Weather conditions can make or break a crop during the growing season. From planting and harvest windows to disease outbreaks, weather plays a hand in having a successful harvest.
But without a crystal ball, how can you plan for the year ahead? Meteorologist Gary Lezak, who founded Weather 20/20, said reading weather patterns from year to year helps provide timely insights for farmers.
Weather 20/20 is a tool for which meteorologists and data engineers unite to bring next-generation weather-forecasting methodologies to market.
So, what are recent patterns sharing about 2026?
“It’s been wet in many areas of Missouri, Kansas, parts of eastern Nebraska and Iowa,” Lezak explained. “Others have struggled to get adequate rainfall. As it gets hot and looks like it’s going to be dry forever, thunderstorms will still move across the region.”
Rainfall patterns vary significantly across states, underscoring the necessity for farmers to monitor local weather forecasts closely.
“Some drought areas won’t be completely dry, but others such as western Nebraska likely won’t see enough relief,” Lezak said. “The areas that have been dry will continue to struggle.”
The cyclical nature of weather patterns is essential for farmers to consider, as it can significantly affect planning and preparation for the upcoming season.
Late-summer conditions
As harvest looms for many farms, Lezak said heat waves and thunderstorms are on the horizon. Tornadoes and severe weather conditions have plagued states such as Illinois and Indiana, but as the jet stream moves north, so does the risk of storms.
“The severe weather risks are starting to shift farther north,” Lezak said. “So, the Dakotas [and] Minnesota will have an occasional risk during the summer, but even though tornado season is over, severe weather can still impact many in the Midwest.”
This isn’t all bad, Lezak said.
“As farmers have told me over the years, it only takes one good thunderstorm at the right time that the crop can be made,” he explained. “I do see very good chances of timely thunderstorms across North Dakota and Minnesota.”
The main concern, however, is high temperatures moving in.
“It won’t be a long, horrific heat wave all summer centered on Iowa, but we’re going to have hot spells,” Lezak noted. “Every time you think it’s getting hot and it’s lasting more than a few days, all of a sudden a cold front is going to come through with a chance of thunderstorms.”
See a full weather report from Lezak and Weather 20/20 in the accompanying video, and find out more timely updates from Weather 20/20.