Editor’s note: This report provides a region-by-region situational overview and a risk-based 7‑day outlook tailored to U.S. agricultural operations for late November. Conditions can change quickly; for site-specific, real-time observations and warnings, consult your local National Weather Service office or trusted agricultural weather provider.

What producers are dealing with at this point in late November

Late-autumn weather across U.S. farm country often features fast-moving fronts, wide day-to-day temperature swings, the season’s first hard freezes outside the Deep South, and early-season mountain and Northern Plains snows. That pattern tends to create alternating windows of harvest opportunity and weather delays, occasional livestock cold stress, and mixed signals for winter wheat establishment depending on moisture availability.

  • Harvest status: Corn and soybean harvest in the Corn Belt typically enters the final stretch with scattered weather delays; cotton and peanut harvest pace in the Southeast and Delta depends on brief dry breaks between fronts.
  • Winter wheat: Emergence and early tillering in the Central and Southern Plains benefit from light to moderate moisture and mild interludes; shallow-rooted stands are vulnerable to sharp cold snaps and desiccating winds.
  • Specialty crops: California’s Central Valley and the desert Southwest are in peak vegetable harvest; Florida citrus and sugarcane operations watch for radiational freezes inland; the Pacific Northwest sees soil recharge and cool, damp windows affecting orchard floor work.
  • Livestock: Windy, dry downslope events on the High Plains and cold shots behind fronts can increase cold stress; muddy lots and icy conditions follow mixed precipitation events farther north.

7-day agricultural weather outlook by region

Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID)

Pattern: Periodic Pacific storm impulses are typical in late November, favoring valleys with frequent rain and accumulating mountain snow.

What to expect: Several rounds of rain for coastal and interior valleys with snow over the Cascades and northern Rockies. Breezy to windy periods near frontal passages.

Field impacts:

  • Soil moisture recharge continues; fieldwork windows are short between systems.
  • Orchards: wet orchard floors, slippery access; watch for localized wind damage risk in exposed blocks.
  • Livestock: chill and wet stress during rain/snow; provide windbreaks and bedding.

California and the Sierra

Pattern: Northern California is most exposed to Pacific systems; Central Valley often oscillates between cool, foggy mornings and occasional rain; Sierra snow with stronger waves. Southern California alternates between onshore showers and offshore breezy periods.

What to expect: Intermittent light-to-moderate rain chances north of the Delta; Central Valley morning fog (tule fog) on calmer, clear nights; Sierra snow with the more robust waves. Southern California mainly dry with brief offshore wind episodes possible.

Field impacts:

  • Vegetables and orchards: damp mornings and fog slow drying; packout and harvest timing favor midafternoon.
  • Rangeland: gradual greening in the north; monitor for elevated fire-weather periods in the south during any offshore winds.

Southwest Deserts (AZ, NM, far West TX)

Pattern: Predominantly dry with big day-night temperature ranges; occasional breezy afternoons with passing disturbances.

What to expect: Mostly rain-free. Cool nights can dip to frost thresholds in colder pockets; afternoons seasonably mild.

Field impacts:

  • Leafy greens: ideal for quality with cool nights; deploy frost cloths or micro-sprinklers in colder hollows if calm, clear nights develop.
  • Wind: brief afternoon gusts can increase evapotranspiration and sandblasting risk on tender stands.

Northern Rockies and Northern Plains (MT, WY, western Dakotas)

Pattern: Shots of colder air with light to moderate snow events, interspersed with brief moderation; frequent wind.

What to expect: Periodic light snow or snow showers, with a risk of a more organized event if a stronger clipper tracks through. Temperatures swing widely; wind chills dip during cold snaps.

Field impacts:

  • Livestock: prepare for wind-driven cold; ensure access to unfrozen water and sheltered feed areas.
  • Wheat: snow cover, if present, protects emerging stands; otherwise, monitor for desiccation during windy, dry spells.

Central and Southern Plains (NE, KS, OK, TX Panhandle)

Pattern: One or two frontal passages likely, with limited moisture west and better rain chances east where Gulf return flow precedes fronts.

What to expect: Light precipitation chances in western High Plains; greater odds of light to locally moderate showers from eastern KS into OK. Temperature swings of 15–25 degrees from warm pre-frontal to cold post-frontal periods.

Field impacts:

  • Winter wheat: patchy moisture aids establishment east; western zones may remain dry and windy at times—watch for blowing soil on bare fields.
  • Livestock: wind-driven chill behind fronts; provide windbreaks and monitor tank heaters.

