This is a generalized, national agricultural weather overview for mid‑November. Conditions vary widely by location. For site‑specific observations from the last 24 hours and point forecasts, consult your local National Weather Service office, state mesonet, or trusted farm weather provider.

National Snapshot

Mid-November typically features shorter drying windows, frequent frontal passages across the northern tier, occasional coastal storms in the East, and periodic Pacific systems impacting the West. Overnight frost and freeze events become common outside the far South and coastal California, while evapotranspiration rates are generally low. These factors collectively narrow fieldwork opportunities and shift management priorities toward winter crop establishment, livestock cold stress mitigation, and post-harvest grain quality protection.

Field Context From the Last 24 Hours

Across the nation’s primary agricultural belts, the past day brought a familiar set of mid‑November challenges and opportunities:

  • Short daylight, cool afternoons, and longer, colder nights limited natural crop drying and reduced evapotranspiration.
  • Patchy frost and subfreezing morning lows likely affected interior valleys of the North and higher elevations; sensitive specialty crops required protection in marginal areas.
  • Intermittent breezes associated with passing fronts created brief windows for residue drying but raised fire weather concerns where fuels remain dry.
  • Light, scattered precipitation in typical storm-track zones can tack on surface moisture, slowing late-season tillage and harvest where fields are already soft.
  • Livestock operations faced a seasonal uptick in cold stress risk during early morning hours, with wind exposure amplifying impacts on open ranges.

Where soils have been drier, field traffic has generally remained feasible, albeit with slower progress due to cooler temperatures. Where soils have trended wetter this month, saturated patches and ruts continue to limit heavy equipment access.

Seven-Day Outlook: What Producers Should Expect

A series of disturbances commonly move from the Pacific through the Rockies and into the central and eastern United States this time of year. Expect a mix of brief dry gaps for fieldwork and pockets of precipitation that reset drying clocks. Temperature swings of 10–20 degrees between air masses are typical, with frost/freezes likely outside the Gulf Coast, South Florida, and coastal Southern California.

  • Precipitation pattern: The West and northern tier usually lead off with incoming systems, with moisture opportunities spreading into the Plains, Midwest, and eventually the East. The southern tier often sees spottier coverage, outside of any Gulf-influenced disturbances.
  • Temperature pattern: A back‑and‑forth between mild, pre‑frontal air and cooler, post‑frontal air. Expect freezes in the central and northern interior; the far South largely avoids hard freezes except in local cold pockets.
  • Wind: Breezy to occasionally windy conditions with frontal passages, strongest in the High Plains, open rangelands, and coastal headlands.
  • Fieldwork windows: Short to moderate windows between systems; best chances typically fall in the Southwest deserts, interior California valleys, portions of the Southern Plains, and the lower Southeast when not under a passing system.
  • ET and drying: Low overall, so drying depends heavily on wind and sun between events. Grain in open storage remains vulnerable to re-wetting and quality loss without protection.

Regional Breakdown

Pacific Northwest (Wheat, Specialty Crops, Timber)

  • Last 24 hours context: Onshore flow in mid‑November often brings intermittent light to moderate rain west of the Cascades, light mountain snow, and raw, breezy conditions near the coast. East of the Cascades is cooler and drier, with frost common overnight.
  • Next 7 days: Multiple shortwaves are typical, favoring additional coastal and Cascade precipitation. Fieldwork windows will be narrow west-side; better east-side windows between events. Watch river valleys for fog, and plan around wet soils for winter wheat establishment and orchard operations.

California (Central Valley produce, orchards, vines; Southern deserts)

  • Last 24 hours context: Seasonally cool mornings with patchy fog in the Valley; deserts remain dry with large diurnal temperature ranges.
  • Next 7 days: Light precipitation chances occasionally clip the far north; Central Valley largely dry with fog potential on calm nights. Freeze pockets in colder basins; prepare for orchard frost protection where needed. Deserts stay dry and seasonable with low ET.

Southwest and Four Corners (Irrigated small grains, forage, specialty crops)

  • Last 24 hours context: Mostly dry with chilly mornings at elevation; local breezes with nearby frontal passages.
  • Next 7 days: Predominantly dry with one or two breezy periods; light mountain snow possible on the highest peaks if a Pacific wave digs. Low ET and cool nights favor reduced irrigation demand; protect winter vegetables and tender ornamentals from radiational freezes in valleys.

Northern Plains (Spring wheat stubble, sunflower, sugar beet regions, cattle)

  • Last 24 hours context: Seasonally cold mornings with widespread frost/freezes; spotty flurries or light wintry mix are common with passing clippers.
  • Next 7 days: A couple of fast-moving systems could deliver light snow or mixed precipitation, gusty winds, and reinforcing shots of cold air. Fieldwork windows short and opportunistic. Livestock cold stress increases during windy post‑frontal periods; maintain access to unfrozen water sources.

