National Agricultural Weather Overview

Live, location-specific weather observations and forecasts could not be retrieved during preparation of this report. The following is a national agricultural weather outlook and planning guide for late December conditions in the United States. It synthesizes common synoptic patterns and seasonal risks that typically influence production regions at this time of year. Producers should confirm local details with National Weather Service forecasts and on-farm instruments before making operational decisions.

Last 24 Hours: Impacts to Review

While a precise recap is not included here, the most consequential late-December weather impacts for U.S. agriculture commonly arise from:

  • Freeze and frost events: Monitor minimums near or below 32°F across the Southern Plains, Mid-South, Southeast, and Florida specialty crops, especially after frontal passages and under clear, calm nights.
  • Wind chill and livestock stress: Blustery post-frontal conditions can drive apparent temperatures into dangerous ranges for newborn/lactating animals across the Plains and Upper Midwest.
  • Rain-on-snow and thaw cycles: In the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, brief warm-ups followed by refreezing can create ice crusting that limits forage access and increases slip/fall risk.
  • Heavy rain and mud: Gulf moisture occasionally surges into the Delta, Southeast, and Ohio Valley, complicating winter fieldwork, poultry litter spreading, and harvest of late-season crops.
  • Western precipitation: Periodic Pacific systems produce mountain snow (water supply benefit) and Central Valley fog/drizzle that slow orchard and vineyard operations.

Seven-Day Outlook: Pattern Scenarios to Watch

Three pattern tendencies often govern late-December weather in the U.S. The balance among them determines regional impacts this week:

  1. Pacific storm track: A steady parade of systems favors rain/snow in the West, with snowpack gains in the Sierra and Cascades, breezy passes, and intervals of Central Valley fog. Downstream, this can seed precipitation across the Plains and Corn Belt several days later.
  2. Arctic intrusions and clipper waves: Fast-moving northern stream disturbances deliver brief cold shots and light snow to the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes, occasionally pressing south to stress wheat and livestock in the central U.S.
  3. Gulf-enabled southern storm: When a Southeast ridge relaxes, shortwaves tap Gulf moisture, enabling soaking rain from Texas through the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Southeast and southern Appalachians. A severe-weather window is possible along the Gulf Coast when warmth and wind shear overlap; inland, cold rain predominates.

Operationally, expect alternating windows of cold/dry and milder/wet conditions east of the Rockies, while the West toggles between stormy interludes and calmer breaks.

Regional Guidance for the Next 7 Days

Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies

  • Temperature: Seasonable to cool. Valley highs often 30s–40s, colder in interior basins.
  • Precipitation: Intermittent coastal rain and mountain snow likely under a Pacific track. Snow levels fluctuating; look for accumulations at pass level with travel impacts.
  • Fieldwork: Limited windows; prioritize drainage maintenance and equipment service. Watch for saturated pastures and hoof damage.
  • Water Supply: Beneficial snowpack gains in the Cascades and northern Rockies during storm periods.

California Central Valley and Coastal Ranges

  • Temperature: Cool mornings; potential for dense tule fog on calm, clear nights following rain.
  • Precipitation: Periodic light to moderate rain; heavier totals near coastal mountains. Sierra snowpack likely to build during storm windows.
  • Orchards/Vines: Wet soils and fog slow pruning and floor management; avoid operating on saturated ground to limit compaction. Monitor chill-hour accumulation and protect against canker infections by pruning during dry breaks.

Desert Southwest (AZ/NM low deserts)

  • Temperature: Mild days, cool nights; patchy frost possible in colder pockets.
  • Precipitation: Generally light; occasional showers with passing troughs.
  • Vegetables/Citrus: Use row covers and microsprinklers for frost-prone blocks; irrigate lightly ahead of radiational frost nights to moderate canopy temps.

Four Corners and Southern Rockies

  • Temperature: Cold nights with subfreezing lows common; daytime thaw/refreeze cycles.
  • Precipitation: Periodic snow in higher terrain; light snow/rain mix in adjacent valleys during storm passages.
  • Livestock: Provide windbreaks and dry bedding; plan feed deliveries ahead of snow events.

Northern Plains (Dakotas, MT east, northern NE)

  • Temperature: Near to below normal with at least one notable cold shot possible.
  • Precipitation: Light snow or flurries with clippers; locally higher near the Canadian border and eastern ND/MN.
  • Winter Wheat/Livestock: Hardened wheat tolerates typical cold; key risks are bare-ground hard freezes with strong winds. For livestock, schedule processing and transport away from peak wind-chill periods.

Central and Southern Plains (KS/OK/TX Panhandle)

  • Temperature: Variable: brief warm-ups ahead of fronts, followed by sharp cool-downs.
  • Precipitation: Limited moisture overall unless a southern storm organizes; otherwise, light amounts with fronts.
  • Winter Wheat: Dormancy is desirable; maintain stubble for wind protection. If a moisture window appears, light precipitation will help establishment and reduce blowing soil risk.
  • Beef Cattle: Prepare for mud management if rain mixes with residual warmth; switch to cold-weather rations during post-frontal chills.

