Eastern, Southern Argentina Remains Wet; Drying Likely
By Jared McWilliams
Kansas City, March 14 (World Weather Inc.) – Another good week of weather occurred over much of Argentina’s most important summer crop areas during the past week. Recent dry weather has benefited the heart of corn and soybean country while some heavy rain 
continued to impact northern and eastern locations providing less than ideal conditions for cotton and rice during the past seven days. Some flooding resulted in delayed fieldwork, including the harvest of early season crops, increasing concern over crop quality in eastern Entre Rios as well as Chaco into Corrientes.
Rain returned to eastern and northern Argentina last Wednesday into this past weekend. Some of the rainfall was heavy over Entre Rios Wednesday into Thursday, March 8-9 and from Chaco into Corrientes Thursday into the weekend. Rain totals varied from 1.50 to 3.00 inches most often from northeast La Pampa, Buenos Aires and southeast Cordoba through Entre Rios. Some greater amounts occurred in rice production areas of eastern Entre Rios where totals varied from 2.00 to just over 4.00 inches. Heavy rain also occurred in Chaco and Corrientes where totals varied from 2.00 to 4.85 inches. The return of the rain has left Buenos Aires into Entre Rios as well as Chaco and Corrientes too wet. Some flooding evolved in the areas of greatest rainfall and soil conditions are saturated. The persistent wet conditions recently have prolonged harvest delays and concern has risen over crop quality declines in 
rice and cotton.
Net drying is needed in Buenos Aires, Entre Rios into Corrientes and Chaco due to the recent rainfall. Subsoil conditions are rated adequate to surplus while topsoil conditions are excessively wet. Another brief bout of heavy rain will return to Chaco and Corrientes and surrounding northern Argentina Wednesday into Thursday. However, dry weather will remain over Buenos Aires and most of Entre Rios. The heavy rain will result in flooding and concern over crop conditions will continue especially in northeastern cotton areas. However, dry weather will return late this week through the middle of next week and that should benefit crops and improve the potential for fieldwork resuming soon. Rain chances will return again March 23-24.
Meanwhile, weather during the past week limited 
rainfall over the heart of corn and soybean production areas. The limited rainfall pattern was similar to that of the first week of March resulting in just 18-39% of the usual rainfall so far this month through March 13 from northeastern San Luis through central and northern Cordoba, southern Santiago del Estero and central and northwest Santa Fe. The lack of rainfall has allowed the topsoil dry down some during the past couple of weeks although subsoil moisture is still rated marginal to adequate in the heart of corn and soybean production areas. Some topsoil conditions are starting to dry a little too much in northern Cordoba and southern Santiago del Estero and some timely rainfall will be needed by the end of this month for late season crops, like peanuts, sorghum and late planted corn.
Mostly dry weather will continue to impact the heart of soybean and corn production areas during the next week and topsoil conditions will firm up with crops becoming more dependent on subsoil moisture for normal development. The lack of precipitation will benefit early season crop maturation and harvesting. Rain chances will improve during mid- to late-week next week, March 22-25, and will help bolster topsoil moisture in central Argentina where recent dryness has evolved. The return of precipitation will provide timely moisture, although a return to a drier weather will be needed again to support late season maturation and harvesting.
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