Central and Southern Plains (Winter wheat, sorghum, cattle)

  • Last 24 hours context: Temperature contrasts north to south; brisk winds possible with frontal boundaries. Drying windows continue where soils are not saturated.
  • Next 7 days: Periodic fronts with limited moisture for the High Plains; better precipitation chances east of I‑35 if Gulf moisture can connect. Winter wheat establishment benefits from light, steady rains where they occur; freeze risk persists in the central and north, with generally milder nights toward Texas.

Midwest/Corn Belt (Corn, soybeans, soft red winter wheat)

  • Last 24 hours context: Typical mid‑November variability—clouds, sprinkles or light showers in some belts, brisk breezes trailing a front elsewhere. Patchy frost/freezes most mornings outside the far south.
  • Next 7 days: One or two systems likely to pass, bringing scattered rain and possible wet snow in the far north. Short drying windows between events. Grain in the field or on pads remains vulnerable to re‑wetting; aeration and covered storage are important. Soft red winter wheat favors light, frequent precipitation over heavy bursts.

Delta and Mid‑South (Cotton, rice, soybeans, winter wheat)

  • Last 24 hours context: Seasonably cool mornings and variable cloud cover; spotty light showers possible in northern tiers with passing waves.
  • Next 7 days: Intermittent rain chances, especially north and east of the Delta, with longer dry intervals toward the lower Mississippi Valley. Freeze risk is lower but not zero in interior cold pockets. Cotton ginning benefits from dry spells; plan logistics around frontal timing.

Southeast (Peanuts, cotton, winter grains, specialty crops, citrus in FL)

  • Last 24 hours context: Mixed sun and clouds, with localized showers near coastal zones or along weak boundaries; cool to mild.
  • Next 7 days: Generally favorable field windows punctuated by a passing system or coastal low that can produce brief, soaking rain. Inland freezes are uncommon but possible in chilled pockets of the interior Southeast; citrus areas primarily contend with radiational cool downs on the coldest nights.

Northeast (Dairy, hay, specialty crops, maple)

  • Last 24 hours context: Chilly with frost/freezes away from the immediate coast; lake‑effect clouds or showers often follow frontal passages.
  • Next 7 days: Periodic coastal or inland lows bring rounds of rain in the south and rain/snow mix in higher terrain. Short, crisp drying windows; protect stored feed and sensitive equipment from wind‑driven precipitation. Orchard and vineyard operations face freeze events in colder hollows.

Operational Risk Watchlist (Next 7 Days)

  • Freeze and frost: Widespread risk outside the Gulf Coast, South Florida, and coastal Southern California. Protect winter vegetables, nurseries, and flowering ornamentals in interior valleys of CA/AZ, the Southeast Piedmont, and the southern Mid‑South on the coldest nights.
  • Wind: Gusty post‑frontal winds across the High Plains, Northern Plains, and Great Lakes may stress livestock and complicate spraying and residue management.
  • Wet fields: The Pacific Northwest west-side, pockets of the Corn Belt, and the Northeast can see renewed surface wetness that slows tillage or wheat topdressing plans.
  • Transportation and harvest logistics: Brief precipitation may interrupt remaining row crop harvests and grain hauling. Plan around frontal timing to minimize grain quality losses.
  • Rangeland and feed: Cold snaps increase energy requirements for cattle; ensure windbreaks and adequate feed and water access.

Field Management Suggestions

  • Use short, breezy, sunny gaps between systems for high‑priority fieldwork; stage equipment and inputs in advance to capitalize on brief windows.
  • Prioritize grain drying and protected storage; increase aeration on cool, dry afternoons.
  • For winter wheat, target light, timely moisture over heavy applications; avoid traffic on saturated fields to prevent compaction.
  • Prepare freeze protection for high‑value specialty crops; verify irrigation and frost‑protection systems after maintenance or seasonal layup.
  • Review livestock cold stress protocols: bedding, windbreaks, waterers, and energy-dense feed during windy cold spells.

Day‑By‑Day Planning Cues

  • Early period: A frontal passage commonly brings scattered precipitation to the northern and central U.S., breezy conditions, and a cool-down behind the boundary.
  • Mid period: A short, cooler/drier window for the Plains and Midwest; fog risk in interior valleys where winds go calm and skies clear.
  • Late period: Another Pacific‑origin disturbance typically progresses east, renewing precipitation chances in the West and later the central/eastern states, with temperature swings repeating.

What to Watch

  • Frost/freeze headlines from the NWS, especially for interior CA valleys, the Mid‑South, and interior Southeast.
  • Wind advisories across the High Plains and Great Lakes that may affect spraying and livestock exposure.
  • Hydrologic updates in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast if multiple systems stack up.
  • State mesonet soil temperature and moisture maps to fine‑tune wheat establishment and late-season nutrient plans.

For precise, local detail—including the last 24 hours’ verified precipitation, temperatures, and a 7‑day point forecast—refer to your local NWS office or state mesonet before committing machinery and labor.