Crop production in the central US Plains could be threatened this summer, amid hot, dry conditions, according to AccuWeather’s seasonal forecast.
Released earlier this week, the outlook indicates a high risk of widespread drought across the Plains. Moderate to some drought risk is also expected in areas to the east, including portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa (see map below).
"Drought can have a big impact on the growing season in this region, including spring wheat, corn and soybeans," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
If accurate, summer weather would be the opposite of last year across the Midwest and northern Plains, where rainfall was more frequent throughout the summer months.
Overall, the AccuWeather forecast points to a US summer season – from June 1 to the end of August – that will feature sweltering heat, severe weather, intense wildfires, and the start of a dynamic hurricane season.
The worst of the heat will be focused on the northern Rockies and across the Plains where “records could be challenged on multiple occasions,” the forecast said. Many parts of the US have already had a taste of summer warmth, including Phoenix, which had its earliest 100-degree F temperature reading in seven years when the mercury cracked the century mark on April 10.
Meanwhile, areas of the eastern US that avoid the worst of the heat may face an uptick in showers and thunderstorms, including the risk of severe weather.
"The Gulf (of Mexico) is warm and will lead to intense severe weather events into summer," Pastelok said.
The storms could be more frequent in June and July than they are in August, including the potential for intense groups of thunderstorms known as derechos.
Derechos unleash extreme winds over a large area, with the ability to level fields of corn, snap trees and cause prolonged power outages. The zone that faces the highest risk of derechos includes the northern Plains, the Ohio Valley and the Tennessee Valley.
