Short-lived 'La Nina' pattern to influence spring planting season
Meteorologist Greg Soulje is calling for active weather and wide-ranging temperatures as spring fieldwork season gets underway.
By Greg SouljeA short-lived,moderate intensity La Nina weather pattern will be the main influence in dictatinig weather across the US, and in particular across the Plains and Corn Belt for the remainder of this winter season, as well as into early to mid-Springtime.
Recall tht a La Nina weather pattern is driven by the cooling of water temperatures across much of the central PacifiC. Oceanic bodies of water have a direct influence at least their temperature pattern in the atmosphere and movement of features across the the northern hemisphere. Let’s take a look the at the temperature and precipitation outlook through early Springtime 2025 and the beginning weeks of the planting and fieldwork season.
As for the late-winter and early-Spring temperature outlook, “warmth” is forecast across the eastern and southeastern U.S. A lingering lob of very cold air will remain centered across the northern U.S., and especially on the northern Plains, where a substantial snow cover is expected to linger.
As for precipitation, with the main jet stream and storm track arcing from northern California into New England, an active and moisture-laden pattern is forecast for the northern and central states. This will generally provide some additional drought relief for areas of the western Corn Belt, and the northern through central Plains, including late-season snowfall.Now, quick peak on the early spring outlook first from a temperature standpoint:
Cold air will linger over the Great Lakes region and into the Northeast and New England, with the start at least of a weakening El Nino weather pattern. Warmth will be focused in two areas - one across the Pacific West and Southwest - and expanding warmth over the southeastern portions of the country, northward to the Ohio Valley.
As for precipitation in early Springtime, there will be some early-season planting delays but additional drought relief over the Great Plains and western Corn Belt.
There may even be a relatively brief trend towards excessively wet weather over the Ohio Valley, parts of the Deep South and Southeastern states, as well as some added drought improvement in the mid-South. However, there are also indications that this pattern will not last beyond mid-Spring, so there continues to be, at least from this early-season vantage point, some optimism about a more normal, seasonal schedule to planting operations across at least the parts of Plains and Corn Belt.
