The U.S. Climate Prediction Center says there are 76% offs La Niña will persist during the winter (December-February). That’s reflected in the National Weather Service (NWS) 90-day forecast, which calls for above-normal temps and below-normal precip across the South and East Coast. Below-normal temps and above-normal precip are expected across the Pacific Northwest to the Great Lakes region. The middle swath of the country has “equal chances” for above-, below- and average temps and precip during the three-month period.
The extended forecast wouldn’t be overly optimistic for significant improvement to HRW wheat conditions during winter. However, SRW wheat areas should see relatively favorable winter weather, which should help improve soil moisture conditions once the crop breaks dormancy.