This region-by-region agricultural weather brief provides a planning-focused outlook for late-February conditions across U.S. production areas and what to monitor over the next seven days. For location-specific diagnoses of the past 24 hours and precise short-term timing, consult your local National Weather Service office and state extension updates.

What the past 24 hours typically mean for late-winter fieldwork

Late February commonly brings sharp day-to-day swings, with many areas experiencing overnight chill and milder afternoons, intermittent light precipitation in northern and western tiers, and breezy periods along and behind passing fronts. These conditions can:

• Slow soil drying early in the day, then partially recover with afternoon mixing and sun.
• Introduce patchy frost risk in the Southeast and interior valleys where skies clear and winds ease.
• Maintain mud and rime in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest after light wintry episodes, while the Central and Southern Plains often see drier but gusty intervals.
• Deliver wetting rains or mountain snow episodes in the West, especially windward slopes and favored coastal ranges, with rain-shadowed basins seeing lighter amounts.

Operationally, the last day’s pattern likely favored livestock cold-stress management in exposed northern locations, cautious scheduling of burn-down and pre-plant sprays where winds were elevated, and opportunistic topdressing or orchard floor work where midday drying opened short windows.

Seven-day planning outlook and regional risks

Most regions should plan for at least one change-of-airmass event during the upcoming week, featuring a 12–36 hour window of precipitation or increased winds followed by a cooler, drier period. Timing and intensity will vary by location; use the following region-by-region risks and opportunities to align decisions with local forecasts.

Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID small grains, potatoes, seed crops)

• Moisture: Recurrent light-to-moderate precipitation remains plausible on windward slopes; basin locations may see longer dry breaks. Snow persists at higher elevations supporting spring runoff.
• Temperatures: Cool mornings with periodic moderation. Freeze risk remains for overwintering grains; low-elevation orchard bud stages should be monitored on clear, calm nights.
• Fieldwork: Short, cool-dry windows favor equipment servicing, soil sampling, and nutrient planning; avoid traffic on saturated fine-textured soils to limit compaction.

California (Central Valley specialty crops, forage, vegetables)

• Moisture: Intervals of rain remain possible in the valley with mountain snow; coastal zones may see breezy frontal passages.
• Temperatures: Diurnal swings continue; radiation frost is possible in interior valleys on clear nights—protect early-blooming orchards and truck crops accordingly.
• Fieldwork: Expect narrow spray and cultivation windows; plan around wind and leaf wetness to manage disease pressure in strawberries and leafy greens.

Southwest and Desert Southwest (AZ, NM winter vegetables, small grains, early cotton prep)

• Moisture: Generally limited precipitation with occasional breezy fronts; localized showers possible over higher terrain.
• Temperatures: Cool mornings, mild afternoons; isolated frost pockets in sheltered valleys remain possible.
• Fieldwork: Favorable for pre-plant tillage and herbicide programs when winds are light; monitor inversion conditions for spray drift.

Northern Rockies and Northern Plains (MT, WY, ND, SD wheat, rangeland, livestock)

• Moisture: Periodic light snow or mixed precipitation remains a risk, especially along and east of the Rockies and into the Dakotas with passing clippers or frontal waves.
• Temperatures: Late-winter variability continues with brief thaws followed by refreezes; wind chills can dip notably behind fronts, increasing livestock stress.
• Fieldwork: Frozen mornings may permit limited equipment movement; protect newborn calves from wind and wet conditions during any wintry episodes.

Central and Southern Plains (NE, KS, OK, TX winter wheat, cattle)

• Moisture: Fronts may bring scattered showers; widespread soaking is less reliable—maintain drought-mitigation planning where subsoil deficits exist.
• Temperatures: Wide swings; brief warmth can advance wheat greening, followed by chills that maintain freeze sensitivity where tillering is underway.
• Fieldwork: Look for brief spray-friendly windows between gusty periods; avoid N topdress just ahead of heavier showers to limit loss, but use light rains to move nutrients into the root zone where possible.

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

• Moisture: One or two systems could bring mixed precipitation to the Upper Midwest and rain/snow transitions around the Great Lakes; southern Corn Belt leans wetter than the north.
• Temperatures: Freeze remains common; occasional mild spells won’t eliminate frost risk. Watch for refreeze of meltwater creating icy lots and driveways.
• Fieldwork: Soil structure is vulnerable to compaction when near thaw; limit heavy traffic and target lighter equipment on firmer morning surfaces.

Delta and Mid-South (AR, LA, MS, TN early field prep, winter wheat, rice prep)

• Moisture: Periodic rain episodes possible, with short drying breaks; low-lying fields may drain slowly.
• Temperatures: Cool to seasonable; patchy radiation frost risk in interior areas if skies clear.
• Fieldwork: Manage ruts and surface drainage; plan burndown around lighter wind and lower inversion risk. Monitor wheat for foliar disease after wet stretches.

Southeast (AL, GA, FL, SC, NC row crops, produce, orchards)

• Moisture: Intervals of showers along/behind fronts; drier breaks favor field access in the interior.
• Temperatures: Large diurnal ranges; frost risk persists inland on clear nights—citrus and early peach/blueberry bloom require protection planning.
• Fieldwork: Target spray windows between showers; calibrate irrigation in sandy soils to offset rapid drying between events.

Northeast (PA, NY, New England dairy, hay, orchards, vegetables)

• Moisture: Mixed precip events remain possible with coastal or clipper systems; elevation-dependent snow in interior highlands.
• Temperatures: Freeze common; thaws followed by refreeze will create soft ground then crusting—manage livestock traffic around watering points to reduce pugging.
• Fieldwork: Pruning windows open on calm, dry afternoons; avoid pruning just ahead of prolonged wet periods to reduce canker risk.

Operational guidance for the week ahead

• Frost and freeze: Each clear, calm night can produce localized frost from the Southeast to interior California valleys; deploy protection for sensitive bloom and truck crops.
• Wind management: Expect at least one breezy to windy period in most regions; schedule spraying and prescribed burns only within safe wind thresholds and when mixing heights reduce inversion risk.
• Soil trafficability: Favor morning moves on firmed surfaces; postpone heavy passes if daily thaw has saturated the upper profile.
• Nutrient timing: Use light, steady rains to incorporate topdress N in winter wheat; avoid application immediately before heavier rainfall signals from your local forecast.
• Livestock: Prepare windbreaks and dry bedding ahead of frontal passages; ensure accessible, ice-free water during refreeze cycles.
• Disease and pest watch: Post-precipitation leaf wetness in small grains, berries, and leafy vegetables elevates disease pressure; adjust scouting intervals accordingly.

Monitoring checklist

• Local 1–3 day forecast for precise timing of fronts, frost, and wind windows.
• Hourly temps and dew points on clear nights to anticipate frost onset.
• Soil temperature at 2–4 inches for pre-plant decisions and herbicide efficacy.
• Field-specific trafficability after any precipitation; prioritize least-compactive operations first.
• Livestock cold-stress indices during wind shifts and wet snow events.

Align this planning outlook with county-level forecasts and advisories to fine-tune operation timing across the coming week.