A moderate to strong El Nino-driven weather pattern remains in control across the Northern Hemisphere.

An unseasonably mild spell of weather through much of the month of December extended across much of the Heartland. However, it was a stormy and excessively wet weather-related setup that impacted much of the eastern states, resulting in flooding in the Northeast and New England. 

Meanwhile, pockets of drought improvement were noted over the central sections of the Winter Wheat Belt, namely in Kansas. Thus far, however, precipitation during California’s typical wet season has been disappointing. Snow totals across the Sierra Nevada range are running not even half of what they should be for the time of year. The water equivalency of snowpack remains at less than 25% of normal. This is a key parameter in determining runoff prospects and forecasting reservoir levels used in the Central Valley.

Powered by the weather maps and charts used on “This Week in Agribusiness,“ here’s a look at the remainder of the winter season from a temperature and precipitation standpoint.