January 30, 2018
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
It is interesting to note (click here) that while much of the commodity market attention recently has been on South America there is a large part of North America that has been quite dry this autumn and winter. Drought is affecting many areas from Mexico through the U.S. Plains to the heart of Canada’s Prairies. The area is normally responsible for much of the quality wheat and other small grains that are produced from North America, and if significant moisture does not fall soon the spring season could be marred by drought....
...Precipitation in Canada’s Prairies and a part of the northern U.S. Plains also has been well below average this autumn and winter. The only exception has been in southern Alberta and across Montana, where precipitation has been greater than usual in recent weeks. Much of the moisture has occurred as snow remains stacked up on the ground. Some of the moisture from the snow will reach into the topsoil this spring as it melts, but frost in the ground will limit the soil’s ability to take in much of the moisture until the ground completely thaws. That is not likely before the snow melts.
Drought in Montana and southern Alberta lingering from last summer and autumn is still present, but the situation in these areas is not as serious as that in the heart of Saskatchewan and southward into portions of the western Dakotas. Portions of both Saskatchewan and South Dakota were snow free during the bitter cold outbreaks of late December and January. Temperatures at that time plummeted well below zero Fahrenheit and well below the potential damage threshold for unprotected winter wheat. Damage to crops likely occurred, but in the case of Saskatchewan drought last autumn may already have reduced the amount of wheat planting that took place. Nevertheless, production is bound to be lower due to winterkill and drought....
