Articles by Karl Plume and Sam Nelson

Rains Wash Away U.S. Drought, Shifting Farm Economy’s Prospects

Torrential downpours across a broad swath of the U.S. Midwest this week are easing the worst drought in more than 50 years, flooding streams, snarling river transportation, stalling corn plantings – and changing the outlook for the American farm economy …

Blizzard Eases U.S. Plains Drought but Crops Need More Moisture

A blizzard this week in the drought-stricken U.S. Plains will moisten soil for major crops, but the snow storm made it difficult to feed cattle and reach some cow herds, an agricultural meteorologist said on Wednesday. Andy Karst of World …

Rain and Snow Help Ease Plains/Midwest Drought

Crop-friendly rain and snow is blanketing much of the drought-stricken U.S. Plains hard red winter wheat region and the dry western Midwest, an agricultural meteorologist said on Wednesday. “Widespread coverage of the Plains and western Midwest will occur in the …

Drought Seen Worsening in Plains, Midwest States

Dry weather continues to plague the drought-stricken U.S. Plains and western Midwest with only light showers and snowfall expected this week, an agricultural meteorologist said on Monday. “The Plains and the northwest Midwest will still struggle with drought, there’s not …

No Relief In Sight for Drought-Stricken Plains States

Dry weather should continue through at least the end of January in the drought-stricken U.S. Plains and a blast of Arctic cold air in the Midwest early next week poses a threat to unprotected livestock and possibly some wheat, an …

U.S. Crops Get a Break from Historic Drought

Rain and cooler temperatures in the drought-stricken U.S. Midwest crop belt will provide relief for late-season soybeans, but the change in the weather is arriving too late to help the already severely damaged corn crop, an agricultural meteorologist said on …

Midwest Light Rain Not Enough to Stave Off Crop Losses

Light showers overnight in the southwestern U.S. Midwest were too little too late to prevent further losses to corn and soybean yields, and next week will bring the return of high heat and drought, an agricultural meteorologist forecast Thursday. Rain …

No Relief in Sight for Drought-Damaged Crops

Midday weather updates on Wednesday indicate more hot, dry weather for the U.S. Midwest, where corn and soybean crops are rapidly deteriorating amid the harshest drought in more than half a century. “It’s a little wetter for next week in …

Worst Midwest Drought Since 1956 Expanding North, West

An expanding U.S. drought, now deemed the worst since 1956, dealt another blow to the corn crop, with conditions deteriorating for a second straight week in the world’s top exporter of the grain, U.S. government data showed on Monday. There …