Midwest and Corn Belt (MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, IN, MI, OH)

Pattern: Fast-moving systems with rain/snow mix and occasional lake-effect bands downwind of the Great Lakes when colder air follows a front.

What to expect: Scattered light to moderate precipitation events; rain changing to wet snow in northern tiers. Breezy to windy behind fronts; brief calm, chilly interludes.

Field impacts:

  • Harvest: brief windows between systems; plan moves around wind and wet grounds, especially near lake belts.
  • Soils: surface saturation spikes under heavier bands; freeze–thaw cycles reduce trafficability.

Delta and Mid-South (AR, LA, MS, western TN, western KY)

Pattern: Return flow off the Gulf ahead of fronts supports showers and a few thunderstorms, followed by cooler, drier air.

What to expect: One or two rounds of scattered to numerous showers; isolated stronger storms cannot be ruled out along a more vigorous front. Short cool-downs after passage.

Field impacts:

  • Cotton and soybeans: harvest pace hinges on dry pauses; ginning and module handling slowed by humidity and showers.
  • Wheat: beneficial moisture for emergence; avoid traffic on saturated fields to limit compaction.

Southeast (AL, GA, FL, the Carolinas, VA)

Pattern: Alternating humid, showery days ahead of fronts and cooler, drier periods behind; patchy inland frost during clear, calm nights.

What to expect: Showers and a few thunderstorms with frontal passages; brief dry breaks. Interior lows can flirt with frost thresholds; coastal zones milder.

Field impacts:

  • Row crops: harvest windows are short; plan for humidity-driven slowdowns in drying.
  • Specialty crops: protect sensitive vegetables and ornamentals during any inland frost; grove managers should review radiational freeze procedures.

Northeast (PA, NY, New England)

Pattern: Clipper systems with light snow/rain mix, gusty post-frontal winds, and occasional coastal enhancement if a wave rides the boundary.

What to expect: Periodic light precipitation; higher-elevation wet snow; windy, colder spells after frontal passage; brief milder days in between.

Field impacts:

  • Dairy and livestock: wind chill management on open sites; maintain traction on icy lots.
  • Specialty crops: orchard floor work limited by soggy ground and frost; protect over-wintering nursery stock.

Hazards and planning cues for the next 7 days

  • Freeze risk: Interior Southeast and parts of the Mid-South can see patchy frost/freezes on clear, calm nights behind fronts. Use row covers, irrigation, or wind machines as appropriate for high-value crops.
  • Wind: Plains and Great Lakes likely to see breezy to windy periods with each frontal passage; secure light equipment and monitor for blowing dust on exposed High Plains fields.
  • Snow: Northern Rockies, Cascades, and parts of the Northern Plains/Midwest may see light to locally moderate snow. Early-season snow cover offers wheat protection but complicates logistics.
  • Heavy rain pockets: The Pacific Northwest coast and windward slopes often receive the most; the Lower Mississippi Valley can see locally heavy downpours along a stronger front. Monitor low-lying fields for short-term ponding.
  • Fog: Central Valley (CA) and interior Southeast/Delta river bottoms prone to dense morning fog under clear, calm conditions—expect slow starts for harvest and hauling.
  • Fire weather: Brief elevated risk possible in the Southern High Plains and parts of Southern California during dry, windy periods.

Operational checklist

  • Time-sensitive harvest: Target 24–36 hour dry windows on the front side of fronts in the Plains/Delta and in midday periods between showers in the Midwest and Southeast.
  • Winter wheat: Where dry and windy, consider residue management to reduce erosion; where moist, minimize traffic to avoid compaction.
  • Livestock: Stage windbreaks, bedding, and reliable water access ahead of colder, windy spells; review contingency plans for power-dependent watering systems.
  • Frost protection: Inland Southeast, Florida interior, and Southwest desert pockets should verify frost mitigation readiness for calm, clear nights.
  • Transport and logistics: Anticipate intermittent chain requirements over western mountain passes and gusty crosswinds on Plains corridors following frontal passages.

Precipitation and temperature tendencies at a glance

  • Wettest relative to normal: Pacific Northwest coast and windward slopes; Lower Mississippi Valley along a stronger frontal zone.
  • Driest: Southwest deserts and portions of the western High Plains.
  • Cooler surges: Northern Rockies/Plains and Upper Midwest behind fronts; interior Southeast following each push of drier air.
  • Milder interludes: Southern Plains, Delta, and Southeast ahead of fronts; California valleys between systems.

Local precipitation and temperature amounts will vary substantially with storm track and timing. Monitor local forecasts for precise daily details and any advisories, watches, or warnings.