As the U.S. continues to transition from La Niña to El Niño, precipitation could help relieve some U.S. drought conditions. CattleFax Meteorologist Matt Makens says while more precipitation is coming, it won’t happen overnight.

As the seasons progress through spring and summer, wet areas like Ohio and Tennessee Valley will gradually spread westward. But Makens expects neutral to average precipitation this summer in the plains. He says producers have a reason to be optimistic this year, as moisture is likely to increase for mid-crop cycles and late-crop cycles – the same time that rain became infrequent in recent years.

Read more on anticipated precipitation in 2023 here.