Multiple news sources are predicting a late-week winter storm in the Southern Plains will move east northeast through the Delta and into the Middle Atlantic states that will stress livestock and poultry production.
Since that area of the US hardly ever sees the predicted level of wintry weather, there also will be travel delays and power outages, they said.
The storm has the potential to produce significant ice and snow accumulations from Texas and Oklahoma to the Carolinas, Virginia and areas north into Washington, D.C. Lighter snow was predicted from Kansas to Ohio, and bitter cold temperatures were forecast to follow the event into the interior southern states.
MULTIPLE CLIPPER SYSTEMS
Multiple clipper systems from the Canadian Rockies will move through the Northern Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes carrying sporadic snow showers and cold temperatures through the period, the National Weather Service said.
Behind the cold fronts, (notice “fronts,” plural) a northwesterly flow will enhance the lake-effect, which will bring snow downwind of the Great Lakes, with localized heavier snow near the eastern and southern side of the lakes, especially near Lake Ontario, the NWS said.
An arctic air mass continues to dominate much of the eastern half of the continental US, the NWS said, especially across Northeast and Midwest, bringing bitterly cold temperatures through much of the period. Freeze warnings were in effect for parts of Georgia into Northern Florida, as sub-freezing temperatures will return overnight.
As the Arctic cold air mass continues to spread southeastward, significantly below normal cold were expected to prevail for much of the central and eastern US Thursday into Friday, the NWS said. Temperatures from, 15 to 25 degrees (Fahrenheit) below normal with parts of the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest dropping below 0 degrees, were forecast.
Otherwise, near- to slightly above-normal temperatures could be expected over the Western US through Friday, the NWS said.
LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM COMING
A low-pressure system was expected to bring a southern stream across northern Baja California toward the end of the period, the NWS said. With the cyclonic flow, moist gulf air was forecast to pool and collide with the arctic air bringing widespread wintry precipitation across Texas to the Southeast.
As the system continues to track further north, snow chances were said to increase across the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the NWS said.
Although confidence continued to trend higher for an impactful system developing, the timing, track and strength of this winter storm remains uncertain, the NWS said. Therefore, persons in the affected areas were reminded to remain up to date with the latest forecast information.
A surface trough was expected to bring chances for heavy rain over the South Florida coast that will be beneficial, as conditions over this area were trending drier for this time of year, the NWS said. There was a slight chance for some isolated flash flooding.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $233.04 per cwt to $235.04, compared with last week’s range of $231.21 to $235.55 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $365.28 per cwt to $366.37, compared with $362.33 to $366.74.
The USDA choice cutout Tuesday was up $0.43 per cwt at $364.76 while select was down $0.49 at $359.84. The choice/select spread widened to $4.92 from $2.19 with 95 loads of fabricated product and 23 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $402.45 per cwt, and 50% beef was $146.67.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $0.95 to $1.10 a bushel over the Mar corn contract, which settled at $4.23 3/4, down $0.01.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Monday was $367.68 per cwt, down $1.26. This compares with Tuesday’s Jan contract settlement of $362.62, up $0.70.