U.S. Farm Weather: 24-Hour Wrap and 7-Day Outlook for Key Agricultural Regions
Published: 2025-08-24 14:12:11 (local)
Editor’s note: This article provides a region-by-region assessment tailored to agriculture. For site-specific decisions, always consult your local National Weather Service (NWS) office and extension advisories.
Key takeaways at a glance
- Late-summer heat remains a major stressor across the Southern Plains and parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley; spotty thunderstorms elsewhere offer uneven moisture.
- The Corn Belt faces on-and-off thunderstorm chances tied to glancing fronts; timing will dictate late-season grain fill benefits versus lodging risk.
- Monsoon-driven storms continue in the Southwest high terrain with localized flash-flood risk; California’s Central Valley stays predominantly hot and dry.
- Pacific Northwest stays largely dry with periodic breezy periods inland; fire weather risk persists east of the Cascades.
- Tropical season is near peak; the Gulf and Atlantic bear watching for moisture injections that could quickly change rainfall prospects late week.
Agriculture-relevant weather in the last 24 hours
Late August typically brings a familiar pattern: hot conditions across the southern tier, scattered thunderstorms along and ahead of weak fronts in the central U.S., and monsoonal convection over the interior Southwest. Coastal Pacific zones stay seasonably dry with onshore breezes, while inland Northwest wheat regions can see warm, dry afternoons and locally gusty winds. These features tend to yield:
- Heat and humidity: Elevated heat load for livestock and high evapotranspiration across the Southern Plains, Delta, and parts of the Southeast.
- Hit-or-miss rainfall: Beneficial but uneven storm totals from the Central/Northern Plains into the Corn Belt; localized ponding where storms train.
- Monsoon impacts: Afternoon/evening thunderstorms over AZ/NM high terrain, with localized flash-flood risk on burn scars and slot canyons.
- Fire weather: Dry, breezy conditions east of the Cascades and portions of the Great Basin support elevated fire danger and smoke dispersion concerns.
Note: This wrap is a generalized synthesis for late August. For exact 24-hour observed totals or severe reports, check your local NWS office or state mesonet.
Seven-day forecast and field impacts (scenario-based)
This 7-day outlook provides regional scenarios and timing windows commonly seen in late August. Confidence levels reflect typical predictability at this lead time and may shift as fronts or tropical systems organize.
Corn Belt (Eastern NE, IA, MN, WI, IL, IN, OH, MI)
- Days 1–3: Intermittent clusters of thunderstorms, most favored from the Upper Midwest into the central belt in the late day/evening hours. Risk: localized strong wind/hail and brief flooding under training cells. Fieldwork windows: mornings after storm nights; watch for slick soils in heavier-hit counties.
- Days 4–7: Brief drier interlude behind a passing front, then renewed storm chances late period as another disturbance brushes the north. Temperatures near normal north, near to slightly above normal south.
- Agronomic impact: Spotty but timely rains may aid late grain fill; severe gusts could lodge vulnerable corn. Disease pressure remains elevated where dews persist.
- Confidence: Medium on storm timing; low-to-medium on exact corridors.
Northern Plains (MT, ND, SD, northern WY)
- Days 1–3: Scattered storms along weak boundaries, most active late day. Breezy episodes behind passing waves. Temperatures seasonable to slightly warm.
- Days 4–7: A subtle cool push may dip highs midweek before warming later. Precipitation generally light to modest, highly variable.
- Field notes: Harvest windows mostly favorable outside storm periods. Wind can complicate spraying; anticipate gusts after frontal passage.
- Confidence: Medium.
Southern Plains and High Plains (KS, OK, TX, eastern NM)
- Days 1–3: Heat remains the headline, with many locales seeing hot afternoons and warm nights. Isolated storms mainly near the High Plains and outflow boundaries; most areas stay dry.
- Days 4–7: Continued above-normal heat. Spotty storm chances High Plains late day; limited coverage elsewhere unless a weak backdoor front or remnant outflow arrives.
- Impacts: High livestock heat stress; rapid soil moisture drawdown; increased irrigation demand; elevated wildfire potential west.
- Confidence: High for heat, low-to-medium for storm coverage.
Delta/Mid-South (AR, LA, MS, western TN, western KY)
- Days 1–3: Hot, humid, with scattered afternoon/evening storms—coverage highest near boundaries and sea-breeze interactions pushing inland.
- Days 4–7: Persistence favored. Watch the Gulf: any tropical disturbance increases rainfall potential, but confidence on track/timing remains low at this lead.
