Many farmers in the Midwest U.S are experiencing a snow drought to start the year. ” In Iowa statewide totals through the season is about 4.4 inches. That’s a little over 14 inches below where we should be towards the end of January.”

Snow drought in the Midwest?



by Wagamaga

4 comments

  1. A climatologist says many farmers in the Midwest are experiencing a snow drought to start the year.

    Justin Glisan is with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and says, “Anywhere from 14-to-20 inches below average. Statewide totals through the season is about 4.4 inches. That’s a little over 14 inches below where we should be towards the end of January.”

    He tells Brownfield he’s concerned about soil moisture for the 2025 growing season. “Our soil profiles are looking better than they were last year at this time, but we would like some more soil moisture in there into the profiles.”

    Glisan says short-term outlooks show elevated chances of wetter-than-normal conditions through the first half of February. “Which suggests a shift in the storm track. I think we’re going to see some snow on the ground within the next two weeks.”

    He says it’s been one of Iowa’s driest winters in 138 years of record keeping.

  2. People often triumph the Midwest as a climate change refuge but I hate to say it, there are going to be a slew of issues to face as climate change alters our world. More tornadoes, derechos, and high winds for sure. Hotter hots, less consistent colds (meaning fruit crop losses and more perennial crop and livestock die off). Issues with water tables. Issues with rainfall and snow not coming when it’s needed, which means more reliance on aquifers that aren’t replenishing fast enough. Carbon deficits in the soil, meaning issues of water and nutrient retention. Costs of living that aren’t as friendly to families or working class people. Wider spread of diseases because of things like higher tick and mosquito populations, but simultaneous collapses of pollinator populations. Things are gonna be tough for us all, not just the coastlines. One thing I’m more speculating about than have evidence for is whether we will have fewer sunny days. More cloud cover that may hurt crop yields. But that’s not yet founded, but it feels like it’s always foggy out anymore but with very little rain. The last five winters have been warm. I’ve been seeing Februaries in the 40s and some days in the 70s every year. Which as a kid they were in the 20s with warm days in the 30s. It’s important to remember climate change is a feedback loop. Things feed into each other and minor inconveniences start running away. As soils get dryer and stripped of organic matter, they start getting more packed and it’s harder to absorb water, making it dryer and less able to hold organic matter. Canalization has been the magic word in agriculture and construction. Dump water off your property has been the golden rule. But it really should be about water retention and slow release. But that’s one problem in a very complicated web of problems.

Comments are closed.