Note: This is a generalized national agriculture weather overview for the last 24 hours and the next 7 days. Local conditions can vary widely; consult your local National Weather Service office or state extension for site-specific decisions.

National pattern at a glance

Winter conditions are increasingly dominant across U.S. farm country. The northern tier is dealing with periodic light wintry precipitation and subfreezing mornings that keep topsoil crusted or frozen, while the southern tier remains comparatively mild with occasional Gulf-influenced showers. Out West, the cool season storm track is active at times, supporting mountain snow and intermittent valley rain, with brief dry breaks between systems. For the week ahead, expect a series of fronts to ripple from the Pacific into the Rockies and then onto the Plains and East, bringing episodic precipitation and temperature swings. The rain–snow line will oscillate from the Central Plains into the Upper Midwest, and chilly Canadian air will press southward in pulses, especially mid- to late week.

Last 24 hours: Agriculture-relevant highlights by region

Upper Midwest and Northern Plains (Dakotas, Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, Montana)

• Precipitation: Scattered light snow or flurries in favored bands; many areas dry between weak impulses.
• Temperatures: Seasonably cold with subfreezing mornings maintaining a frozen or partially frozen topsoil layer.
• Impacts: Field work largely paused; livestock cold stress manageable with wind breaks and dry bedding; rural travel locally slick where light snow fell or refroze.

Central and Eastern Corn Belt (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, southern Wisconsin, Michigan)

• Precipitation: Patchy light wintry mix north; widely dry central and south.
• Temperatures: Near to slightly below normal; diurnal freeze–thaw where snow cover is absent.
• Impacts: Frozen top inch to few inches supports limited equipment access on firm ground; lingering slick spots on untreated surfaces during morning commutes; grain drying aided by lower humidity where winds were light to moderate.

Central and Southern Plains (Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle)

• Precipitation: Generally light and spotty at best; many locations remained dry.
• Temperatures: Near seasonal north, milder south; gusty periods around frontal passages.
• Impacts: Winter wheat dormancy largely intact; topsoil moisture mixed—beneficial where fall rains were adequate, still short in localized belts; fire-weather concern low to moderate depending on wind.

Delta and Mid-South (Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee)

• Precipitation: Scattered light showers in places; otherwise dry windows persisted.
• Temperatures: Mild for late December with cool nights; pockets of morning fog near waterways.
• Impacts: Field access fair where soils are well-drained; soft ground lingers in wetter pockets; post-harvest field prep and infrastructure work saw workable windows between showers.

Southeast (Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama)

• Precipitation: Isolated to scattered showers near the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plain; interior largely dry.
• Temperatures: Mild days with cool to chilly nights inland; patchy radiation fog.
• Impacts: Citrus and winter vegetable operations largely unhindered; minimal freeze pressure outside of interior pockets with microclimate cold spots.

Southern Desert Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico) and Intermountain West

• Precipitation: Mostly dry in the low deserts; light snow showers possible at higher terrain of NM and the Four Corners with passing disturbances.
• Temperatures: Cool nights, pleasant afternoons in lower elevations; cold in higher valleys.
• Impacts: Rangeland conditions stable; winter irrigation schedules steady; greenhouse/heated structures favored in colder basins.

Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho)

• Precipitation: Periodic coastal rain and mountain snow with breaks; interior valleys saw lighter amounts.
• Temperures: Cool and damp; freezing levels fluctuated with each impulse.
• Impacts: Mountain snowpack incrementally building; orchard blocks dealing with wet ground and occasional fog limiting spray opportunities.

California (Central Valley, coastal and Sierra foothills)

• Precipitation: Intermittent valley light rain/drizzle in some corridors; Sierra snow in higher elevations when systems passed; dry breaks common.
• Temperatures: Cool nights with patchy fog in the Valley; seasonable afternoons.
• Impacts: Orchard/vineyard floor conditions damp in spots; fog reduced visibility for early operations; mountain runoff muted, with snowpack accumulation at higher elevations.

Northeast (New York, Pennsylvania to New England)

• Precipitation: Mixed light rain/snow in bands north and interior; coastal zones more likely drizzle or light rain.
• Temperatures: Chilly; freezing temps in interior highlands overnight.
• Impacts: Pasture dormant; maple and specialty producers watching freeze–thaw cycles; rural travel occasionally slick in the interior.

Seven-day forecast: What producers should expect

Big-picture setup

• Storm track: A progressive pattern sends a couple of Pacific systems across the West, then into the Plains and Midwest before reaching the East. Expect 2–3 distinct precipitation opportunities nationally.
• Temperature trends: Chilly air clips the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains at times; milder-than-normal stretches linger across the South and parts of the East between fronts. Brief warm-ups precede each system, followed by cooler shots.
• Rain–snow line: Generally near or just north of the I-70 corridor in the central U.S., wobbling with each wave. Snow favored north of that line and at higher elevations; cold rain to the south.
• Wind: Breezy to locally windy near frontal passages on the Plains and along the East Coast late in the week.

Timeline

• Days 1–2: Weak to moderate system crosses the West with mountain snow; light to moderate precip spreads into the High Plains. Temperatures near seasonal West, mild South, chilly North.
• Days 3–5: Energy consolidates on the central U.S. corridor. Rain south of the rain–snow line from the southern Plains into the Ohio/Tennessee Valleys; snow chances upper Midwest/Northern Plains and northern Great Lakes. Cooler air follows the front.
• Days 6–7: Another Pacific impulse may reload the West, with downstream effects ramping up late—East trends unsettled with a chance of rain along and ahead of a front; lake-effect snow bands possible in the wake of colder flow.

