A heat dome is parked over a large portion of crops in the Midwest.
That is not rare this time of year, and an Iowa state climatologist warns the heat index could climb fast, raising risks for people and livestock.
According to Dr. Justin Glisan, “With all the moisture availability with these high dew points, we could see oppressive heat index values for a few days. And of course, this affects livestock but also humans that have to work outside. But, seasonally, we haven’t really seen an extended heat wave, and the expectation for next week is it’s not going to be exceedingly hot.”
Heat domes often push storms away from affected areas; forecasters say so-called “ridge riders” could still bring strong weather threats.
“We call this the ‘Ring of Fire,’ a configuration in which you have a heat dome that forms, and then you get ridge riders or weather disturbances that move over the ridge, and this can bring above average rainfall to where that jet stream or where that pattern is locked in,” Dr. Glisan explains. “You can also get some squall line development, but overall, yes, you can get above average rainfall when this type of setup occurs.”
A mid-January winter storm delivered snow, ice, and extreme cold to a broad swath of the U.S., disrupting transportation, stressing livestock systems, and adding cost and complexity to winter farm operations as producers look toward spring.
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Mike Steenhoek with the Soy Transportation Coalition discusses supply chain challenges facing agriculture as snow, sleet and ice threaten most of the Eastern U.S.
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Large Brazilian crops heighten downside price risk if the weather allows production to reach projected levels.
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While row crops are expected to see softer impacts, analysts say severe weather of this magnitude will not be as kind to cattle producers.
January 22, 2026 11:05 AM
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Alissa White with American Farmland Trust joined us to provide insight into climate resilience efforts and strategies to help farmers manage weather-related risks.
January 14, 2026 02:20 PM
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University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold joined us to share practical health and safety guidance for managing respiratory and skin health during the winter season.
January 14, 2026 02:04 PM
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