- Impacts: Heat stress for late-season crops and livestock; disease pressure elevated under frequent dews; fieldwork limited to morning/late-day breaks around storms.
- Confidence: Medium on the persistence pattern; low on tropical modulation.
Southeast (AL, GA, the Carolinas, VA, TN uplands)
- Days 1–3: Daily scattered thunderstorms, most numerous in the afternoon and early evening. Localized downpours may cause brief field flooding.
- Days 4–7: Similar regime; a front sagging south could temporarily enhance coverage mid-to-late period. Atlantic/Gulf tropics remain a wildcard.
- Impacts: Generally supportive moisture for pastures and late vegetables, but curing windows are narrow and disease pressure stays elevated.
- Confidence: Medium on daily storms; low on any tropical enhancement.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (PA, NY, NJ, New England)
- Days 1–3: Humid with showers/storms along a passing front—best coverage north and interior. Some strong storms possible with gusty winds.
- Days 4–7: Cooler, drier breaks behind the front, then a gradual warm-up. Another weak impulse could bring scattered showers late period.
- Impacts: Improved hay and small-grain windows after frontal passage; watch for storm-related lodging in vulnerable fields.
- Confidence: Medium.
California Central Valley (Sacramento and San Joaquin)
- Days 1–7: Predominantly hot and dry. Nighttime delta breezes offer some relief in the north; far south remains hottest. Any monsoonal incursion stays mainly over the mountains/desert with minimal valley impact.
- Impacts: High irrigation demand; canopy sunburn risk during peak heat; air quality variability where wildfire smoke intrudes.
- Confidence: High.
Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID)
- Days 1–3: Dry overall. West of the Cascades: seasonable with onshore flow and marine stratus intrusions. East of the Cascades: warmer, dry afternoons; locally breezy.
- Days 4–7: Similar pattern. Occasional trough passage could bring a brief cool-down and increased winds inland; precipitation chances stay low.
- Impacts: Favorable harvest windows for dryland wheat and pulses; elevated fire weather risk with low humidity and periodic gusts.
- Confidence: Medium-to-high.
Southwest and Desert Southwest (AZ, NM, west TX, southern UT/CO)
- Days 1–3: Monsoon storms favored over higher terrain in the afternoon/evening, drifting into adjacent valleys. Low deserts stay hot with limited storm reach.
- Days 4–7: Continued storm chances in the high country; day-to-day coverage varies with subtropical moisture pulses. Flash-flood risk persists locally.
- Impacts: Beneficial moisture for rangeland where storms hit; harvest/curing disruptions from sudden downpours; outflow winds can cause blowing dust.
- Confidence: Medium on pattern, low on exact daily coverage.
Mountain West and High Country (CO, WY, UT, ID highlands, MT mountains)
- Days 1–7: Typical diurnal convection with the most reliable storms over higher elevations; valleys see more isolated activity. Brief cool shots behind passing waves.
- Impacts: Plan hay operations for late-morning to early afternoon windows; lightning and gust fronts remain hazards.
- Confidence: Medium.
Florida Peninsula
- Days 1–3: Daily sea-breeze thunderstorms, locally heavy. Heat indices remain high.
- Days 4–7: Persistence likely. Any nearby tropical disturbance would markedly increase rainfall and wind; track confidence low at this stage.
- Impacts: Frequent wetting slows field operations; wind-driven rain elevates disease concerns in specialty crops and citrus. Maintain drainage readiness.
- Confidence: Medium on daily storms, low on tropical details.
Hazards and management checklist
- Heat stress: Southern Plains, Delta, Southwest low deserts. Adjust livestock watering/feeding schedules and monitor heat index thresholds.
- Severe storms: Central/Northern Plains to Upper Midwest and Corn Belt, mainly late day. Secure equipment and monitor for lodging risk.
- Flash flooding: Southwest high terrain and urban corridors near outflow boundaries; maintain erosion controls on vulnerable fields.
- Fire weather: Inland Northwest, Great Basin, West Texas. Minimize spark risk during peak winds; prepare for smoke impacts on labor and harvest timing.
- Tropical monitoring: Gulf and western Atlantic. Have contingency plans for harvest, drainage, and input logistics if tracks shift toward the coast.
Forecast confidence and data notes
- Confidence: High for continued heat in the Southern Plains and dry Central Valley; medium for daily storm cycles in the Corn Belt and Southeast; low-to-medium for any tropical modulation late in the period.
- Methodology: This synthesis reflects typical late-August patterns and scenario-based guidance. It does not include real-time observation ingestion. For verified local details, consult NWS point-and-click forecasts, state mesonets, and the National Hurricane Center for tropical updates.