This is the rainfall across the Farm Belt during the past two weeks. I apologize for the white state borders but I cannot find a way to adjust the NWS's product. Below is the forecast rainfall to 7pm Monday the 28th. Additional rains will be welcome if they fall slowly enough as much of the area west of the Mississippi is still experiencing mild drought. 

Kansas farmer harvesting his wheat.  Literally, the "amber waves of grain." Some wonderful news: President Trump signed an executive order Thursday that may result in the dispersal of the federal government .  Why should the Department of Agriculture be in Washington? How about Wichita where it could be, you know, actually close to farmers and ranchers? How about the Department of Transportation to Chicago, the USA's transportation hub? It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I believe it is a sure winner. Washington often seems out of touch with the rest of the nation. Having more of the government outside the Beltway will bring a wider variety of views to Cabinet meetings and to their more general work. It may also reduce the toxic effects of lobbyists. 

Vice President Harris: below is a photo I took of a combine, which in this case is being used to harvest wheat.  Modern combines not only have Sirius XM, they also have GPS antennae that allow farmer to navigate their path in inches -- literally. Most farmers not only have computers in their homes, they have scanners which can be used to, yes, photocopy ID's. Even I have one. 

Above is a map of the desperately needed rain that has fallen during the 72 hours ending tag 1pm CDT. If you click on the title, you'll see the color scale.  More rain is forecast to fall. Below is a map showing the forecast rain from now until 6am CDT Monday.  This particular model is quite good as to location but the forecast amounts may be a bit heavy in places.  Below is a map of the winter wheat belt. As you can see, this rain fell in a critical area.  The map below is the drought situation before the rain fell. Unfortunately, the rain missed the extreme drought area near the Texas Big Bend.

While John Kerry is on his way out, this comment is indicative of quality of thinking surrounding the United States' official positions on global warming.  Kerry is not the only one. I'm sure you've seen news about the massive demonstrations in Europe pertaining to cutting back farming in that continent. 

The image above is a National Weather Service average rainfall from  all  of the computer models with the exception of the high resolution ECMWF model, which is the single most accurate model in the world. The output from that model is below. Please note the 8" maximum amounts in Texas. One problem with the averaging process it that it smooths out the maximum amounts. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that much fall in spots as Mexican tropical systems (what will be left of Norma) are usually prolific rainfall producers. However, exactly where those rainfall maxima will be is indeterminate at this time.  The NWS summarizes the situation this way. Given the drought conditions in much of the area, the rain will be greatly welcomed for the 2024 winter wheat crop. However, I would recommend that fall harvest be sped up, where possible, because the areas of heavy rain may damage crops or make it difficult to get into the fields for an extended period of time. 

With various newspapers writing about global warming and weather this weekend, I thought it might be beneficial to remind our readers of some scientific facts  pertaining to a warmer climate.  2020 Kansas Wheat Harvest Historically, human beings have flourished during times when the earth has warmed and suffered during periods when the climate was cold . Right now, we are warmer than 70 years ago, which is a very good thing. One of the reasons is fewer disasters   worldwide and, in the farm belt, fewer tornadoes . Another is the near-elimination of meteorological famine.  There are two reasons that meteorological famine is nearly a thing of the past: The warmer climate, which allows for longer growing seasons. The Agricultural Revolution. Longer Growing Seasons Click to enlarge The media is filled with silliness such as predictions for the winters of the 2050's (we have zero demonstrated skill with 30-year weather forecasts) along with the adverse side of less winter...

I guess with Joe Biden being sworn in next week it means that agricultural trade with China will increase. So, it was not a total surprise to learn Bill and Melina Gates are now the #1 farmers in the USA . Much of their farmland is in Nebraska, home to Bill's best friend Warren Buffett.  I'm confident they will be following in the steps of Oliver and Lisa Douglas in their embrace of the Cornhusker State as depicted in the CBS sitcom Green Acres.  Green Acres  had a very catchy theme song. You can click on the music here and I've updated the lyrics below. The lyrics begin to be sung 15 seconds in.  [Bill] Nebraska is the place to be. Farm livin’ is the life for me.   Sand Hills spreading out so far and wide.   Keep Seattle, just give me that countryside.     [Melinda] Seattle's where I’d rather stay.   My shoes don’t like that ‘husker clay.    I just adore the Space Needle’s sights.   Shopping at Borsheims just doesn’t seem so...

The Aquifer is vital to farming in the Great Plains but it is being drawn down at an unsustainable rate. Here is an article about changing farming methods in a way that also allows farmers to prosper.