Scattered Showers Moving Through This Week

MINNEAPOLIS (DTN) — Recent heavy precipitation in the Plains and Midwest, a continued active pattern that will reduce drought, and overall good weather for now in South America are the weather factors driving the markets Monday.

SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE MIDWEST THIS WEEK

A system went through the Midwest over the weekend with scattered showers and thunderstorms, and a couple of areas of heavier rain that will be helpful along the Ohio River. A system will move through on Wednesday and Thursday with scattered showers and another will likely move through Sunday and Monday with more. The continued active pattern should help to reduce drought and boost soil moisture for winter wheat.

RECENT HEAVY PRECIPITATION FOR THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS

A system produced heavy rain and snow across the Central and Southern Plains over the weekend. A small system will move through Tuesday and Wednesday with some additional precipitation. Another will move through with more rain this weekend. Soil moisture has certainly increased across the region, though areas of Colorado and New Mexico are buried in snow that will not be helpful for winter wheat. Temperatures will generally be above normal except for areas covered in snow. Temperatures are likely to take a dive after a system moves through in the middle of next week.

LIMITED PRECIPITATION FOR NORTHERN PLAINS

Scattered showers went through the Dakotas over the weekend. A system should bring some additional showers early this week and another system should produce more this weekend. Temperatures will generally stay above normal until next week. Overall drought continues to increase, though some areas are worse than others.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEVELS BOOSTED BY RECENT RAINFALL

Water levels on the Mississippi River have risen due to recent heavy rain across the Plains and Midwest. But for the River to have sustained improvements, more precipitation needs to fall in the Ohio Valley. Some good amounts went through over the weekend and the region will see additional systems moving through over the next couple of weeks that should help as well.

LIMITED SHOWERS FOR SOUTHERN BRAZIL THIS WEEK

Wet season showers continue in Central Brazil, being favorable for soybean establishment. A couple of systems will move through southern areas this week and next week, but overall rainfall will be lower than normal. Soil moisture is lower in some areas, but overall conditions are still mostly favorable in most areas.

SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH ARGENTINA

A system moving through Argentina on Monday is producing scattered showers. Another system will move through this coming weekend into early next week with more showers. Showers will be scattered, and some areas will be left with light or no rainfall. But overall favorable conditions continue to be present in most of the country. The threat of heat and dryness due to the building La Nina may be a threat later in the season.

LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS EUROPE THIS WEEK

Isolated showers fell over the Iberian Peninsula and across France over the weekend. Dryness elsewhere in Europe has been decreasing soil moisture as winter wheat starts to go dormant from north to south. Southeastern areas are worse off than other areas. A small system will drop southwest through the continent early this week with scattered showers. A more long-lasting storm system may develop next week with more widespread precipitation.

LIMITED SHOWERS IN AUSTRALIA

Very limited showers have been moving through Australia lately and soil moisture is falling. With harvest increasing for winter wheat and canola, that will help to promote fieldwork. But cotton and sorghum need more rain. A few systems will move through over the next week, but the forecast is calling for continued spotty rainfall outside of southeastern Queensland.

John Baranick can be reached at john.baranick@dtn.com