Corn Belt and Upper Midwest

  • Temperature: Swings around seasonal norms; freezing nights common.
  • Precipitation: Light snow with clippers north; rain/snow mix possible farther south on transient systems.
  • Grain Logistics: Plan ethanol/feed mill deliveries and rail moves around light snow and wind events; monitor bin aeration for condensation during temperature swings.

Ohio Valley and Great Lakes

  • Temperature: Chilly with periodic thaw days.
  • Precipitation: Light to moderate events; lake-effect snow downwind of the lakes after cold frontal passages.
  • Fieldwork: Narrow dry windows; avoid compaction. Maintain waterways and tile inlets to handle runoff.

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

  • Temperature: Cool to seasonable; brief warm sectors possible.
  • Precipitation: Elevated chance of soaking rain if Gulf moisture couples with a passing disturbance; otherwise, scattered light rain.
  • Operations: Expect mud risk around heavier episodes; schedule fertilizer/lime and bed shaping on drier days. Monitor poultry and livestock ventilation in damp chill.

Southeast and Coastal Plain

  • Temperature: Seasonable to cool; frost possible inland on clear nights.
  • Precipitation: Showers at times, especially with Gulf-fed systems; heavier totals near Gulf Coast if a stronger low develops.
  • Specialty Crops: Protect strawberries and winter vegetables from radiational frost; deploy row covers and overhead irrigation as needed. Watch citrus for cold injury in interior zones.

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

  • Temperature: Colder pattern punctuated by brief milder pushes.
  • Precipitation: Light snow north; mixed precipitation possible in transition zones; rain more common near the coast.
  • Dairy/Maple: Manage bedding and manure handling around freeze–thaw cycles; watch icy lots after light precipitation.

Florida Peninsula

  • Temperature: Generally mild with episodic cool mornings; inland frost risk on the coldest, clear nights.
  • Precipitation: Showers possible, with heavier rain if a Gulf system organizes.
  • Fruit/Vegetables: Maintain frost protection plans for tender crops; scout for disease pressure if a damp, mild period sets in.

Intermountain West and High Plains (WY/CO/UT/ID basins)

  • Temperature: Cold nights with temperature inversions in sheltered basins.
  • Precipitation: Snow events tied to passing western troughs, favoring higher elevations.
  • Operations: Use calm, cold periods for equipment maintenance; stage feed and fuel ahead of snow and wind.

Livestock Health and Infrastructure

  • Wind chill: Plan calving and processing away from the coldest, windiest windows; ensure access to unfrozen water.
  • Mud management: Rotate sacrifice lots and add gravel or geotextile in high-traffic areas if repeated showers are expected.
  • Ventilation: In poultry and swine houses, balance moisture removal with heat conservation during damp cool spells.
  • Power contingencies: Prepare generators and fuel for potential outages during wet snow or gusty frontal passages.

Irrigation, Water Supply, and Snowpack

  • Western basins: Expect incremental snowpack gains during stormy intervals in the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and central/northern Rockies. Capture runoff via reservoir operations; monitor mid-elevation rain-on-snow risk if snow levels briefly rise.
  • Central Valley and Southwest: Light winter irrigation needs persist; coordinate with fog and inversion forecasts to minimize drift and ensure worker safety.

Pest, Disease, and Postharvest Quality

  • Stored grain: With fluctuating temperatures, check bins for condensation, crusting, and insect activity; aerate during cool, dry afternoons when conditions allow.
  • Tree fruit and vines: Prune in dry breaks to reduce canker risk; sanitize tools. Track chill accumulation; mild spells may reduce chill efficiency, while cold snaps add units.
  • Vegetables and berries: Damp, cool periods favor foliar diseases; employ protective sprays and improve canopy airflow where feasible.

Day-by-Day Planning Watchlist (Next 7 Days)

  • Early Week (Days 1–2): Potential Pacific-driven precipitation in the West; scattered light snow in the northern tier; cool mornings with frost risk in the Southeast and Florida interior on clear nights.
  • Midweek (Days 3–4): A front may organize from the Plains into the Mississippi/Ohio Valleys; monitor for a rain/snow transition zone. Gulf showers could expand across the Mid-South and Southeast if moisture deepens.
  • Late Week (Days 5–7): Another western impulse possible; downstream, cooler, breezy conditions behind any front with lake-effect snow bands in the Great Lakes belts. Renewed frost potential in the South after frontal passage.

For fieldwork, target short, cool-dry windows immediately behind fronts for surface trafficability, and reserve wet stretches for shop work and maintenance.

Operational Checklist

  • Verify local 7-day forecast wind chills and minimum temperatures for livestock plans.
  • Stage drainage and erosion controls ahead of any soaking rain signals in the Mid-South/Southeast.
  • Time orchard/vineyard pruning to the driest intervals; avoid saturated soils to reduce compaction.
  • Inspect grain bins for moisture migration; schedule aeration during low-humidity periods.
  • Prepare frost protection for Florida and Gulf Coast specialty crops on the clearest, calmest nights.
  • In the West, track snow levels and pass forecasts for logistics; coordinate deliveries around storm cycles.

For precise, local decisions, consult your nearest National Weather Service office and agricultural extension updates. Conditions can change rapidly; update plans daily as new forecasts are issued.