Conditions are dry as harvest wraps up in the Northern Plains. The dry conditions are opposite from the wet field conditions last fall. USDA Midwest Climate Hub Director Dennis Todey says the variability in the region can make things frustrating. “It’s unfortunately the way it is. Last year, it was the wettest two years on record for Minnesota and South Dakota and now, we’ve flipped.” According to Todey, a soil moisture recharge may not happen in the Northern Plains before winter sets in. “A few things are at play including not much fall rain and depending on where you are, the outlook for winter and early spring aren’t as optimistic for precipitation to get back in that soil moisture profile. That’s beginning to become a concern, too.” Some moisture is possible in the active weather outlook, but the frozen soils won’t help as much in recharging soil moisture.
