make a big difference to crop and field conditions during the next seven days. In the meantime, winter wheat maturation and harvesting advanced swiftly due to the recent heat and dryness.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will evolve on a frequent basis in Argentina through the middle of next week. Most locations will receive enough rain to bolster soil moisture or keep soil moisture at current levels. Cordoba, Buenos Aires, and La Pampa will benefit most from the boost in rainfall. Soil moisture will be rated adequate in most locations by the middle of next week. Rain amounts for the seven day period ending next Wednesday morning will range from 1.00 to 3.00 inches with locally greater amounts in central and northern Argentina. A few pockets in La Pampa will receive less than 1.00 inch of rain.
Temperatures will continue warmer than usual in much of Argentina during the next two weeks. Daytime highs will often be in the 80s and 90s with several warmer pockets. A few locations in the west and north will occasionally warm above 100 degrees. The warm weather will promote aggressive drying between rain events.
The main concern for Argentina during the coming week will be the wet conditions continuing in the north and northeast. Many areas will continue to experience flooding that will keep farmers out of the fields and potentially damage crops. Cotton will be impacted most, although some grain and oilseeds are produced there, as well. The main corn, soybean, sunseed, and groundnut production region in central Argentina will see favorable crop development conditions prevail through this next two weeks as long as rain falls as expected.
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