November 14, 2020 / www.IllinoisFarmerToday.com N 11

Outlook Nov. 17 — Nov. 23 Illinois Almanac Nov. 1 — Nov. 7 Zeta brings wind, rain; Temperature Precipitation Temperatures Avg. Avg. +/- % of Midwest cools down High Low Avg. Nml. Week Year Nml. Northwest Category 2 Hurricane Zeta moved ashore in Moline 67.9 37.7 52.8 6.8 0 31.44 93 southeastern Louisiana, bearing sustained winds Morrison M M 0 0 M 32.07 95 of 110 mph, spreading tropical storm-force winds Rockford 67.1 37.3 52.2 7.5 0 31.07 96 northeastward from the central Gulf Coast across the southern Appalachians to the middle Atlantic Northeast Coast during the week of Oct. 25-31. De Kalb 59.4 33.4 46.4 2.6 0 32.37 99 Like many of this year’s hurricanes and tropical Princeton 62.2 34.2 48.2 2.7 0 31.49 90 storms, Zeta posed a threat to unharvested crops Joliet 61.9 34.1 48 1.3 0 30.58 95 such as cotton, soybeans and sugarcane, with as- West sessments continuing at week’s end, according to Much Above Galesburg 63 36.9 49.9 4.9 0 30.45 91 the Nov. 3 USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulle- La Harpe 64.7 40 52.4 6 0 25.55 72 tin. Above Quincy 68.4 41.7 55.1 7 0 31.64 97 Meanwhile, a record-setting cold wave — with Normal weekly temperatures averaging 10-20 degrees be- Below Central low normal — continued for several days across Much Below Peoria 66.9 37.6 52.2 5 0 37.74 119 the Rockies, Plains, and upper Midwest. Tempera- Normal 62.9 36.4 49.6 3.6 0 33.75 99 tures plunged below zero as far south as Colora- Precipitation Decatur 64 39.3 51.6 2.4 0 38.57 111 do. Chilly weather also extended eastward into East New England. In contrast, lingering Southeastern Pontiac M M 0 0 M M 0 warmth boosted weekly temperatures more than Hoopeston 50 26.5 38.2 -10.7 0 33.55 97 5 degrees above normal. Champaign 64.2 33.2 48.7 1.6 0 38.23 107 Farther west, a winter-like storm system pro- duced rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow across West Southwest central and southern sections of the Rockies and Springfield 68.1 39.4 53.8 5.3 0 36.8 114 Plains, stressing livestock but benefiting drought- White Hall 65.9 36.3 51.1 3 0 37.53 114 stressed winter wheat. Jerseyville 66.2 34.8 50.5 1.6 0 37.75 110 East Southeast Outlook maps created Nov. 9 Windsor 63 36.6 49.8 0.7 0 46.68 136 courtesy of the National Weather Service. Salem 66 37 51.5 1.8 0 43.1 115 Olney 63 34 48.5 -1.3 0 44.91 112 Much Above For the most current local forecast, Southwest visit www.agupdate.com/weather Above Normal Normal St. Louis 71.4 42.9 57.1 5 0 44.56 127 Below Normal Nashville M M 0 0 M M 0 Later, the storm sparked heavy rain from the Much Below Carbondale 65.3 35.2 50.2 -1.2 0 42.32 107 mid-South into the Ohio Valley, in part due to in- Southeast teraction with the remnants of Zeta. Most of the Source: National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center Mt. Vernon 65.6 38 51.8 2.1 0 43.69 118 remainder of the country experienced cold, dry Rosiclare 63.6 34 48.8 -2.4 0 56.37 134 high levels. According to the government of Ar- weather. In southern California, gusty winds ac- Smithland 64.7 35.1 49.9 -2.2 0 48.89 121 companied the surge of colder air, contributing to gentina, corn was 36% planted as of Oct. 29, one the rapid spread of wildfires. point ahead of last year’s national pace; fieldwork Statewide Averages advanced 4 points in Cordoba (20% planted), fall- Illinois 66.4 36.5 51.5 4.1 0 37.48 109 Argentina and Brazil ing behind the previous year’s pace by 12 points. Wisconsin 63.2 33.4 48.3 9.2 0 31.77 106 Locally heavy showers were timely for germi- Scattered, locally heavy showers continued Iowa 67.8 34.2 51 8.6 0 26.15 81 nation and establishment of summer grains, oil- throughout central Brazil, supporting an increased Missouri 69.6 39 54.3 5 0 43.3 115 seeds, and cotton. For many producers, it was a pace of soybean planting. According to the gov- Kentucky 66.9 34.9 50.9 -0.4 0 52.44 129 second consecutive week of much-needed rain. ernment of Mato Grosso, soybean planting ad- Indiana 64.5 36.2 50.4 2.6 0 37.91 104 Although the moisture will benefit later-develop- vanced 29 points to reach 54% complete on Oct. Weekly weather summary provided by Midwestern Regional Climate Center ing winter grains, much of the crop had already 30, lagging last year’s pace by 28 points. According suffered irreversible losses in yield potential due to the government of Parana, first-crop corn and MRCC is a cooperative program between the National Centers for Environ- to earlier periods of drought. The wetter con- soybeans were 92 and 61% planted, respectively. In mental Information (NCEI) and the Illinois State Water Survey in Champaign, Ill. The NCEI is part of the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Rio Grande do Sul, corn and soybeans were 72 and ditions ushered cooler weather into the region, Atmospheric Administration. MRCC is a partner in a national program that in- lowering evaporation rates from the previous 7% planted, respectively. cludes NCEI, five other regional climate centers and state climate offices.