Extreme cold creates a situation in the United States (US) and Canada that resembles the North or South Pole. It not only paralyzes daily life, but also has consequences for winter wheat. Frost and drought damage is especially a problem in states where there is little to no snow.
Double-digit temperatures are making things quite difficult for wheat crops in Kansas and Oklahoma. The hard red winter wheat can withstand a blow, but there is an additional problem; In addition to the cold, it is extremely dry.
Extreme drought
The southern Plains received only 2 millimeters of precipitation during the past 10 months. Less than 10% of what is normal. This makes the topsoil very dry, which means that frost damage occurs more quickly than with a moist soil. Due to the dry autumn, root development has also lagged behind. Experts therefore expect frost damage to be irreversible. If it also remains dry in early 2018, the problems will quickly worsen.
When spring starts, the plant needs moisture to grow. If this is not present in sufficient quantities, the damage will be extensive. The US Drought Monitor calls western Kansas abnormally dry. The drought in Oklahoma is average, although no significant rain has fallen there in 8 weeks. More snow has fallen in the Midwest, which means that the soft wheat, which is widely grown there, is better protected against the cold.
Shipping traffic
Frost also affects last year's grain harvest. Not only did the impressive Niagara Falls freeze over, but the important rivers in Illionois and the Mississippi also had to deal with ice and very low water levels. This is causing disruption to shipping traffic.
These ships transport corn and soy from the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. Locks are also affected by the cold. Extremely low temperatures are observed in Canada; even down to -37 degrees Celsius. It is not yet known whether this will have consequences for winter wheat crops.
Records
Meanwhile, an arctic wind continues to turn the US into a glacier. Records are being broken in various places. In Nebraska, a 130-year-old record was broken and in South Dakota the record of 1919 was also shattered, when the temperature reached -36 degrees Celsius. Later this week the cold will subside slightly, returning around the weekend. In combination with a storm, a lot of snow is expected.
Cold coming?
In Europe we look at the weather in North America with mixed feelings. In many European countries it is still extremely soft and also very wet. Another 10 to 20 millimeters of precipitation is expected in the coming days (in combination with a storm), reports DCA Agroweer.
Colder weather is expected this weekend, followed by a period of dry, sunny and cold weather. In the Netherlands it continues to fluctuate around 0 degrees. Colder weather is expected in Central and Eastern Europe. It is still unclear to what extent the cold will continue. The weather models are not one-sided about this.