Weather Report 29 November 2017
South Africa - Weather The erratic rain pattern will continue for portions of eastern and central India during the coming week. Moisture totals through next Tuesday morning will range from 0.50 to 3.00 inches and local amounts of 5.00 inches or more from Natal and eastern sections of Eastern Cape into Mpumalanga and eastern and central portions of Free State and North West. Other production areas will receive little to no rain. Scattered showers will evolve across eastern and central South Africa December 6 12 while western South Africa remains in a drier than normal bias. Northern Cape and western fringes of Free State and North West will not receive enough rain during the next two weeks to completely reverse the moisture deficits. Although rainfall during the second week of the outlook will help improve growth conditions, additional rain will be needed to promote the best environment for most crops. Portions of Limpopo will also trend a little too dry during the coming week to support favorable crop conditions. Most other production areas in eastern and central South Africa will have plenty of moisture to maintain aggressive growth during the next two weeks. Planting and general fieldwork will be sluggish at times, though most producers will have opportunities for fieldwork between rain events.
United States of America - Weather U.S. MIDWEST: Much of the Midwest will see a week of good late-season harvest progress as temperatures will be warmer than usual and dry conditions will occur most often. After that, the first significant winter storm system of the season may impact at least a part of the region Dec. 5-7. If this storm system occurs as some computer models are advertising, significant rain would affect portions of the lower Midwest. Harvest delays will be minimal, however, as few crops should be left unharvested by that time. Confidence is low for the details of this storm system, and changes in the placement and intensity of the precipitation are likely to be made as that precipitation event nears. U.S. DELTA AND SOUTHEAST: Good harvest progress will continue through the next week in the Delta and the Southeast. Some light rain will fall on the Delta Wednesday with a large part of the Southeast seeing light showers Wednesday into Saturday. Otherwise, dry conditions will occur most often through Monday and fieldwork should advance around the showers expected in the Southeast. A significant storm system will occur Dec. 5-8 and fieldwork will be interrupted, but with drier weather expected to follow most interruptions to fieldwork should be temporary.
South America - Weather BRAZIL: The two-week outlook has not changed much since Monday and regular rounds of showers and thunderstorms will occur in much of Brazil and Paraguay through the period. Enough rain should fall to maintain favorable conditions for most crops while causing planting delays at times. However, fieldwork should advance around the rain in most areas with the greatest delays expected through Dec. 6 from Mato Grosso do Sul to Minas Gerais where rain will be most frequent and heaviest. ARGENTINA: The driest areas in western Argentina will benefit from daily showers through this weekend. San Luis into Cordoba and northeastern La Pampa will see showers through this weekend with Santiago del Estero seeing showers Friday into Sunday. Enough rain should fall to at least temporarily improve soil moisture and conditions for crops. Some areas will receive enough rain to induce significant improvements in soil moisture, but some areas will not receive enough rain to induce more than temporary improvements in soil moisture and these locations will be left vulnerable to a quick increase in crop stress if a period of hot and dry weather were to evolve. Nearly all areas will be left with more favorable soil conditions by Monday than what is in place today.
Europe, New Zealand and Australia - Weather EUROPE: Beneficial rain will return to the Iberian Peninsula and into southern and central France s drier biased areas this week. Rain will increase over southern portions of Portugal and Spain today into Wednesday. Otherwise, moisture will be most persistent and greatest from northern Spain into central and southern France. AUSTRALIA: The most significant rain will occur over southeast South Australia, Victoria and surrounding New South Wales Thursday into Saturday and some quality issues may arise for winter wheat, barley and canola. Some of the heavy rain will occur over northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland this weekend into early next week. Meanwhile, the moisture will help bolster soil moisture conditions for summer crops, although some areas will still needed greater rain over interior northwest New South Wales and west Queensland.