Regional outlooks and agricultural implications

Upper Midwest & Northern Plains

• Temperatures: Near to below normal overall; coldest mornings mid- to late week.
• Precipitation: Light to locally moderate snow in one or two rounds; lake-effect periods downwind of the Great Lakes.
• Impacts: Frozen topsoil persists; limited field activity. Livestock cold stress increases during windier, colder spells—ensure wind breaks, bedding, and unfrozen water access. Snow cover beneficial for overwintering alfalfa where it develops.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Central/Eastern Corn Belt

• Temperatures: Near normal with swings—mild before fronts, cooler behind.
• Precipitation: One to two systems bring rain south and a rain/snow mix north. Snow accumulations favored north of I-80, with mainly rain farther south.
• Impacts: Short windows for hauling and infrastructure work between events; watch for muddy lots and brief refreeze hazards. Drainage and residue management benefit from spaced light–moderate events.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Central & Southern Plains

• Temperatures: Near to slightly above normal south; cooler shots north behind fronts.
• Precipitation: Intermittent light to moderate events; rain favored south, a wintry mix or light snow possible north and west.
• Impacts: Winter wheat moisture improves where showers are repeated; moisture gaps persist in drier belts. Brief grazing stress from wind-chill during frontal passages; wildfire risk generally low to seasonally moderate on windy, dry days.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Delta & Mid-South

• Temperatures: Mild overall with brief cool-downs.
• Precipitation: Several rounds of light to moderate rain; locally heavier in thunder-bearing segments mainly toward the Gulf side.
• Impacts: Soil moisture recharge continues; short-term field access reductions after heavier showers. Monitor low-lying fields and levees where rains cluster.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Southeast

• Temperatures: Above normal at times; cooler behind each front but limited freeze risk outside interior cold pockets.
• Precipitation: Scattered showers with a frontal passage mid- to late week; coastal and Gulf-adjacent counties likely wetter than inland Piedmont.
• Impacts: Generally favorable for winter vegetables and citrus; watch for fog and high humidity limiting spray windows. Turf and pasture growth modest in mild spells.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Southwest & Four Corners

• Temperatures: Seasonable to cool; cold nights in higher valleys.
• Precipitation: Light to moderate mountain snow chances with passing Pacific energy; deserts mostly dry with a stray shower possible.
• Impacts: Rangeland stable; snowpack building slowly at higher elevations benefits spring water supply. Greenhouse and frost protection prudent for high valleys on clear, calm nights.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Pacific Northwest

• Temperatures: Cool and damp; fluctuating snow levels.
• Precipitation: Periodic coastal/valley rain and mountain snow in multiple waves, with breaks between.
• Impacts: Cascades and Blues add to snowpack; saturated orchard floors and foggy mornings may limit spraying and pruning windows. Watch for localized flooding in typical low spots if rounds cluster.
• Confidence: Moderate to high for recurring systems.

California

• Temperatures: Cool nights with frequent valley fog; seasonable afternoons.
• Precipitation: Intermittent light to locally moderate events possible; higher-elevation snow in the Sierra with each passing system.
• Impacts: Central Valley operations contend with fog and damp ground; mountain snow supports water supply. Orchard sanitation and winter spraying best during dry, breezy afternoons between fog episodes.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Northeast

• Temperatures: Chilly overall with a couple of milder breaks before fronts.
• Precipitation: Rain along the coast with mixed or snowy periods inland and at elevation; lake-effect snow behind stronger systems.
• Impacts: Maple and orchard operations continue winter prep; livestock facilities should plan for icy lots and wind-driven cold following frontal passages.
• Confidence: Moderate.

Operational takeaways

• Field access: Plan work windows between two or three national-scale systems; frozen mornings can support limited access on firm ground in the northern half of the Corn Belt.
• Livestock: Prepare for brief wind-driven cold in the Northern Plains/Upper Midwest and behind fronts on the Plains; ensure reliable water and wind protection.
• Winter wheat: Intermittent moisture aids establishment where rains occur; snow cover, if present, protects northern fields during colder snaps.
• Specialty crops: Southeast citrus and winter vegetables face low-end freeze risk mainly in interior cold pockets on clear, calm nights. California orchards: fog and damp mornings will constrain spray timing—watch for brief afternoon drying.
• Transportation: Occasional slick spots from light snow/mix in the northern tier and refreeze overnight; fog-related visibility reductions in California’s Central Valley and parts of the Southeast.

Risk dashboard (next 7 days)

• Snow/ice risk: Moderate north of I-80 and across the northern Great Lakes; low to locally moderate across the central High Plains.
• Heavy rain risk: Low to moderate along the Gulf Coast, Delta, and parts of the Southeast with frontal passages; low elsewhere.
• Wind risk: Moderate in the central U.S. during frontal passages; locally gusty along the East Coast late in the week.
• Freeze risk: Routine winter freezes north; limited freeze risk in the Southeast outside interior cold pockets; periodic frosts in interior California valleys.

For farm-level decisions, use this as a planning framework and pair it with your local NWS forecast and field conditions.