Commodities Market Impact Weather: Midwest Cold Continues

 

  OMAHA--Short-term stressful cold in the Midwest, and below-average rainfall in central Brazil, are
the primary weather items for the commodity trade's attention Thursday.
SHORT-TERM WINTER STRESS IN MIDWEST
  The DTN ag weather forecast calls for some short-term winter stress in the Midwest due to snow and
blizzard conditions in the northern areas. Elsewhere, some scattered damage from bitter cold is
possible in soft red winter wheat areas. A much milder trend is in store during the next week to 10
days.
MILD PATTERN FOR SOUTHERN PLAINS
  Southern Plains wheat has likely escaped cold-weather damage in the short range. In the longer
range period, temperatures moderate somewhat.
DRIER AND WARMER IN CENTRAL BRAZIL
  Across central Brazil, a drier trend with warm to somewhat hot conditions during the next week
will reduce soil moisture and increase stress to developing corn and soybeans. Prior rains may
maintain favorable growing conditions early in this period before the soils dry enough to increase
stress to the crop.
FAVORABLE SOUTHERN BRAZIL MOISTURE
  In southern Brazil, soil moisture due to prior rains and at least some showers will favor crops in
Rio Grande do Sul and southern Parana for a while. Conditions are mostly favorable in northern
Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul as well, but there may be a tendency for net drying in these
locations.
WARM AND DRY IN BRAZIL COFFEE AREAS
  Southeastern Brazil will have below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures during the next
seven days. The driest and warmest conditions will likely be in Minas Gerais. Stress to sugarcane,
coffee trees and row crops in the region will increase during this period.MOSTLY FAVORABLE IN ARGENTINA
  In central Argentina, scattered rains and less hot weather favors corn and soybeans crops.
Episodes of heat and dryness may be affecting wheat in the southwest as well as some sunflower in
the area.
LIMITED COLD-WEATHER STRESS IN RUSSIA WHEAT
  Temperatures have dropped below zero Fahrenheit through much of the Ukraine and Russia wheat belt.
Snow cover should protect most of the wheat from the lowest of these temperatures. However, some
areas with low snow cover may be somewhat affected.
SEASONAL CONDITIONS IN CHINA WHEAT
  Central China wheat areas will have seasonally-dry conditions during the next week. Temperatures
trend somewhat higher during this period. There are no significant concerns at this time.
DRIER PATTERN IN SOUTH AFRICA
  In South Africa, a drier trend will develop during the next week, along with above-normal
temperatures. Scattered showers have occurred in southern areas during the past 24 hours.
Temperatures Wednesday averaged near to above normal.