Eastern Cornbelt:
A mild week allowed for a flurry of harvest activity and fall fieldwork in the Eastern Cornbelt, but the region was bracing for a big weather change as the week progressed.
Rain started moving into northern Illinois at midweek, with highs dropping from the 60s to the mid-40s by Friday. Forecasts called for possible snowfall over the weekend, with temperatures topping out in the high 30s across northern Illinois by Nov. 14.
Central Indiana saw a similar transition, with rain reported later in the week and highs falling from the mid-50s on Nov. 11 to the mid-30s by late on Nov. 12. Highs topped out in the upper-60s across northern Ohio at midweek, but forecasts warned of chilly temperatures in the low 40s by the weekend, along with rain and scattered snow showers.
An abrupt weather change was also seen in the Great Lakes region, where mild temperatures in Michigan and Wisconsin gave way to rain, cold temperatures, and scattered snow flurries by the end of the week.
The corn harvest as of Nov. 7 was reported at 90 percent complete in Illinois, 75 percent in Indiana, and 54 percent in Ohio, with only Illinois tracking ahead of its five-year average. The soybean harvest was estimated at 85 percent complete in Illinois, 81 percent in Ohio, and 77 percent in Indiana, with all three states lagging behind the average pace.
In the Great Lakes region, the corn harvest had progressed to 76 percent complete in Wisconsin and 62 percent in Michigan by Nov. 7, with the soybean harvest rated at 93 percent complete in Wisconsin and 65 percent in Michigan.
Western Cornbelt:
A strong system brought heavy rain to much of Iowa at midweek, with 1-3 inches falling across the state. Strong winds and much cooler temperatures moved in as the week progressed, prompting a winter weather advisory for three north-central Iowa counties on Nov. 11.
An earlier system brought snow to a wide swath of central and western Nebraska on Nov. 8, with reports of up to seven inches of accumulation in some southwestern areas of the state. Cold temperatures followed the precipitation, with wind chills expected to drop to the teens in Lincoln, Neb., by the end of the week.
The corn harvest as of Nov. 7 had progressed to 91 percent complete in Missouri and 82-84 percent in Iowa and Nebraska, with all three states tracking slightly ahead of their five-year averages. The soybean harvest was estimated at 95 percent complete in Iowa and Nebraska and 71 percent in Missouri, while Missouri’s cotton harvest had progressed to 75 percent complete by Nov. 7. Nebraska’s sorghum harvest was reported at 85 percent complete by that date.
Northern Plains:
After a mild and dry start to the week, much of the Northern Plains was bracing for cold, wet weather, with 1-4 inches of snow expected across eastern North Dakota and up to six inches in northern Minnesota by the weekend. Strong winds were also in the forecast, and temperatures were expected to top out in the 30s in many locations.
The harvest pace continued to track ahead of normal in the Northern Plains, thanks to dry October weather. The corn harvest as of Nov. 7 was estimated at 92 percent complete in Minnesota and 81-82 percent in the Dakotas, with the regional soybean harvest pegged at 98-99 percent complete by that date.
South Dakota growers also had 92 percent of the sorghum crop in the bin by Nov. 7, while the sunflower harvest had reportedly progressed to 67-72 percent complete in the Dakotas.
Northeast:
Mild temperatures were reported across much of the Northeast during the week, although wind, rain, and much cooler weather was on tap for the coming weekend.
Highs in the 50s and low-60s were reported across New England at midweek, while temperatures in the low-70s were reported in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. By Nov. 11-12, however, 50 mph winds and more than an inch of rain was expected in New England, with lesser amounts reported in the Mid-Atlantic. Highs in the 50s were likely by the weekend.
Growers were on track with the fall harvest. As of Nov. 7, Pennsylvania’s corn harvest was estimated at 68 percent complete. Sources reported some fall fertilization and lime spreading underway in the region, as well.
Eastern Canada:
Much of Eastern Canada enjoyed several weeks of warm, dry weather after an exceptionally wet October that delayed harvest in some areas, and also slowed the planting of winter wheat.
Growers were reportedly taking full advantage of the improved weather to wrap up the soybean harvest and plant wheat, while also trying to get some fall fertilizers applied. Most sources described fall application volumes so far as only average. Unfortunately, the next round of precipitation arrived as the week progressed, with reports of up to 8-16 inches of snow at midweek in northwestern Ontario and southern Manitoba.
The powerful storm also packed strong winds, which produced blizzard conditions at midweek in parts of northern Ontario. Gusty winds and steady rain were in the forecast for much of Quebec late in the week, along with below-freezing temperatures. A separate system brought rain, strong winds, and light snow to the parts of the Atlantic Provinces as well.