Contrasting weather

Weather reports on Sunday night were calling for wind chills to be between 30 to 60 degrees below zero on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week in the Central and Upper Midwest. Dairy and livestock producers will be scrambling to not only feed hay but also to get animals under shelter and try to keep them alive.

In the Imperial Valley near the Mexican border in Southern California, temperatures are forecast for 73°F highs and 46 to 48°F lows on Tuesday and Wednesday. Growers will be baling a winter clipping of alfalfa hay. First-cutting alfalfa hay will start in the Imperial Valley in about 30 days and go through March.

While there can be big differences in temperatures during the winter between the two areas, the differences this week are the widest we’ve noted in a long time.

Seth Hoyt

Author of The Hoyt Report, providing hay market analysis and insight.