FREESE-NOTIS
INTERNATIONAL WEATHER

7:00 AM, Wednesday, February 20, 2019

BRAZIL/PARAGUAY - Recent rain and more in the forecast here have added and will add more soil moisture and improve growing conditions for Safrinha corn crop. Some late developing soybeans and first crop corn also benefited by rain. Long-term moisture deficits still exist in many areas going back into early this growing season, and will likely not be made up in many areas. Rain slows remaining planting of Safrinha corn, as well as harvest of remaining first crop corn and soybeans at times, but not major delays in most areas.

ARGENTINA - Need for rain for summer crops has been increasing here and will continue to increase this week. Increasing rains in southern growing areas later in week, and elsewhere this weekend into a portion of the 6-10 day will be beneficial in most areas.

EUROPE - Heating demand near to below normal near term and 6-10 day most areas, some above normal demand in southeast. --- FORMER SOVIET UNION - Most northern winter crop areas still have some snow cover, while snow cover farther south has been decreasing. An increase in snow cover occurs into early next week in most areas. Colder overall, but any lows below 10 occur in north where there will be snow cover. --- SOUTH AFRICA - Recent rain has been beneficial for most corn areas. Need for rain will gradually increase in western corn areas into 6-10 day period, with overall more favorable conditions in east. --- NORTH AFRICA - Need for rain increasing in most wheat areas and that trend will continue in near future. Some light rain in Morocco earlier this week and in northern Tunisia next few days beneficial, but not major amounts. Greatest need for rain continues in some southern wheat areas of Morocco. --- TROPICAL PACIFIC UPDATE -- The latest weekly value of the sea surface temperature departure from normal in the NINO3.4 region of the Tropical Pacific as of Mon. from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center was +0.6 degrees C., up from +0.4 degrees C. last week. Latest value back in weak El Nino category.

High temperatures yest. upper 70s to low 90s most areas, with a few cooler in east and a few warmer far west. Greatest coverage of rain past 24 hours occurred in some northwestern, west-central, central and north-central growing areas of Brazil, but again not all locations had rain. Amounts 0.25-1.00" along with some lighter and a few heavier. East and south of these areas any showers fairly spotty.

High temps into weekend upper 70s to low 90s common, with a few warmer. Rain chances continue in northern and central growing areas of Brazil, and increase farther south into weekend. 5 day amounts 0.50-2.00" most areas, with spotty heavier. A few lighter in growing areas of Paraguay and in the far southwestern and far northeastern growing areas of Brazil. 6-10 day rainfall near to above normal in growing areas of Paraguay and far southern growing areas of Brazil, near to a little below normal in rest of Brazil. . 11-15 day rainfall near normal most areas. Recent rain and more in the forecast here have added and will add more soil moisture and improve growing conditions for Safrinha corn crop. Some late developing soybeans and first crop corn also benefited by rain. Long-term moisture deficits still exist in many areas going back into early this growing season, and will likely not be made up in many areas. Rain slows remaining planting of Safrinha corn, as well as harvest of remaining first crop corn and soybeans at times, but not major delays in most areas.

ARGENTINA GROWING AREAS

High temperatures yest. mostly upper 80s/90s. Most of this area dry past 24 hours.

Highs next 3-4 days mid 80s to mid 90s, a few warmer in north and some cooling in south. Rain chances increase later in week in south and then northward into central growing areas into weekend. By end of 5 day 0.50- 1.50" amounts in Cordoba, northern and eastern San Luis, northeastern 1/4 of La Pampa, Buenos Aires, southern and central Santa Fe and Entre Rios. Any rain farther north lighter overall. 6-10 day rainfall near to below normal in southern and central growing areas, near to above normal north. 11-15 day rainfall near normal most areas. Need for rain for summer crops has been increasing here and will continue to increase this week. Increasing rains in southern growing areas later in week, and elsewhere this weekend into a portion of the 6-10 day will be beneficial in most areas.

High temperatures yest. upper 40s into the 60s most areas, some warmer far south. Near term and 6-10 day temps near to above normal most areas, some below in southeast. Near term and 6-10 day heating demand near to below normal most areas, some above normal in southeast.

During past 24 hours precip spotty an light most winter crop areas confined to far southeast and far northeastern areas. Most lows teens/20s east, 20s/30s west. A few single numbers far northeast. An overall cooler pattern returns here into first half of next week, with some lows down in single numbers at times from northeastern Ukraine and southeastern Central Region into northern Southern region and on into northeastern locations. In increasing chances for some light snow most areas. Most northern winter crop areas still have some snow cover, while snow cover farther south has been decreasing. An increase in snow cover occurs into early next week again. Colder overall, but any lows below 10 occur in north where there will be snow cover.

High temperatures in most corn areas yest. 70s/80s east and 80s/low 90s west. Rainfall in corn areas spotty and light past 24 hours. Additional showers are forecast off and on into weekend in eastern corn areas, with 0.10-0.75" amounts. Farther west mainly drier. Highs warm back into the 90s in west, with cooler readings on most days in east. 6-10 day rainfall below normal most corn areas, near normal east. Recent rain has been beneficial for most corn areas. Need for rain will gradually increase in western corn areas into 6-10 day period, with overall more favorable conditions in east.

During past 24 hours most wheat areas dry. A few light showers in northern Tunisia near term, otherwise little or no rain into weekend. 6-10 day rainfall below normal most areas. Need for rain increasing in most wheat areas and that trend will continue in near future. Some light rain in Morocco earlier this week and in northern Tunisia next few days beneficial, but not major amounts. Greatest need for rain continues in some southern wheat areas of Morocco.

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